There are many definitions of success in Model UN, and awards are only one extrinsic way of measuring success. Nevertheless, awards have existed in Model UN for years. They serve to recognize both individual students and college teams as a whole for their accomplishments in leadership, research, public speaking, resolution-building, negotiation, and diplomacy. This year, the end of the year college rankings were more competitive than ever, with all schools on the circuit bringing forth their best efforts at collegiate competitions. These college rankings are meant to recognize different school teams for their efforts in preparing more students to succeed at conferences, both large and small, both worldwide and local. Our heavier emphasis this year on conference equity hopes to recognize both big and small conferences for their efforts on bringing competition to different regions in the United States.
Methodology
The World Division refers to the circuit of collegiate Model UN teams that are primarily run by college Head Delegates and primarily attend conferences hosted by college Model UN organizations, with the vast majority of those conferences featuring crisis committees. This ranking is only for the World Division.
The World Division Rankings uses a Cumulative Weighted Score Methodology. The Weighted Score Methodology is the same since Fall 2018 with modifications in conference weightings to reflect attendance and competitiveness this year. Conferences included in the calculations are listed below and grouped with their approximate peer conferences in terms of weighting. Awards data were provided by the conferences, and we could only use conferences that chose to provide data. Tiers are as follows:
- HNMUN
- McMUN
- UPMUNC, ChoMUN*, NCSC
- BarMUN, CMUNNY, LAMUN*, NYUMUNC*
- UNCMUNC, VICS*, UCBMUN, TrojanMUN, &MUN*, SCSY
- MUNE, CIAC, QMUNI, SBIMUN
- FLCS, PDI, FCMUN, PUNC*
*Denotes conference was cancelled due to COVID-19. The conference is placed in its approximate tier from last year.
2019-2020 North American College Model U.N. Final Rankings (World Division) Final placement below should be compared to the 2018-2019 Final Rankings as opposed to the 2019 Fall Rankings, albeit it’s not an an imperfect comparison as the season was cut short this year due to COVID-19.
Editors’ Notes
Best Delegate Co-Founder Kevin Felix Chan led the data calculations for the ranking and final editing of the narratives in this article. Best Delegate staffer Syed Adnan sourced the raw data and team blurbs and photos for this article. Thank you to all the conferences for submitting awards data, and to all the head delegates for submitting content about their teams.
Rankings Analysis
The rankings reflect the cumulative weighted scores from all conferences that were able to take place during the season prior to COVID-19, which abruptly caused all colleges to transition to remote in the middle of the spring semester and therefore the mass cancellation of all remaining college MUN conferences. Many major conferences had yet to take place, including ChoMUN, LAMUN, NYUMUNC, VICS, and &MUN. Teams that regularly attended those conferences were at a theoretical disadvantage since it was no longer possible to attend them. On the contrary, the hosts of those conferences likely completed most of their travel schedule and were at an advantage. On a separate note, it was also noticeable that several of the smallest conferences from prior years were not planned to be hosted again this year.
There was an exceptional amount of movement in the Top 25 rankings this year. This was partially because of COVID-19, such as Harvard having its lowest rank ever because it didn’t get a chance to compete in the spring after hosting HNMUN. But this was also because of natural rises and falls in team performance. Seton Hall and Alabama entered into the Final Top 25 for the first time. West Point and NYU did not make the Top 25 for the first time in a decade. This was also the first time two ranked teams (UPenn and Columbia) got suspended, though the rankings are cumulative and included their successes from the Fall.
UPenn’s suspension brings interesting ramifications to the circuit without UPMUNC in the Fall, but the larger question going into the 2020-2021 school year will be if in-person Model UN conferences can take place at all because of either venue policies or if college teams will be back on campus. And even if in-person conferences take place, will various logistical, financial, public health, and physical distancing factors affect conference attendance? Will some conferences be held online?
These are all evolving scenarios where the Head Delegates and Secretaries-General will have to make some tough decisions. The spirit of the rankings methodology is to reflect all of the success of the college circuit, including any modifications that become widely adopted by the circuit. Best Delegate will continue to connect with college circuit leaders to determine what would be appropriate for next year.
