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 seven 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. Each nominated name received one vote. Ballots were manually edited for spelling inconsistencies and manually checked for validity. Delegates receiving the top number of votes were given All-Star team honors divided into three tiers that reflect the percentage of votes received.
Credits: Best Delegate Media Team members Jamey Battle and Emilio Cuebas helped with the promotion of the voting to the teams and sourcing of the bios and photos. Best Delegate co-founder Kevin Felix Chan tallied the data. Best Delegate Marketing Manager Toni Lawrence published and promoted the article.
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! This year’s biographers represented some of the top delegates on the circuit that were friends, teammates, and competitors of All-Star Team members.
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All names are in alphabetical order by first name within each tier.
COLLEGE MODEL UN ALL-STAR TEAM (FIRST TEAM)
Bella Newell
Boston University
You know her, you love her, Bella Newell is an undeniable presence on the MUN circuit. Bella is a rising senior at Boston University, and the outgoing Head Delegate of the Boston University team (more commonly known as MUN@BU). Bella has grown to be an exceptional delegate over the past three years, most recently leading Boston University’s team through a successful year. From Miley Cyrus feminist parodies to Lagos urban renewal, Bella brings fun yet informed ideas to every committee she enters. More importantly, Bella brings a smile and welcoming presence to each MUN space she enters, and truly strives to make MUN fun for each and every person on the circuit. No member of the MUN@BU team can enter a committee without someone asking, “Do you know Bella?” Bella exemplifies respectful competition, with a hefty bouquet of gavels to show for it! Within our team, Bella has shown an incredible amount of dedication as Head Delegate, from late night prep sessions to hours of phone calls to book our flights. Under her leadership, our team has grown not only as delegates, but also as a close-knit community. We could not be more grateful to her for guiding us through a challenging year transitioning back to in-person Model UN, and we are so grateful to have her guidance as she moves to become President of MUN@BU’s parent organization, the Boston University International Affairs Association or BUIAA. We can’t wait to see how Bella continues to grow and make her mark on the circuit!
Debbie Adewale
University of Chicago
Debbie is a fourth-year at UChicago, double majoring in Biology and Public Policy. As the President of Team this year, Debbie led the team back to the in-person circuit with immense success, guiding us through challenges such as rental car fiascos, COVID scares, and the city of Boston. A force both in GA and Crisis committees, Debbie rounded off her MUN career with two gavels and awards at six conferences. Debbie was an invaluable mentor for many of our underclassmen, passing down both her bloc building skills and her ~bloc building~ skills. She will be greatly missed next year, but with the number of people that she’ll land consulting internships, Debbie will always be part of Team in spirit.
Emilio Cuebas
College of William & Mary
If you’ve had the opportunity to compete or work alongside Emilio Cuebas during the past four years, you are one of the luckiest delegates on the Model United Nations circuit. Emilio is not only one of the funniest, most creative crisis delegates around, both in-room and back-room, he is also such an enthusiastic and upbeat presence for anyone in committee with him. In all my years of Model UN, I have never seen an individual develop so quickly into the spectacular delegate and essential leader that Emilio Cuebas has become during his undergraduate career. Few delegates on the circuit have exhibited as much fortitude, perseverance, and personal growth as Emilio. In addition to his multiple gavels, Emilio has served impressively on the William & Mary International Relations Club’s Conference Team and, most recently, as our Vice President of Model UN. I could not be happier to see Emilio recognized as a Best Delegate All-Star, and I cannot wait to see what he goes on to accomplish after graduation.
Erin Yeh
University of California, Los Angeles
Erin was a force on UCLA’s team and on the circuit this year. Without Erin shepherding people up the 101 and the 5 in her clown-car of a Prius, we would never have made it to our travel conferences. And without her stepping up to train all of our GA delegates as a head del, our team simply would not have been the same. She is a kind and fierce presence, always checking on her delegates before and during conferences. She somehow also finds time to absolutely kill it in whatever giant GA or wacky Spec Bod she is competing in. In fact, Erin made it her mission this year to become the circuit’s resident GA NFT bro, and we couldn’t be prouder of her success infiltrating the movement with her millennial pink pantsuits and finance one-liners. Erin, you are our rock, and we know you are absolutely going to kill it next year!
