Purpose: The purpose of the North American Collegiate Model UN All-Star Team is to recognize exemplary individuals in the college MUN community who have made a difference inside and outside of committee. These sometimes represent but are not necessarily limited to just the best delegates or award winners; conferences already determine those accolades. Rather, the College MUN All-Star Team should be representative of the best and most respected leaders in the community. They are diplomatic and skilled in committee, help strengthen the relationships between schools, provide thoughtful leadership, and make the Model UN experience better for everyone.
Process: College students who participated in at least one college Model United Nations conference in North America were eligible to submit one nomination form of up to ten students on the college circuit. Because of the All-Star Team’s emphasis on community, students were only allowed to nominate up to two delegates from their own school and were not allowed to nominate themselves. The nomination process took place from April 25 – May 5, 2019, and was promoted to a wide range of universities by the Best Delegate Media team. Each nominated name received one vote. Ballots were manually edited for spelling inconsistencies and manually checked for validity; only votes from valid ballots counted in the final numbers. Delegates receiving the top number of votes were given All-Star team honors divided into three tiers that reflect the percentage of votes received: 12 First Team, 12 Second Team, and 16 Third Team.
Credits: Best Delegate co-founder Kevin Felix Chan and Executive Director of Operations Erik Leiden tallied the data. Media Team Editor-in-Chief Elaine Miao and Editor of Best Delegate Content Genevieve Pool contacted Head Delegates and other college Model UNers to source the All-Star Team biographies and photos. Thank you to all the individuals who contributed biographies, and thanks to everyone on the circuit for participating in recognizing their peers for leadership in the community!
All names are in alphabetical order by first name within each tier. Biographies and photos are provided by the All-Star’s peers. This year’s biographers represented some of the top delegates on the circuit that were friends, teammates, and competitors of All-Star Team members. These delegates were not only some of the most competitive on the circuit, but have also in some capacity worked to make the circuit a better place.
COLLEGE MODEL UN ALL-STAR TEAM (FIRST TEAM)
Areesha Irfan
New York University
Areesha Irfan is a graduating senior majoring in Politics and Middle East and Islamic Studies at NYU. She joined MUN her freshman year, traveling to a whopping ten conferences in her first two semesters on the team. As a junior, she served as head delegate and this past year she returned to lead the NYU team for a second year of greatness. Outside of MUN, she can usually be found sipping a spicy chai latte, taking public transportation to Philadelphia (who knows why that is), and dismantling the patriarchy one tweet at a time. Areesha is recognized by many across the circuit for her passion, work ethic and dedication to MUN. Friends and acquaintances will remark on her talented debate skills and crafty crisis plots. Close friends will remark on her quirky humor and lighthearted personality. Areesha is an invaluable teammate, a knowledgeable teacher, and a great friend, and we wish her the greatest success as she pursues her masters in Military Studies at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies this fall.
Avery Kim
Columbia University
An inspiration and natural leader, Avery Kim is a rising junior at Columbia University and will serve as Head Delegate for the 2019-2020 academic year. After wrapping up her freshman year at UC Berkeley as the only crisis delegate with a 100 percent East Coast award streak, Avery transferred to Columbia ready to pick up right where she left off. This was quickly accomplished just a few months into school with her Outstanding Delegate award at her first conference as a Columbia delegate, UPMUNC 2018. Beyond awards and accomplishments, she’s been an incredible influence on the circuit with her natural ability to make lasting friendships wherever she goes, her efforts to make committees more accessible and inclusive for all, and her fearlessness to not be afraid to speak up for what’s right. Though she’s made the Columbia Model UN team her life, community, and family, there’s a high likelihood she’ll still shout out an ironic but wholesome “Go Bears!” without missing a beat. We are so lucky to have you, and we can’t wait for you to be our Head Del.
Elaine Miao
University of California, Los Angeles
Elaine Miao is a graduating senior who served as one of Model UN at UCLA’s head delegates this past year, helping lead her team to the best season in its history. In her final year, Elaine won numerous gavels at many of the circuit’s most competitive conferences, including ChoMUN’s Ad Hoc committee, and established herself as one of the most successful delegates ever at UCLA. Besides being a fantastic delegate, Elaine is best known both inside and outside of UCLA as one of the most beloved members of the Model UN community, having made deep and lasting friendships with countless people across the circuit. Despite her love of communism, addiction to randomly biting her friends, and inability to fall asleep during conferences, it is virtually impossible to not love Elaine. Beneath her incredibly happy and friendly exterior is a massively intelligent, determined, and charismatic woman, who is able to excel within numerous leadership roles across multiple organizations while still always being there for those who need her. She has selflessly served the Model UN community through her work at Best Delegate, from teaching to the hours upon hours put in as Editor-in-Chief, all while prioritizing making MUN inclusive and education-focused. Both UCLA and the entire circuit have been greatly improved by Elaine’s presence over the past 4 years, and she will be deeply missed.