In the meantime, we want to recognize teams for the accomplishments they were able to achieve at the Model UN conferences that were able to take place. Without further ado, here are the ranked teams in the tenth edition of the final rankings!
Top 25 Teams
1. University of Chicago
UChicago is back as the #1 team in the final rankings after winning the most delegation awards, the most individual awards, and the most gavels on the circuit this year. UChicago had a nearly undefeated season and the competition wasn’t close. UChicago dominated at HNMUN, the most competitive conference, by taking home as many gavels as American, FIU, and Claremont McKenna (the three other top five teams there) combined en route to a clear Best Large Delegation award. The team also won Best Large Delegation awards at UPMUNC and BarMUN, and notably topped Georgetown at UPMUNC to have a clear head-to-head win this year. The team received the Outstanding Small Delegation at CMUNNY, but it actually tied Best Large winner UPenn in terms of weighted score there. The “only” time where it actually placed second in terms of weighted score was when it received an Outstanding Large Delegation award at UCBMUN. Overall, UChicago has once again proved it is the best team on the circuit and has now held the #1 ranking for six of the past ten years. Unfortunately, ChoMUN was cancelled because of COVID-19.
From the team: “In these bizarre times, it’s been encouraging to see my team turn to their teammates for support, friendship, a well-timed meme or a virtual wine night. The UChicago team is strong because–despite our vastly different schedules and goals, our competitive natures, and thousands of miles of distance–we have each other’s backs even when it’s not convenient. I saw this in the 3 a.m. Saturday debriefs, the banter page, and the way we drop everything to make sure that our friends are alright (especially in the aftermath of LUNCH). We’re so much more than just a collection of talented individuals, and we are at our best when we’re drawing strength and inspiration from each other. Over the past year, I saw my team unite with grace and optimism into a force to be reckoned with, be that when CHOMUN was cancelled or when Karen Park-Ciplickas was birthed or when “nooo you’re so sexy” briefly replaced English. And while it’s unclear whether we’ll ever get matching quarter zips, I hope the memories of this year keep each of you warm. I’m proud of the work the UChicago team has done in the past year, from our incredible record, to starting a serious dialogue about inclusivity, to throwing tradition–and debrief parties–out the window. But I will always be most proud of the fact that for us, the word “team,” will forever be defined as the weird, wonderful family of people on the UChicago MUN Travel Team.”
2. Georgetown University
Georgetown had a tremendously successful year, claiming the second most individual awards and third most gavels on the circuit en route to a second consecutive #2 ranking (and their seventh time in eight years). The crown jewel was winning McMUN in dominating fashion. They received an Outstanding Large Delegation award because of ratio, but that masks their true dominance — Georgetown alone scored almost as many weighted awards as American, FIU, and Claremont McKenna (the three teams ranked below them) combined there. Their other major win was placing second overall at UPMUNC, where they were only behind UChicago and missed out on a delegation award to Yale by ratio. The team took home a pair of Best Small Delegation wins at the smaller conferences, CIAC and MUNE. And it had solid performances at BarMUN, CMUNNY, and UNCMUNC. They hosted NCSC in the Fall.
From the team: “GU MUN has had a great year, supported by the consistent strength of our underclassmen team members and the introduction of a promising new group of travellers. This year, we brought in one of the largest and most dedicated freshman classes we’ve seen, came back from two years of no delegation awards at McMUN with a dominating performance and an Outstanding Large Award, and continued to focus on making Model UN a better activity by tackling issues in equality, inclusivity, and misconduct. Our Conferences Staff is proud to have helped with one of our team’s best years on record (and would like to state that we would’ve gone even farther with the rest of the spring conferences), but more than anything we’re proud of the team atmosphere and culture that we’ve helped to foster, which has allowed us to build the largest and most inclusive team on the circuit. We have a dedicated and talented group of individuals taking the reins of the team and can’t wait to see all of the future success under next year’s Head Delegate, Jack Korologos! Hoya Saxa!”