Finn Thompson
Georgetown University
Finn Thompson is a graduating senior from Georgetown University, majoring in Biology and Computer Science, with a minor in French. A beloved member of the MUN circuit, Finn served as the Director of Training for the Conference Staff of GUMUN this year, empowering his team to do their best through an engaging curriculum and compassionate support. Finn himself competed in four conferences this year, two in the Fall and two in the Spring, and placed in them all, claiming two more gavels along the way. He was a part of the first GUMUN delegation to the HNMUN conference in years, and succeeded there in his first ever UNSC, bringing home a Diplomatic Commendation. Last but certainly not least, Finn competed in the SGGO Ad Hoc at VICS for his final conference, carrying on a long tradition of enjoying and thriving in Ad Hoc committees. Finn also directed an Ad Hoc himself this year at GUMUN’s NCSC conference, helping to create an innovative and exciting committee perhaps best remembered for the flower crowns worn by the delegates throughout the weekend. The creativity, ingenuity and themes of social justice found in this committee are representative of Finn’s presence on the Model UN circuit as a whole. As a delegate known for his innovative and out of the box crisis arcs, Finn brings a breath of fresh air to every committee he’s in. A brilliant writer and gifted public speaker, Finn has a compelling demeanor that, combined with his creative arcs, makes him one of the most memorable delegates on the circuit. But perhaps what defines Finn as a delegate the most is his passion for diplomacy and genuine care for others. A bastion of support for teammates and competitors alike, Finn has never lost sight of the compassion at the heart of Model UN. Nothing short of a circuit icon, Finn will truly be missed next year, but will certainly continue to make a difference everyday.
Hayley Serpa
Florida International University
Not many can boast the amazing track record which Hayley Serpa has accomplished. Even outside of MUN, Hayley is a driven and brilliant student. She has worked to research Peruvian history and the history of indigenous communities across South America. Inside of MUN, Hayley has thrived is some of the most difficult situations. By using a mixture of a deep understanding of the topic at hand along with throughout research, Hayley has succeeded where so many others have failed. Whether she is turning in to Juan Velasco to take over Peru or using the glorious theory of Juche to unify Korea, Hayley is always finding innovative ways to use history to tell a story. Not only is she an insanely smart delegate but she is also someone who can genuinely connect with people. She has made friends across the circuit. This was Hayley’s first year competing in person and her 4-gavel streak has truly set the stage for her debut. Hayley’s passion for model UN goes beyond competition. She worked tirelessly to provide a welcoming environment for students at our highschool conference this year. Of course she had to direct a UNSC which has become her bread and butter. Her leadership and skill have become crucial for the FIU model UN team and and we’re excited for her to help lead the team as head delegate next year!
Isobel Smith
University of Southern California
Isobel Smith— MUNSC’s very own kiwi and youngest member— is a rising junior double majoring in International Relations and Journalism, and one of the most consistent GA delegates USC has to offer. On the circuit, Isobel is a force of nature, charming you with her lovable New Zealand accent and irresistible personality before engineering herself a spot onto Q&A and leading you in your very own bloc. With MUNSC, Isobel is the life of the party, always encouraging a good time and making sure you feel right at home. Since joining MUNSC as a freshman, Isobel has served as a Director of External Relations on the team’s Executive Board, as well as USG of General Assemblies for SCMUN, MUNSC’s high school conference. This coming Fall, Isobel will serve as a Director of Team Training and as USG of Specialized Committees for TrojanMUN. We’re so excited to see Isobel grow as she enters her junior year of university! FIGHT ON!!!