Elodie Currier
Georgetown University
Truly, the only words fit to describe Elodie are “a force of nature.” From dominating the most grueling of GAs to taking over the fastest-paced crisis committees, she has proven herself to be a titan on the circuit. Six times Elodie walked in a committee room this year. A whopping four of those times, she walked out with a gavel. Her love for Model UN extends far past her competitive success. Elodie leaves behind a meaningful legacy as she gears to move to the city that never sleeps. From the freshmen who now have a piqued interest in pirate crisis arcs, to being the only person in Georgetown history to have actually broken a foot doing Model UN (turns out MUN is a sport!), to running Georgetown’s two most competitive committees: NAIMUN’s UNSC and the GIRA Board, Elodie has shown her undying devotion to Georgetown’s MUN program. But, most importantly, Elodie will be remembered by the friendships that she made, both on the circuit and at Georgetown. She may be moving from D.C. onto bigger and better things, but Georgetown will never forget her: the team is where it is today because of the hours and hours of hard work she has put in, and for that we are endlessly thankful.
Genevieve Pool
Georgetown University
Genevieve “Gen” “GenPool” Pool, according to some, “goes hard” in GAs. She’ll never let you forget that GAs are better than crisis, that she goes to Georgetown, or that she worked in Rwanda for a whole summer. Gen is a graduating senior and has become a mainstay on the circuit, well known for her kindness, chacos, and her absolute savagery as a delegate. Her natural talents showed this past year with GA awards at UPMUNC and UNCMUNC, and a gavel at WorldMUN. However, as much as she may not want to admit it, her crisis skills showed through too when she gaveled &MUN and ChoMUN. As Gen will remind you time and time again, MUN isn’t all about awards, and she had pushed for tremendous strides in inclusivity on her team, as a staffer, and on the circuit that will have effects long after she’s gone. A friend to many and a fearless leader for all, she is always there as a shoulder to cry on, a cheerleader, and, overall, and absolute HBIC. With codependency forming between her and delegates from all over the circuit, Gen will be missed dearly next year. Her passion for Model UN, working for Best Delegate, and teaching the GU team camp traditions are things the circuit won’t be able to replace.
RJ Ruano
University of Chicago
RJ Ruano is a graduating senior who served as the President of the UChicago team this year. Perhaps best known on the circuit for his maroon pants and Yik Yak socks, RJ is known within the UChicago team as a loving and goofy leader who has been at the heart of this team’s success. As he consistently dominated on Ad Hocs, UNSCs, and crisis committees across the board, his golden personality always shone through and he was never too busy or too stressed to help another member of our team out with their committees. RJ has been a fearless leader, a great friend to the people he has met across the circuit, and most importantly, an irreplaceable addition to the family that is our team. RJ, thank you for everything you have done for this team. We are so excited to see you begin your career in D.C. at the McChrystal Group and know you will continue to thrive and exceed our expectations in the future.
Rose Meinrath
University of California, Berkeley
Although she is graduating this year, Rose Meinrath will be fondly remembered for years to come by her friends in UCBMUN and around the circuit. As UC Berkeley’s crisis head delegate, her indefatigable optimism, devious crisis schemes, and endless devotion to her teammates produced the most successful crisis team UCBMUN has seen in recent memory. In addition to being the one of the best best competitive delegates on the team, Rose is well loved for her caring and hilarious personality. Her iron liver (she single-handedly consumed almost one-sixth of the minimum bar tab at UCBMUN) brought her infamy on the circuit early on, but her ability to light up any room she walks into brought her fame. Next year, you can find her bringing productive crisis arcs to real life in Washington, D.C. We’ll miss you so much, Rose. The West Coast is losing more than just a good delegate: we’re losing an amazing friend as well.
Sam Rice
University of Virginia
Graduating from the McIntire School of Commerce, Sam Rice has been described as a MUN god of Virginia by those who know him best. His experience over this past year certainly justifies such a divine title within the UVA team. In addition to another year of winning on the circuit, Sam served as Secretary General of the Virginia International Crisis Simulation, where he drew upon his years of MUN experience to lead the conference to new heights. A natural leader, Sam expertly directed, managed and fed his secretariat throughout the months leading up to the conference, and he worked tirelessly to make sure every delegate and staffer had an amazing experience conference weekend. Whether he’s traveling on the circuit or on grounds, Sam always greets you with a smile and is always eager to make new friends, often while playing strategy board games. While he will be sorely missed next year, his legacy of leadership and friendship will continue to have an impact for years to come.