3. American University
American’s meteoric rise up the rankings — they’ve done better for six consecutive years starting from being a Top-75 team — has them place at #3 on the circuit this year, their highest rank ever and their second consecutive year in the top-five. American won the fourth most individual awards and the second most gavels on the circuit this year, culminating in delegation awards at half the conferences they attended. The team captured an Outstanding Large Delegation award at UPMUNC and a pair of Best Small Delegation awards at BarMUN and CMUNNY. It missed out on large delegation awards twice by ratio, but it should be noted their high rank is buoyed by second place finishes in terms of weighted score at both HNMUN and NCSC where they were behind only UChicago. Lastly, the team placed within the top ten at McMUN.
From the team: “The American University Model United Nations team has had an amazing year, with a strong start at CMUNNY and an even stronger finish at HNMUN. Thanks to an incredibly dedicated senior class, we have seen mentorship and individualized training like never before. While we are sad to be losing these irreplaceable seniors, our new members this year exceeded our expectations and we are confident in their ability to lead us to continued success in years to come. The increased rigor of training and the effort of individual members has been so important, but we are excited to be able to credit much of our success to our tight-knit team camaraderie and the consistent support team members show each other. This collaborative spirit translated itself from the team to the circuit this year, establishing a stronger presence for AU MUN and an earned reputation for diplomacy and collaboration. I am so proud to be a part of this extraordinary team and to have had the opportunity to serve as Head Delegate; I can’t wait to see how much we accomplish next year.”
4. Florida International University
FIU won the second-most individual awards on the circuit this year and was almost always a top-five team at every conference to maintain its long-standing place as a Top 5 team on the circuit overall. The team actually did better at the most competitive conferences than at the mid-sized conferences. Their accomplishments include a Top 5 finish at HNMUN, a Top 5 finish at UPMUNC, and an Outstanding Small Delegation award at McMUN where they were actually second overall in terms of weighted score. Other achievements included an Outstanding Large Delegation award at BarMUN, a Top 5 placement at NCSC, and a Top 5 finish at MUNE. The team also won awards at CMUNNY and SCSY.
From the team: “Despite being met with a younger team, our leadership team provided immense mentorship and led by example, culminating in a team that has soared to levels never before seen: competitively and culturally. The team’s dynamic cultivated by each and every member has been incredible. Special thank you and goodbye to our gifted graduating seniors: Pierina Anton, Valentina Acosta, Katerina Geisler, Isabella Perea, Gabriel Lewin, and Santiago Arias. Finally, FIU’s program would not have reached the heights it did without the valued leadership of our accomplished program director, Michelle Rosario. The FIU team would like to especially thank Dean Stack of the Steven J Green School at FIU and the FIU Student Government Association for their continued support.”
5. Claremont McKenna College
CMC breaks into the Top 5 for the first time in team history and is the top-ranked team on the West Coast. This is also the first time a team from the West Coast has placed in the Top 5 of the final rankings. This was accomplished by winning delegation awards at over half the conferences it attended, and the second most delegation awards on the circuit this year. More impressively, the team had the fifth most individual awards on the circuit despite primarily competing as a small delegation this year. Among the big three conferences, CMC placed 5th overall among all teams at HNMUN, won the Best Small Delegation award at McMUN, and also won the Best Small Delegation award at UPMUNC. That alone merits being one of the top teams on the circuit this year. On the West Coast, it won the Outstanding Small Delegation at UCBMUN and the Best Large Delegation at TrojanMUN. Lastly, the team won awards at NCSC as well.
From the team: “Last year, CMCMUN set out to transform its culture by recruiting a diverse group of individuals, diffusing responsibilities across our team, and providing ethical, transparent leadership on campus. The results surpassed our wildest expectations. From Hilton hallways to The Hub, the strength, energy, and positivity of this organization was continuously palpable. We worked hard to clear personal and competitive hurdles, learning valuable lessons and creating wonderful memories along the way. Also, our collective hypothesis that an uplifting culture undergirds strong results proved vitally true. From winning Best Small at McMUN to excelling as a Large at HNMUN for the first time ever, our performance speaks for itself. We are grateful to this year’s departing seniors for their contributions to the team. Their time at CMC may have ended early, but their triumphant character will be remembered for years to come. They are the “gold standard” for our college. We also wish next year’s leadership the best of luck as they navigate this pandemic’s uncharted waters. We have no doubts that they will take CMCMUN to even greater heights. Finally, we thank the directors, chairs, and delegates who have walked alongside us– our MUN experience would not be the same without you.”
6. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley ends the year with their highest final rank ever and within striking distance of the Top 5 after taking on a national travel schedule despite facing funding challenges. The team won delegation awards at half the conferences it attended and ended with the fifth most gavels on the circuit this year. The delegation awards included a Best Small Delegation at NCSC, a Best Large Delegation award at SBIMUN, and an Outstanding Large Delegation award at TrojanMUN. In addition to contending for a delegation award at UNCMUNC and winning awards at UPMUNC, the team did very well with a top-ten performance at HNMUN. Berkeley hosted UCBMUN as the last major conference before COVID-19 abruptly ended the MUN season.
From the team: “With a record number of new members and seniors traveling (or slated to travel this year), UCBMUN’s more inclusive culture has paid off with higher retention and an increase in awards, especially from our youngest members. From cramming onto Airbnb floors to annoying librarians at weekend practices, from cheerfully waking up at 7AM for early-morning bloc meetings to getting so in character they injure themselves during UCBMUN XXIV updates, this team never fails to demonstrate its persistence and love for fun. We’re so proud of you, not just for your strong competitive performance but also for the close-knit family you’ve grown into. We’re so excited to see where our next head delegates (Avani Yadav, Phanisri Tummala, and Anthony Jorge) will lead us next year!”
7. The George Washington University
GW won or was usually in contention for a delegation award at the conferences it attended. Some of their best performances were the ones that didn’t come with a delegation award but nevertheless showed the quality of the numerous members of this large team. For example, GW was the top team in terms of weighted score at NCSC and likely missed out on a delegation award by ratio. The team also placed fourth overall at McMUN and contended for a delegation award. Beyond that, the team racked up individual awards at HNMUN, UPMUNC, and CMUNNY. And the team captured a Best Small Delegation award at UNCMUNC and an Outstanding Small Delegation award at BarMUN.
From the team: “Unfortunately short though it may have been, our year on the circuit was an exciting and memorable one. GWMUN’s class of freshmen stood out in a way no other has done before them, showing us all the bright future that our team has for awards performance and leadership. Our delegation and individual awards are the show that our team is on nothing other than an upward trajectory, and we can’t wait to see where it takes us into the 2020-2021 year!”
8. University of Pennsylvania
UPenn’s season was cut short not because of COVID-19, but because Penn IAA was suspended for one year starting at the spring semester until January 2021. Prior to that, the team was performing at top-five levels in the Fall. This included a pair of Best Large Delegation awards at CMUNNY and SCSY, with a dominating performance at the latter. They also did well at NCSC and BarMUN. Their last conference was at McMUN, a conference they rarely attend, where they placed within the top ten teams. Overall, the team had the fourth most gavels on the circuit. UPenn hosted UPMUNC in the Fall, but that will likely not be taking place this coming Fall.
9. University of California, Los Angeles
UCLA performed well across the country to secure their first-ever back-to-back placement within the Top 10 of the final rankings. On the West Coast, UCLA put on an impressive performance to win the Best Large Delegation award at UCBMUN over Outstanding Large winner UChicago — this was the only time UChicago placed second all year. They also won a Best Small Delegation award at SBIMUN and contended for another delegation award at TrojanMUN. On the East Coast, UCLA was among the Top 10 teams overall at HNMUN, and had solid performances at McMUN and CMUNNY. LAMUN was unfortunately cancelled due to COVID-19.
From the team: “The three of us were incredibly honored to witness the resilience and accomplishments of the team we headed this year. It was a great pleasure to welcome a diverse set of new members into our club and continue expanding our delegates’ opportunities to travel across the continent. The best part about competing with Model UN at UCLA is the social bonding and life-long connections, and we are proud to have helped nurture that environment. While the premature end to the competitive season and our own conference’s cancellation left a bittersweet feeling, we were nevertheless proud to finish the year with strong performances on both coasts and set the groundwork for even more successful performances next year. All three of us are extremely happy to leave such a vibrant and motivated group of delegates in the hands of Danielle, Rachel, and Jamey and have full confidence that they will take the team to unprecedented heights.”