Jon Joey Telebrico
Claremont McKenna
If you mention Jon Joey on the circuit, you will likely hear a spout of compliments. Regardless of which conference you attend, Jon Joey’s name will always come up when CMC is mentioned on the circuit. As the current President of CMC Model UN, Jon Joey is an essential member of the CMCMUN leadership and team. JJ gaveled at both CHOMUN and LAMUN and received a verbal commendation at SBI and an outstanding award at Trojanmun this year. But, when he is not killing it in his mod speeches, JJ’s compassion, drive, and charisma helps everyone around him become better at both MUN and as people. We are beyond excited for JJ to spend his last year on the circuit with CMCMUN next year and are beyond excited to watch him kill it in and out of committee sessions!
Kaela Buenaventura
University of California, Davis
Kaela Buenaventura, simply put, is the heart and soul of the UC Davis MUN team. From leading by example and winning awards in some of the circuit’s most difficult committees to aggressively mothering less experienced delegates to the point that some have even screamed “MOMMY!” during closing ceremonies Kaela has proven time and time again why she is the perfect president of our club. In addition to her accomplishments while traveling, she has also played a tremendous role in rebuilding the club after the pandemic, making informative slideshows, aesthetic Instagram posts, and engaging meetings that have steadily brought in a lot of new members over the past year. At times she makes it look like a one-woman show. When Kaela graduates this year the UC Davis team and everyone on the circuit is going to miss the hilarious crisis notes, notable catchphrases, and overwhelming commitment to community that she has displayed during her time in MUN. Wherever she goes after college, we know that she will be straight ballin’. WE LOVE YOU KAELA! <3
Kelsey Gilchrist
University of Chicago
Between running some truly kickass committees and debriefing approximately a million team members, Kelsey Gilchrist has redefined what it means to be a UChicago crisis del. Through Kelsey’s leadership as Team Director this year, our crisis team was able to return back to in-person MUN better than ever, fueled by many late-night debriefs, absolutely unhinged arc ideas, and one particularly cursed road trip. Throughout their time as a Head Del, Kelsey has always led with compassion and kindness, and has instilled those same values in so many of her debriefees. As we say on the Team, Kelsey doesn’t say “I love you”, she says “Let’s unpack that!”. Oh and by the way, Kelsey absolutely dominated this year, gaveling some of the most competitive committees on the circuit like the UPMUNC UNSC and the HNMUN Ad Hoc. Throughout all of their competitive success, Kelsey has been an incredible friend, mentor, and resource to everyone on our Team, along with being a force for good on the circuit. We are so honored to have had Kelsey end her lengthy Model UN career with us, and we wish her the best of luck in Ann Arbor with physics grad school!
Lily Moser
University of California, Berkeley
There are few people that can do it all. Lily is certainly one of them. Even since joining UCBMUN after transferring from UC Santa Cruz, Lily has used her experience on the circuit to make our team stronger. In this past year alone, she has served as a USG for both our high school and collegiate conferences. On top of that, she led our travel team as the Generalized Head Delegate throughout the spring semester. Leadership is all about leading by example and Lily’s success on the circuit certainly reflects that in every way possible. This year alone, Lily went 3 for 3 winning gavels at every conference she attended. And that, too, in some of the most versatile and competitive committees: JCC at TrojanMUN, UNSC at HNMUN, and Ad-Hoc at LAMUN. While the circuit will certainly remember Lily as a force to be reckoned with, our team will remember her for playing podcasts instead of music on long drives, always wearing non-Berkeley merch at conference registration, and her truly respectable obsession for a milkshake at midnight. While we will all miss Lily, we are thankful she is staying local and moving to San Francisco after graduating with a dual degree in Environmental Studies and Political Science.