Sam Taglia
The Ohio State University
Sam Taglia recently graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelors of Arts in Cultural Anthropology and Public Affairs. Model UN has been a large part of Sam’s undergraduate career. This past year, he served as president of the Collegiate Council on World Affairs at OSU and was awarded best delegate at UPMUNC and PUNC along with receiving an outstanding delegate awards at McMUN and CMUNNY and honorable mention at ChoMUN. Sam is a fierce delegate while being a fiercer friend, with forever homies across the circuit made from his first conference to his last. Sam holds a special place in the hearts of Best Delegate staff, through constantly being the most lovable, enthusiastic, and easy-to-make-fun-of person in any room. Sam is passionate about everything he does, from Star Wars trivia to secretly overthrowing governments in the backroom. In the fall, Sam is moving to St. Louis to join Teach for America as a cultural anthropology teacher, where he will inevitably maintain his persona of “proud/occasionally concerned dad.”
Sarah Carroll
University of Florida
Sarah Carroll is a graduating senior, finishing up her collegiate career at the University of Florida. In her senior year, she has traveled all across the country, making friends everywhere she went. Most importantly, she also served as the Secretary-General of FLCS VIII after being on Secretariat for the past two years. Sarah is known across the circuit for both her individuality and her presence but also how much fun and excitement follows wherever she goes. She is THE Sarah Carroll, especially where socials are involved. When she is not talking about Hungary, at Salty Dog or dealing with fire alarms, her desires and determination to accomplish anything and everything and help UF succeed have shown through, especially this past year serving as both a Head Delegate and Secretary-General. She will be missed as she moves on to Hungary and the DOD, but we can’t wait to see what new and exciting things she accomplishes!
Seth Fiderer
College of William & Mary
Seth “my arc was great but in room could’ve been better” Fiderer has been competing in MUN for many hours now, and talking about MUN for many more. He is charismatic, fun, and has made what most would describe as “too many” circuit friends along the way. As head delegate this year, he led William & Mary’s travel team to incredible success, with both personal gavels (looking at you, ChoMUN) and arc-ing with every member of his team. He is also a professional crisis arc coach for his circuit friends – but only if it doesn’t hurt his team, since he will give an extensive weakness debrief or “avoid at all costs” warning when W&M competes against these friends. While he may pretend to not have a life outside of MUN, Seth also brings his MUN passion to other interests. They include agonizing over every paper, his Tunisia travels, doggos and all things Blessed, and – most importantly – memes, of which he is an expert connoisseur and creator. While he may know literally every team’s awards history from memory, he actually doesn’t campaign for All-Star yet is on a #streak just by creating real friendships wherever he travels and embodying both what it means to be an All-Star and to have #clout.
Syed Adnan
Florida International University
A barbecue and Middle Eastern politics aficionado, Syed hails from (the marshlands of) West Florida and is extremely proud of that fact. He started Model United Nations at Cape Coral High School, and in 8 years Syed has put together a legendary MUN career and legacy. Among his long list of accomplishments are 13 “Best Delegate” awards, a Diplomacy Fellowship with Best Delegate, and being elected president of Florida International University Model United Nations, leading the team to new heights. While his MUN acumen and success as a delegate and a leader are impressive, Syed’s most “all-star” qualities are his people-skills. He has made a lasting impression on the circuit as a friendly, fun individual that will put his own interests aside for others, even for people he barely knows. Congratulations to Syed for a well-deserved all-star team selection—it has been a long time coming. The FIU team will have big shoes to fill as Syed moves up to New York in the fall for his Masters.
COLLEGE MODEL UN ALL-STAR TEAM (SECOND TEAM)
Amanda Warren
University of Pennsylvania
17 conferences later, it is with a weary heart the circuit says goodbye to one of its true legends. She lit up the circuit with her charisma, from the committee room to Boat Party to the Boston Park Plaza. This past year, she contributed immensely, as a delegate and person, to Penn’s first delegation award at HNMUN in 6 years, and notably won her fourth ChoMUN gavel in as many tries, captivating creative crisis staffers like no other. She also served as Vice President of Penn’s International Affairs Association. Next year, Amanda will be working for J.P. Morgan’s Technology Investment Banking group in San Francisco, though her team hopes she’ll visit Philly (and maybe D.C. too). Penn will miss its sweet but psycho superstar, but not as much as she’ll miss Officer Germaine.