10. Florida State University
Florida State put in a strong second half performance to maintain a place in the Top 10 of the rankings. They went undefeated in their size category during the spring semester, winning Best Large Delegation awards MUNE and FLCS — two nearby Southern conferences — and Best Small Delegation across the country at UCBMUN. This rounded out a strong Fall semester where they won awards at UPMUNC, NCSC, and UNCMUNC.
From the team: “The FSU World Affairs Program had an outstanding year competing on the circuit and at home. We brought in a historically large and phenomenal freshman class who have already developed into fantastic delegates. The dedication of our members to promote our team on the circuit and campus continues to amaze me. Although this year ended on an unconventional note, I am incredibly proud to have led this team throughout the 2019-2020 academic year along with my officer corps. I wish all the best to Aliyah and her incoming leadership team going into the 35th year of our program, and I know they will have continued success representing the great Florida State University. Go Noles!”
11. Yale University
Yale maintained its tradition of attending three conferences, the fewest of any team in the Top 20 of the final rankings, though all of them were competitive ones hosted by fellow Ivy League universities. The team performed well this year to get back within the cusp of the Top 10. Their best performance was at HNMUN, where they won the Outstanding Large Delegation award and finished third overall to show that they are one of the best teams in the world. Their other delegation award came at UPMUNC, where they won the Outstanding Small Delegation award and finished third overall. Lastly, the team won some awards at CMUNNY. Yale hosted SCSY in the Fall.
12. University of Southern California
USC’s methodical rise up the rankings has them placing in their highest final rank in team history. Building on their abilities to travel across the country, USC was a factor at every conference it attended with plenty of individual awards. This included a Top 15 finish at HNMUN, contending for delegation awards at CMUNNY and UCBMUN, and solid performances at UPMUNC and NCSC. Their delegation award came from SBIMUN, where they topped SoCal rivals CMC and UCLA for the Outstanding Large Delegation award there. USC hosted TrojanMUN in the Fall.
From the team: “MUNSC, despite having a shortened spring semester, had a really wonderful year, and it was such a privilege to oversee our team’s growth this past semester, both in terms of competition and the support we have for one another. While we saw some of our most impressive showings at the conferences we attended, more importantly, we fortified the bond within our team and really emphasized what a family and community we really are, showing that the relationships we form with each other run deeper than our weekly meetings and conferences traveled together. From our experienced seniors to our new members, each member of our team continues to exceed all expectations with their dedication, enthusiasm, and hard work and has all contributed to our growth and successes. As our team continues to grow in terms of community and skill, we are so excited to see what all we accomplish in the future! Fight on!!”
13. McGill University
McGill achieved their second-best final rank in team history after competing in an upgraded schedule of eight conferences this year. The highlight was at HNMUN, where they finished sixth among North American teams and proved they were one of the best large delegations in the world this year. The team traveled across the continent to win delegation awards at UPMUNC, BarMUN, CMUNNY, NCSC, and UCBMUN. Their pair of trophies came from taking home Best Small Delegation awards at SCSY and FCMUN. McGill hosted McMUN, which has continued to increase in competitiveness over the years.
From the team: “The McGill Model UN team had a lot of goals for the 2019 / 2020 season. Internally, we wanted to adjust our training practices to be more competitive, while also fostering a positive, inclusive environment that every member of our parent organization, IRSAM, could be proud of. On the circuit, we wanted to attend more conferences than ever before, and would have hit 11 total without the cancelation’s due to COVID 19. We had one of the most impressive showings at HNMUN this year which is still a huge point of pride for our team, it was an amazing bonding experience and we genuinely felt every award was one earned by the team. We had an amazing group of new delegate’s come in and older members really stepped up to show them what being the token Canadian school is all about; diplomacy and sinking the boats. Overall, I couldn’t be more proud of our team.”
14. University of Virginia
UVA has its highest final rank ever at #14 after competing in a circuit-high eight conferences. The team did best at the smaller conferences, where they put on dominating performances to win Best Large Delegation awards at UNCMUNC and PDI. They also picked up an Outstanding Small Delegation at MUNE. UVA was successful at the larger conferences too, including awards at McMUN and UPMUNC, and racked up more individual awards at NCSC, CMUNNY, and SCSY. VICS unfortunately was cancelled due to COVID-19.