Margot Zhao
University of Southern California
Margot Zhao aka one of our favorite team moms is a rising senior and spent the last year as Director of Team Training and Head Delegate at several conferences for Model United Nations Southern California. Despite this being only her second year on the circuit, and the first one in person, Margot has proved to be a powerhouse on the crisis circuit, picking up several awards on the way – most notably, her gavel at ChoMUN. Beyond her individual accomplishments, Margot has committed herself to mentoring many members of the team – both younger and older. This reflects in USC’s performance as we picked up two delegation awards at East Coast Conferences for the very first time. Margot has been pivotal in helping MUNSC grow, especially through her role as Secretary-General of SCMUN, USC’s high school conference, a conference that she ensured functioned smoothly in person after 2 years. Her kindness and leadership reverberates throughout the team and we’re so excited to have another year with Margot. Fight on!
Max Banach
University of Florida
King of LinkedIn, earning the “Best Dressed” superlative, and jaywalking, Maximilian Banach is already one of the University of Florida’s best and brightest delegates in his Freshman year. In his first year on the Collegiate circuit, Max earned an award at every conference he attended, helping to raise UF’s Model UN team to #23 in the Fall semester for the first time since 2015-2016. Max earned a Gavel at NoleMUN and McMUN, an outstanding at UNCMUNC, MUNE, and ChoMUN, and a verbal at NCSC. Whether he was attending an online conference as UF’s only delegate or scheming how to “go home with hardware,” Max is a cherished member of the UFMUN family and one of the only likable gavel hunters. Max is one of few STEM majors on the team, studying Electrical Engineering, and uses his debate background and dedication to friendly competition to make him a force in any committee. He was an active participant in UFMUN’s high school conference, GatorMUN, serving as the chair of the America Inc. crisis committee. Max went above and beyond for his delegates, promising to dye his hair if the 20 person crisis he was chairing raised the most money out of all the committees, GA included; Max has had red hair since. Over the last year Max served as an Assistant Director of Conference Logistics and we wish him luck serving as UFMUN’s Director of Member Development in the Fall, helping to train and prepare members for conferences.
Phanisri Tummala
University of California, Berkeley
Phanisri Tummala is the heart and soul of UCBMUN. As outgoing President and former Generalized “Avatar” Head Delegate, her resilience and composure have been integral to the success of our team. She has been a role model for each and every member, as she managed to juggle research, working at a local clinic and Molecular & Cell Biology coursework (#womeninSTEM) with such poise. As a competitor, there is hardly any committee that Phanisri has not excelled in. She is a rockstar in both General Assemblies and Crisis, and a force to be reckoned with in any UN Security Council committee. She has had one hell of a year and her three gavels—including the notorious UNSC at HNMUN—this year alone speak for themselves. UCBMUN isn’t just losing a great delegate and leader, but one of the most genuine people we all know. Thank you for always greeting us with a smile, Phansiri. It’s been a joy to have you for the last four years and we look forward to a guest appearance at next year’s UCBMUN. We love you, our Taylor Swift-loving, Future Doctor, Madame President.
Vishwaa Sofat
University of California, Berkeley
Vishwaa Sofat has managed to become anything and everything to the UC Berkeley Model United Nations team. Not only was he General Assembly Head Delegate, Chief of Staff External of UCBMUN XXVI, and overall team Dad, but he is holistically one of the most genuine and kind individuals on the team. Vishwaa is the General Assembly guru: breaking down block dynamics, speeches, and clause writing to a virtual science. And to the horror of everyone else on the circuit: he is only a sophomore. Vishwaa–fondly nicknamed “Vishy”–has performed exceptionally well this year. Gaveling at back-to-back conferences that he attended–HNMUN and TrojanMUN–and winning an Outstanding Delegate award in his first crisis. Beyond MUN, Vish jumps around from opinion-article writing for DailyCal to consulting Fortune 500 companies. Not only does he excel in debate, but in every activity that he dedicates his time to. Vishwaa is one of the major reasons that UCBMUN remained intact during the pandemic. Whether it’s ensuring that our 3-hour long toasts are honored at every conference or discussing every minute detail about the committee with the delegates he’s trained: Vish eats, sleeps, and breathes MUN and we wouldn’t have it any other way. While our seniors are sad to be leaving the team, we are assured that everything will be handled in our next President’s hands. Thank you for being one of the most hardworking #adultsintheroom.