Ellie Tingstad
Michigan State University
Ellie Tingstad is a graduating senior from Michigan State University, recently receiving her degrees in Economics, German, and Chinese. In her years on the circuit, she has made a strong impression both in and out of committee. Her level of commitment and dedication to MUN is extremely admirable and has always been a welcoming and encouraging member of the delegation. She has inspired many her fellow delegates to improve their speaking skills, crisis arcs, and fashion choices. Across the circuit, she is well known for her incredible and outgoing personality. Ellie has proven to be a powerful force and formidable delegate within committee, and although she will be sorely missed by Michigan State’s delegates, we can’t wait to see what she does next. YAAS QUEEN!
Graham Pfeiffer
College of William & Mary
Graham is a rising junior and the incoming head delegate for the College of William & Mary. Graham is well known on the circuit and at William & Mary for his incredibly detailed and creative crisis arcs and his deep passion for all things Model UN. More importantly, he is known for being the most humble, down-to-earth, caring person anyone could have the pleasure of knowing. He has an incredible sense of humor he carries with him everywhere he goes, both inside and outside the committee room. This charisma has allowed him to win many awards, dominating at four conferences this year and gaveling ChoMUN while making even more friends. Graham is a true confidante and an amazing leader to the team and the circuit, and will surely carry the Model UN team at William & Mary to new heights.
Jenna Wong
Harvard University
Jenna Wong is a superstar who has led the Harvard team over the past year with unspeakable grit, passion, and a penchant for feminist revolts. A queen on both coasts, Jenna won Best Delegate at NCSC, UPMUNC, UCBMUN, and LAMUN this year and garnered Outstanding Delegate at two additional conferences. Her love for crisis, which she has demonstrated by doing everything from leading Jesus’ Apostles to crashing world economies, is just the beginning of her repertoire, as she has also directed GAs, is running an entire conference (HMUN India), and has devoted countless hours to bettering the entire Model UN community. She is known on the circuit for her moving speeches, powerful bloc-building, and impeccable floral pants, as well as for changing up the gender dynamics of Ad-Hoc committees everywhere she goes. Jenna brings out the best in everyone, and has also been pivotal in making MUN a more empowering place for all. Jenna is a clear MUN all-star, and we are so grateful for her leadership this past year.
John Govern
United States Military Academy at West Point
John Francis Govern is a cadet at the United States Military Academy at West Point who majored in international relations and studied for a semester in France (which he won’t let anyone forget). He has participated in Model UN during his four years at West Point and served as head delegate for his final year of competition. John has been a superb role model, both on and off the circuit, for his friends and teammates. John’s most notable accolades from this year include back to back diplomacy awards at Harvard World Model United Nations 2018 and 2019, best delegate awards at McMUN 2019, BarMUN 2018, and CMUNNY 2018. Outside his awards, though, John is better known for being a phenomenal friend to teams across the circuit. John is set to graduate from West Point later this month, branched infantry, and West Point will lose a born leader and incredible Tin-Tin lookalike. We wish you the best of luck in your future, John, and we’ll miss you!
Jon Flores
University of Southern California
When it comes to Model UN, there’s no delegate quite like Jon Flores. He began his journey at College of the Canyons, an inspired young man right out of his high school football team who was hungry for competition. When he was introduced to the unique world of Model United Nations, he used this newfound passion to not only to become one of the fiercest delegates, but one of the best friends and mentors anyone can ask for. Many have had the opportunity to get to know Jon, and an extremely lucky few have had the honor of being in the Jon Flores MUN family line. Everyone that has entered Jon’s life in that capacity has become extremely motivated to excel in MUN, but more importantly they have always felt like they had a brother to turn to any moment they need. At USC, he rose to be the Director of Training almost instantaneously and has greatly contributed to USC’s growth, as they became one of the best teams on the circuit. Jon’s impact on the circuit goes far beyond committee. This bio speaks for almost everyone when it says, “We love you Jon Flores!!”
Lindsey Mosley
University of Florida
Lindsey Mosley has gathered quite the list of accolades in her senior year at the University of Florida, serving this past year as the President of UF MUN and previously as the Head-Delegate. Lindsey is truly one of the nicest people you’ll meet, even when she has to deal with election crises or other club-related events. Lindsey’s determination has won her many awards around the circuit and has led to some very entertaining stories at VICS, McMUN, and WPMUNI. Her time at UF and in this club has seen so many improvements, and when she isn’t talking about her future career and Georgetown, or the occasional name drop that she studied abroad, Lindsey’s dedication and passion for Model UN has shown through in all of the ups and downs and is memorialized in all the group chats made in her name. We can’t wait to see what she will accomplish in these upcoming years as she completes a Masters Degree at Georgetown and we know she will go far!