From the team: “This year was characterized by change — while UVAMUN broke records in terms of rankings and awards, we more importantly grew as a team. UVA has consistently prioritized team bonding and growth, both individually and as a group, above all. While awards are exciting and accomplishments to be proud of, it will be the team dinners after conferences, late nights in Alderman library, and road trips across the country that we will remember. And this year, we made so many memories, friends, and expanded our MUN family that will extend for years to come. I attribute this year’s success to this support network and the incredible work ethic of all of our members. I know this team will continue to grow and continue to learn, as I have learned so much from all of them. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication, I am so incredibly proud of this team and I can’t wait for the future of UVAMUN!”
15. Clark University
Clark breaks into the Top 15 of the rankings, its highest rank in nearly a decade, with another strong second-semester performance as usual. But this time the highlight came at McMUN, where it beat Georgetown by ratio to win the Best Large Delegation award. The team also did well at HNMUN, where they have traditionally performed well. Lastly, it contended for a delegation award at nearby FCMUN, the only small conference it attended. All this was on top of a Fall semester where the team collected individual awards at UPMUNC, NCSC, BarMUN, and CMUNNY.
From the team: “Model UN at Clark has pulled off a record year for our organization, winning several big awards won by both veterans and newcomers — including a show-stopper “Best Large Delegation” at McMUN. The awards have been a testament to the immense levels of work put in at all levels of the team, including our veterans, younger delegates, at-home conference organizers, and everyone in between. Clark’s high rankings have also proven the success of a team model which promotes first-years gaining travel team experience and helping manage team events rather than reserving those privileges for older members. This season, the team had dozens of new members in the fall semester, being the largest it has been in recent years despite the relatively small size of the university. Leading this team has been a life-changing experience for us, and we know that there is still more to come from our particularly young but talented team. We are SOOO PROUD of our MUNchkins. Next year’s leadership will have the circuit’s most promising team on their hands!” – MUN at Clark Co-Presidents David Sullivan ’20 and Jack Hebb ’20
16. Harvard University
Harvard checks in with its lowest rank ever, but that’s primarily because they had just hosted the most competitive conference on the circuit, HNMUN, before COVID-19 hit and cancelled the rest of their opportunities to compete at the spring conferences. Essentially, this placement reflects that the team only attended Fall conferences, which included Top 5 finishes at BarMUN and CMUNNY. The team also had Top 10 performances at UPMUNC and NCSC. They were trending as a top-ten team in the Fall, and likely could’ve contended to stay there had COVID-19 not cut the season short.
17. Seton Hall University
Seton Hall enters into the Final Top 25 rankings for the first time ever. Competing primarily in smaller conferences, Seton Hall stood out with a dominant performance at CIAC and a second place finish at SCSY behind only UPenn. The team picked up a Best Small Delegation award at PDI and also racked up awards at MUNE, FCMUN, and BarMUN. Overall, Seton Hall received the sixth most gavels on the circuit, showing that their top delegates outclassed the delegates at the smallest conferences.
From the team: “While Seton Hall has been on the rise for a few years now, we are incredibly proud to see our hard work pay off, becoming ranked for the first time in the history of the team. The leadership by our executive board and seniors coupled with the enhanced mentor-mentee program helped to truly create a family environment and a team-oriented approach, resulting in our largest membership and the most delegates sent to conference. Our goal entering the season was to show that Seton Hall can compete with the best, and I am proud to see that goal achieved. A special thank you goes out to our seniors, who will be dearly missed.”
18. The College of William & Mary
William & Mary competed primarily at the most competitive conferences and had its best showing at McMUN, a conference where it has traditionally done well. This year, it contended for a delegation award and finished third overall there behind only Georgetown and FIU in terms of weighted score. Its solid year included consistently winning awards at HNMUN, UPMUNC, NCSC, and CMUNNY. And the team captured the Outstanding Small Delegation award at UNCMUNC. Their conference, &MUN, was unfortunately cancelled due to COVID-19.
From the team: “The William and Mary Model UN Team is a family that doesn’t just compete together but thrives together. This year, the WM Travel Team focused on investing in our newer members while advancing our competitive spirit across the board. With so many amazing graduating seniors, we know that next year won’t be the same without them. Whether it that extremely turbulent flight we took to HNMUN or the 16-hour bus ride we take to McMUN, it is evident that William and Mary MUN is more than just a team, but a family!”