Malvika Varma
University of California, Los Angeles
Malvika Varma is a unstoppable powerhouse on the circuit like no other, and commands respect from every delegate she has ever encountered. If you’ve been (un)lucky enough to be in committee with Malvika, you’ve seen firsthand that her ability to command a committee room. Her authoritative voice and unmod shimmying skills place her among some of the circuit’s best and her mere presence strikes fear into every power delegate’s heart. While she dominates crisis arcs, Malv also gained some valuable knowledge from her time on the circuit, such as the fact that electric eels are in fact real animals and that hot tubs are not at boiling temperature. From frequently flying to the east coast, she has also mastered the quickest route to Dunkin Donuts from the airport. In her four years on the circuit, she is also known for her ability to connect and make friends with anyone, especially if they are from key SoCal schools. Malvika has undoubtedly made the college circuit a better place, and generations of UCLA delegates will benefit from her legacy as one of the best presidents MUN at UCLA has seen.
Noah Levine
University of Pennsylvania
When delegates from the University of Pennsylvania talk about their school and team, one word comes to mind: family. And at the head of this family stands Noah Levine. More than his amazing awards record, Noah will be remembered for his incredible leadership. Many members can remember a time where, when they needed help, Noah had their back. He has been up at 4am brainstorming clauses when one of our delegates was sick. He’s phoned in to debrief teammates at conferences he wasn’t even attending. As head of Penn’s team, Noah has firmly prioritized his teammates, and his leadership is proof that a team can do well without putting awards above their own wellbeing. Originally from Upstate New York, Noah enjoys terrible dad jokes and long scenic hikes. While we will all miss him terribly, we wish him the best next year in D.C. and we rest easier knowing he is only a short train ride away.
Shravan Balaji
University of Pennsylvania
Where does one begin talking about Shravan Balaji? He is a senior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in business and circuit relations, with a minor in performing statistical analysis on Intercol’s award record. He somehow made this all star team while actively telling everyone NOT to vote for him. When he reads this, he will probably say “seriously?” despite the fact that he has an extensive collection of gavels. Intercol may never be the same without Shravan’s guidance, late night phone calls, threats of “retiring,” and intense FOMO, so we are hoping he uses his immunity gauntlet to keep doing MUN for 4 more years (would anyone be surprised?). So to definitively answer your question, Shravan, no- not everyone is mad at you, as long as you stay in touch.
Zac Schroepfer
Georgetown University
Zac’s rise from never doing MUN before college to leading one of the most competitive and inclusive teams Georgetown has seen can only be described as “meteoric” and “honestly, no one was expecting that.” He has been a competitive force on the circuit, being one of the most consistent high awarders for all four years, but his real contributions go far beyond the 11 gavels he couldn’t care less about (although he did know instantly at ChoMUN that he had beaten Georgetown’s gavel record…) Despite a professed hatred of staffing, Zac consistently ran flawless committees at NCSC and NAIMUN and was the best Chief of Staff NCSC has ever seen. As Conferences Coordinator, Zac took on an incredibly thankless role and carefully infused inclusivity in every decision he made, and the team saw the lowest conference dues, highest number of delegates able to travel, over twice as many gavels, 60% more awards, and most underclassmen who have found a home in meme groups and a grungy basement. If you have ever worked with Zac in MUN, you know that this bio should end with his most important legacy: the Golden Rule, or “don’t be a jerk (but maybe be petty).”
Zachary Bontempo
American University
When you speak with those who have had the pleasure of knowing Zach, they will tell you that he is among the circuits most talented delegates, experienced leaders, and lively personalities, thus making his placement onto this year’s All-Star team no surprise to any. While his near 2 year long award streak featuring multiple gavels and stretching across every style of committee available all speak for themselves, it is Zach’s ability to care for everyone that truly established his presence on the circuit. Serving as Head Delegate for American University this past year, Zach has overseen the team’s best performance ever, while simultaneously cultivating a team environment that inspires, motivates, and supports one another. While his continued love affair with China or whatever the ‘established’ power in the region may be, along with his ungodly amount of knowledge on chemical weapons and Iran remain marginally concerning to those around him, Zach has clearly established himself as one of the premier delegates on the circuit, and we all look forward to seeing what he has in store for us along with the rest of the circuit next year!
COLLEGE MODEL UN ALL-STAR TEAM (THIRD TEAM)
Aaron Tarajos
University of California, Berkeley
It took Aaron just as long to make this list as it did to make the actual UCBMUN team. If you walk into a room and spot a blonde man wearing a pink shirt, Sperry’s, or any other apparel a Chad would wear, chances are you’ve stumbled upon the legendary Aaron Tarajos. It is reported that he was talking about his hopes and aspirations to one of his closest friends right as he got an email telling him that he was going to be a UC Berkeley student. He grew to become the one of the most remembered faces of UCBMUN, as he went across the nation bringing home gavel after gavel, while being one of the most friendly and encouraging individuals around. Aaron embodies what the best of MUN truly means. He is an example to young community college MUNners, as well as all of his friends, that there is no school too small to become big on the circuit and there is no limit to what you can do with little water 😉 and a big heart. The West Coast will sorely miss one of the most competitive, lively, and kind personalities the circuit has known, and UC Berkeley will lose an amazing DJ-by-night, Roni Slopes.
Alexander Morales
Florida International University
Alexander Morales is a man not defined by awards, but by the incredibly positive influence he’s had on the circuit and on FIU. Renowned for his encyclopedic knowledge of history and politics, Alex is one of the most gifted head delegates the program has ever seen, and everyone on the team looks up to his unwavering diligence. If you’ve ever held a conversation with him, you’ll note his contagious passion for learning. Aside from MUN, Alex is an accomplished researcher and dedicated student leader on campus, making a quick three hour commute to work in FIU’s public policy institute every day of the week. In his free time, you could find Alex reading up on daily Russian politics or browsing Instagram for history memes. All in all, Alex’s intellectual, caring, and driven attitude has left a deep imprint on FIU, and he will be deeply missed by his friends as he embarks for grad school in GWU this fall for security studies.
Andrew Jiang
Harvard University
Andrew Jiang is a senior at Harvard studying Statistics. Otherwise known as the official “team dad,” Andrew served as Co-Head Delegate of ICMUN his junior year, and continued to compete on the circuit throughout his senior year. He is a crisis genius, having plotted the most elaborate crisis arcs for just about any and every committee, including his very fair share of Security Councils. Besides the many gavels that rest atop his dresser, Andrew’s major contributions to the Model UN circuit include his unwavering and unconditional friendship and respect for other delegates. He deeply values the friendships he’s made through his time in Model UN, and this relationship is reciprocal because Andrew’s personality, charisma, and demeanor is alluring. Next year, he will be taking his talents to New York for trading. His absence on both the Harvard team and broader circuit is sure to be felt next year, as we will all deeply miss him and the positive energy he radiates in every place he goes.
Angelo Fernandez
The George Washington University
Thanks to his strong clause-writing and bloc-building skills, Ángelo has distinguished himself as one of the strongest and most consistent GA delegates on the circuit, with his trademark glasses and Gucci loafers following him all over conference. Ángelo first got into Model UN in his home of Puerto Rico, which developed his strong passion for diplomacy, engaging debate, and comprehensive solutions. Since his freshman year at GW, Ángelo has stood out thanks to his numerous awards, most notably his Outstanding Delegate awards this year at CMUNNY and ChoMUN, the former of which propelled his team to win an Outstanding Small Delegation award. However, where Ángelo’s passion and dedication for MUN is arguably most apparent is within the GW team he has helped empower throughout his entire college MUN career. This year, he served as Vice Head Delegate and led the team to consistently rank among the top ten (and most recently top five!) in the nation. Your hard work has definitely paid off, Ángelo, and you will be sorely missed by the college circuit you have helped shape over four years of hard delegating, and the team that loves you and learned from you. Ángelo will forever remembered as GW’s favorite Puerto Rican and (almost) NBA star that ever crossed Foggy Bottom.
Grant Peterson
University of Tennessee
Grant Peterson is a delegate from the University of Tennessee and a good friend to everyone he’s had the pleasure of meeting on the circuit. In the past year, he has won an award at every conference he has traveled to and, most notably, won best delegate at ChoMUN. On the circuit, Grant is known for his cowboy boots, and for being one of the most prepared people in the committee room. Outside of Model United Nations, you can usually find Grant following his passion by modeling and decorating a variety of board games for his company. As he becomes the President of the team, Grant has big plans for the University of Tennessee as he hopes to improve the skills of all of his delegates and bring the UT name to new heights.