19. University of Miami
Miami always placed within the top 10 among North American teams at all the conferences it attended this year. This included a very strong performance at HNMUN despite being a smaller team. The team did well at another large conference, UPMUNC, as well. Its other wins were at NCSC and CMUNNY. The only time it went to a smaller conference was at FLCS in its home state of Florida, where it received an Outstanding Small Delegation award.
From the team: “The University of Miami MUN Team has worked hard this past year to create a new foundation for our team. With new training practices, a new administrative focus, and a new energy on the circuit, we were fortunate to have one of our best seasons in recent years. We are confident that the Hurricanes will be able to bring this same energy in the years to come, as many of our strongest delegates are emerging from our youngest classes. Led by an incredibly dedicated Executive Board and a strong set of upperclassmen, our team has been able to foster a mentorship environment that is serving delegates equally both inside and outside of committee, and we hope to continue this trend moving into the Fall. Beyond the circuit, the Miami MUN team has continued to work with local non-profits to run High School conferences across Miami-Dade county, including our annual MDMUN. While we were sad to have to cancel MICSUN 2020 due to COVID-19, we look forward to bringing our flagship conference back in full swing for 2021. We want to send a huge thank you to the Miami team for all of their hard work this year, we look forward to watching you all reap the rewards of your efforts next semester. Go Canes! #TNMUN”
20. Emory University
Emory traveled to a circuit-high eight conferences this year. The team took home a pair of Outstanding Large Delegation awards at UNCMUNC and FLCS, where they were able to send larger teams nearby in the South. Otherwise, their strategy relied on getting individual awards at a wide range of conferences, including HNMUN, UPMUNC, NCSC, BarMUN, TrojanMUN, and PDI. They also hosted MUNE, which is helping the Southern circuit grow.
21. Columbia University
Columbia’s season was also cut short this year due to a university suspension that included a bar on traveling to conferences during the Spring semester. Despite only one semester of competing, the team maintained its place as a Top 25 team on the circuit for the second straight year. It did best in the Fall with an Outstanding Large Delegation award at CIAC and an Outstanding Small Delegation award at TrojanMUN. The team also did well at SCSY and won awards at BarMUN, NCSC, and UPMUNC. Columbia also hosted CMUNNY in the Fall.
22. Boston University
Boston University captured a pair of small delegation awards this year at two of the most competitive conferences. Of course, the highlight is winning Best Small Delegation award at HNMUN. Their other delegation award was the Outstanding Small Delegation at NCSC. The team had a well-rounded performance with awards at UPMUNC, CMUNNY, and UBCMUN. It also hosted BarMUN, which has now become the top mid-sized conference on the circuit.
From the team: “This year has truly been a movie for the Boston University Model UN Team. The team has proved to consistently perform at the most competitive conferences on the circuit, winning delegation awards at both NCSC and HNMUN this year, accompanied by strong performances at McMUN and UCBMUN. Outgoing Head Delegate Julia Mullert has been crucial to this growth and the talent and dedication of all members of the team is paramount to our success. We are so excited to continue our training with an already high-performing team next year. We want to especially thank our seniors for everything they have given over the past years. This would not have been possible without you.”
23. Indiana University
Indiana had a fantastic Fall semester, but unfortunately did not get a chance to perform at regionally close by ChoMUN in the spring, which is where they’ve traditionally earned their awards for the rankings. In the Fall, the team placed within the Top 10 at UPMUNC and contended for a delegation award with a Top 5 finish at BarMUN. They also had a solid performance at NCSC. The bigger picture is that this is their third year in a row with a Top 25 ranking — and Michigan State’s second year in a row outside of it — helping cement their place as the second best team in the Midwest after UChicago.
From the team: “IndianaMUN’s delegates exceeded expectations throughout the past year. The dedication and passion that members have poured into every element of the organization has been nothing short of extraordinary. Our board continued the trend of more formalized and workshop-based training sessions in order to maximize the readiness of our newer delegates for their first conferences. The more experienced delegates carried the momentum IndianaMUN has gathered these past couple years, consistently winning awards across several conferences. Despite the senior class not getting the sendoff they deserved, the positive impact they had on our devoted returning members will no doubt show through in IndianaMUN’s performance in the coming year, and the Board of Directors and I cannot wait to see the continued growth in the club’s membership and talent.”
24. Concordia University
Concordia notched back-to-back placements in the Top 25. This is only the third time in rankings history that two teams from Canada made the Top 25 in the same season. Concordia did best in its home country by contending for a delegation award at McMUN and placed second overall with a delegation award at QMUNI. But the team is unafraid to compete at the largest conferences on the circuit, and round out its resume with awards at conferences such as HNMUN.
From the team: “A new year for Concordia Model UN meant new objectives, challenges and an opportunity for growth. With only a minority of returning delegates, we focused on passing down our values of meritocracy and inclusivity to the next generation. We would like to thank the hard work, passion and a dedication that came from our delegates which allowed Concordia to earn awards at every conference it attended. It is thanks to them that once again we anchor our name in the circuit by pulling a delegation award at QMUNI, breaking our record with over ten awards at MCMUN and obtaining awards at the top conferences such as HNMUN and UPMUNC. An Emphasis on supportive team community in and out of conferences as well as building long lasting relationships with other Universities led us to become one of the top Canadian Model UN teams. Concordia prides itself on the performance of its delegates but measures its success through the bonds it has created between them. It is full of excitement that Concordia readies itself for another year of achievements with Co-dells becoming inseparable, apprentices becoming mentors, tears of happiness, hugs of console, the loudest screams of victory and the sincerest friends in this crazy family it has created.”
25. University of Alabama
Alabama breaks into the Top 25 Rankings for the first time ever after making it their goal this year to stand out. Bama was under the radar in the Fall after winning a few awards at BarMUN and NCSC. But they started the spring strong with their best performance of the season — placing among the top ten teams in a relatively evenly matched competition at the second largest conference, McMUN. The team also did well nearby at MUNE, where it put in a top five finish.
From the team: “The University of Alabama’s Model UN team entered this season with one goal in mind: to establish Alabama as a MUN school. New training programs, improved selection processes, and the backing of an energetic executive board ensured that morale was high as the first MUN conference approached. But, as with all great change, there was an adjustment period. Despite a slow start in the fall, the team had strong performances later on in the conference season, proving that, like our university’s legendary football program, we are a second half team. The dedication of this year’s delegates was unmatched as we navigated the transition of new faculty contacts, continued expansion, and the development of our first collegiate conference, AIRMUNC, premiering in April 2021. We are so proud of our delegates and graduating seniors and we hope to continue the upward trajectory in the years to come. Roll Tide!”
Top 50 (alphabetical order)
The five closest teams to making it into the Top 25 were: Wheaton College, NYU, Carleton University, Northwestern, and Brown.
| Brown University |
| Carleton University |
| College of the Canyons |
| Hamilton College |
| Ithaca College |
| Johns Hopkins University |
| Michigan State University |
| Middlebury College |
| New York University |
| Northeastern University |
| Northwestern University |
| Ohio State University |
| Pomona College |
| Princeton University |
| Queen’s University |
| United States Military Academy at West Point |
| Université de Montréal |
| University of California, San Diego |
| University of California, Santa Barbara |
| University of Florida |
| University of Maryland |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| University of Notre Dame Wheaton College |
| York University |
Top 75 (alphabetical order)
| Bard College at Simon’s Rock |
| Baruch College |
| Carleton College |
| Case Western Reserve University |
| Cornell University |
| Elon University |
| Georgia Institute of Technology |
| John Abbott College |
| Kutztown University |
| Mount Holyoke College |
| Northern Arizona University |
| Ryerson University |
| State University of New York, Geneseo |
| Tufts University |
| University of California, Davis |
| University of California, Santa Cruz |
| University of Central Florida |
| University of Cincinnati |
| University of Michigan |
| University of Ottawa |
| University of Pittsburgh |
| University of Toronto |
| Vanderbilt University |
| Victor Valley College |
| Western University |
***
Congratulations to all the College Model UN teams and conferences for the 2019-2020 school year. We hope Model UN can return next season!