Hari Asuri
The George Washington University
Hari is a graduating Senior from the George Washington University. He joined the GW team his freshman year, and since then he has been one of the most active members on the team. Known for his unique style, 48 count gel pens, and construction paper directives, Hari always gave his all for MUN and for the GW Team. He served as head delegate for a year and in addition helped train three generations of GW delegates to new heights. Hari is always ready to help others and is always someone his team can count on. Hari will be remembered for his style, personality and constant smile. We wish you all the best in future endeavors, and we will miss you dearly. GW is losing a circuit legend, and we will be hard-pressed to find someone to fill your shoes.
Jake Stoffel
United States Military Academy at West Point
Graduating West Point this year, Jake Stoffel is leaving behind a legacy as a incredible delegate and passionate friend to his team and the circuit. A vibrant sense of humor and a consistent performance in committees made him both a force to be reckoned with and an immense pleasure to work with. Jake was an invaluable leader on the West Point team as head of logistics and a constant performer and gavel-getter. When not in uniform, Jake could usually be identified by his black sunglasses and being a frequent fixture at social gatherings (most commonly Georgetown’s.) Also known by his nickname “team father,” Jake has been a role model to his team, and his presence will be sorely missed. Model UN will be losing an accomplished delegate and incredible companion with his departure, but we wish him the best of luck with all his future endeavors.
Justin Schmerler
University of California, Los Angeles
Justin Schmerler/Schmerlz/Nick from Big Mouth served as MUN at UCLA’s Director of Travel Team, where he used his bad-cop tactics to lead the team to its most successful performance of all time. Yet, his biggest contribution to the circuit was his ability to strike fear into the hearts of delegates who dared to enter a committee with him. His complex crisis arcs, eloquent speaking style, and intense lobbying skills make him one of the greatest (and most intimidating) delegates that UCLA has ever produced and the circuit has ever seen. He ends his senior year with a clean sweep of awards from CMUNNY, TrojanMUN, McMUN, UCBMUN, ChoMUN, and HNMUN, four of which are gavels. Justin is moving on to work in Investment Banking in NYC, but will be leaving behind an irreplaceable legacy as one of UCLA’s G.O.A.Ts and a well-loved face on the circuit.
Mike O’Connor
American University
American University owes much of its recent success to the refreshing, rambunctious style of Mike O’Connor, incoming AU senior. Mike is one of the most passionate, relentless, and driven individuals on the circuit. In his role as VP, he authored over 100 pages of crisis guides for the team and left his planner open for conference prep for any team member on any day of the week. An embodiment of Mike’s leadership style is his bedroom floor, thick with underclassmen crisis pads ready to be reviewed and critiqued. Yet, what we all respect most about Mike is that for him, it’s always more important to do what’s right than what’s popular. His north star is that he never lets anything stand in the way of doing what he came to leadership to do: be a voice for the people who are counting on the Model UN community to be their college family. It’s safe to say that Mike’s legacy, leadership, and uncompromising refusal to let anyone feel unwelcome on the team or unprepared for the next conference will be felt for classes to come.
Mohammad Qayum
University of California, Davis
Mohammad Qayum is a UC Davis and West Coast legend, known for his intricate crisis arcs and passion for developing Model UN programs. Mohammad presided over a highly successful year as President, leading Davis Model UN to success both at home and around the circuit while picking up a plethora of awards for himself, including gavels at both TrojanMUN and LAMUN. At the same time, he has also been present for some of the most dysfunctional and frustrating moments on the circuit, yet led his team and others out of crisis situations. Luckily, he was well prepared for such circumstances from his experience as an ASUCD senator, which he never stops talking about. Outside of committee, Mohammad’s kind and gregarious nature has done wonders for fostering deeper cooperation and understanding between West Coast MUN programs. His graduation represents the loss of a titan on the #WestCoastBestCoast and he will certainly be sorely missed.
Mustafa Hassoun
Emory University
Hailing from the “Heart of Dixie” and a native of Baghdad, Mustafa Hassoun is a true friend of every person he has ever met on the circuit. He is a graduating senior and has served as President and Head Delegate of the Emory International Relations Association, and is known throughout the circuit and Emory University as the most charming man on God’s Green Earth. Dubbed the “team dad” over at Emory Model UN, Mustafa is widely respected throughout the Model UN Collegiate circuit as a Middle East expert. He is also fluent in an outrageous number of languages. From Mustafa’s resume, you might think he has no weaknesses, but he occasionally makes some questionable decisions, such as chairing a 24-hour committee at MUNE despite the fact that he’s known as a man who really needs his sleep, and trying (and failing) to Latin dance at Calle Ocho Fest in Miami in proximity of his friends from FIU who have cameras. The circuit will not be the same without Mustafa. Congratulations on a brilliant Model UN career, and we wish him luck in law school.
Naba Rahman
Georgetown University
Naba Rahman has been a force to be reckoned with on the circuit since she switched into MUN as a way to rebound from her first love, speech and debate. Known for her fiery speeches and strong opinions on hand gestures, Naba spent her first three years on the circuit describing herself as “the most in-room GA Del ever,” but her performance this year showed how strong she is as an all-around competitor, writer, and leader. Beyond her talent in the conference room, Naba has given countless hours to the GU team and its conferences, serving as an incomparable NCSC SG, an outspoken member of team and board leadership, and chairing (while standing) some of the most competitive committees on their respective circuits. She has exemplified what an All-Star is, through countless late nights and early mornings learning, researching, and strategizing. While her color-matched suits, penchant for stilettos regardless of pain and injury, and intense dedication to perfection might scare some people off, Naba will be remembered on the circuit not only as a fearless competitor but as a great friend. GU and the circuit will miss her strategy coffees that turn into existential convos, bloc pizza parties, and great club night outfits, but we know she’ll go on to do great things at CITI and beyond.
Priya Sethi
University of Southern California
Priya Sethi is a freshman at USC finishing off an impressive first year on the circuit. Coming into college with a longstanding awards streak from high school, her past year on the college MUN circuit was no different. As only an incoming sophomore, Priya has asserted herself as a leader on USC’s team, serving as USG of TrojanMUN and a member of the team’s Training Directorate. Priya also has an incomparable ability to command the attention of any GA room and never fails to give any committee her 110%. Within the USC team, Priya is known for an equally commanding presence at any social event and always brings a good time. The future is bright for Priya, and we can’t wait to see how she’ll positively affect the University of Southern California in the future!
Rebecca Cunningham
University of Chicago
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a woman in possession of prodigious MUN talent must be in want of a gavel. Rebecca Cunningham, a graduating fourth year at University of Chicago, has proved that truth many times over. But her impact on the circuit (rivaled in size only by the volume of her hair) goes far beyond the awards she’s brought home for her school. As a head delegate, she’s sacrificed countless hours and brain cells for the good of her team. Whether you were a first year or a fourth year, whether you needed help competitively or emotionally, Becca has always been there to run speech drills or pop open a bottle of wine. And despite all the time she’s put into her team, she’s still managed to write a rocking thesis, run a banging ChoMUN Ad Hoc (the best Press Corps the circuit has ever seen), and put on a rad committee for high school students at MUNUC (bringing Model UN to The Next Generation™). Becca has gotten as much as she’s given. In her four years of MUN at UChicago, she’s found friends, mentors, mentees, and love. Find her next year running the streets of Washington D.C.
Richard Sommers
Florida State University
In his final year on the MUN circuit, Richard served as Director of the FSU World Affairs Program (WAP), bringing the team to 8 conferences and leading the team record of 4 Best Large Delegation Awards. His dedication to mentoring delegates and engaging them both on the circuit and on campus embodies his dedication to the success of FSU WAP. If anyone ever needed crisis help, Richard was the first one to offer out of the box (and sometimes very cunning) ideas. Richard left a huge impact on our team while serving as Assistant Director of Programming by revamping team training materials, leading more delegates to find success on the circuit. Outside of MUN, Richard is known for his 3am Fortnite sessions after spending all day at the library, and for his passionate need for an explicit invitation to everything. He will be missed on our team and the circuit but we all wish him luck as he begins Law School!
Suraag Srinivas
Georgetown University
Suraag “Floofy” Srinivas has become an institution on Georgetown’s Model UN team over the past three years with his crisis expertise, warm personality, and generosity with his flex dollars. Over the past year as Director of Training, Suraag worked tirelessly to reform Georgetown’s training program from the ground up, resulting in greater than ever freshman engagement and one of Georgetown’s most successful competitive years on record. Of course, it also goes without saying that Suraag is a fantastic delegate, racking up awards at some of this year’s most competitive conferences including gavels at UPMUNC and CHOMUN. Suraag also served as Secretary-General for the National Collegiate Security Conference, producing one of the best-reviewed and successful NCSCs on record. Beyond his many MUN accomplishments, Suraag is known not for his strength as a delegate, but his strength as a friend. Charismatic, loving, and deeply committed to the people he cares about, Suraag has definitely made GUMUN a better place. All of us at Georgetown are beyond thrilled and excited to have him serve as Head Delegate and Conferences Coordinator next year. We love you Raag!
Congratulations to all the delegates! Thank you for a great year on the circuit, enjoy your summer, and hope to see many of your next year!