COLLEGE MODEL UN ALL-STAR TEAM (SECOND TEAM)
Alex Sutton
Florida International University
Proud Slovene, Wizard101 aficionado, and future Antarctic adventurer Alexander Sutton is a rising junior at FIU with a major in Political Science and a minor in Economics. As a Head Delegate for the FIU Model United Nations (MUN) team during the 2021-2022 year, he competed at eleven conferences, bringing home various awards including three gavels at MUNE, UCBMUN, and ANDMUN. He is known on the circuit for his creative acronyms, memorable speeches, and unmatched skill as a high-speed crisis and UNSC delegate. Some of his best moments on the circuit this past year include learning how to play (poorly) rage cage at VICS during his birthday weekend, taking back Trieste from the Italians for Slovenia at CHOMUN, directing a team crisis simulation on Antarctica (aka forcing his teammates to play out his own dreams), almost splitting up Zimbabwe into two parts (RIP Matabeleland) at UPMUNC, and creating the Democratic Republic of Kurdistan as the USSR alongside his favorite dual delegate Hayley at UCBMUN (though their time as Kenya at ANDMUN was great too). He also directed two different high-school committees, a specialized Esperantist Congress at FIMUN34 and the America Inc: Board of Directors crisis committee at GATORMUN. A proud Panther Nationalist, Alex is an active member of the Student Government Association (SGA) at FIU where he currently serves as SIPA senator and where he will serve as the Senate President for the 2022-2023 academic year. He is also a proud brother of Theta Chi. The FIU Model UN team is grateful to have had him as one of their leaders during the difficult transition back to in-person conferences and we could not have done it without him. Alexander is excited to continue competing on the circuit next year as a ‘Head Delegate Emeritus’ for the FIU team and to continue his shenanigans (he is adept at shenanigans).
Alexei Dubois
Concordia University, Montreal
Alexi rose to President of the team this year and it is not surprising it was our best ever. He took it upon himself to look over every single detail of the team and ensure its excellence. As someone with much MUN experience, dating back from his Dawson college days, he has always been a dependable and knowledgeable leader. He also managed to balance his busy Journalism studies with his part-time jobs, football games, and MUN conferences. This year he attended 9 conferences and won awards at 7 of them including a Best Delegate at HNMUN and Oustandings at NoleMUN and UPMUNC. His presence and turtlenecks have become a staple on the circuit. His leadership has created an amazing team. Thank you Alexi, we are lucky to have you on the External Delegation. Congratulations!
Allee McDonald
Clark University
As ClarkMUN’s resident girlboss and Krtek stan, Allee came out of nowhere to pace ClarkMUN in awards this year, racking up a pair of gavels back-to-back in Fall and early Spring (including in her first-ever Ad-Hoc committee). But perhaps the best part about her success is that she always had fun along the way: Whether it was seducing a certain Libyan dictator and accidentally killing Fred Hampton in a committee about the Rainbow Coalition or ‘playing pirates’ as an eleven-year-old character in the Ryukyu Kingdom, Allee always managed to keep her crisis staffer on their toes. To top it off, she accomplished all of this while simultaneously throwing hands with the Clark History Department to accept her honors thesis proposal. Knowing Allee’s tenacity, Clark will have its very first Krtek-based honors thesis soon enough. As her teammate once put it, Allee embodies the best parts of Model UN, and ClarkMUN can’t wait to see what she will accomplish as a senior member next season!
Amanda Saji
The George Washington University
It’s impossible to give Amanda Saji the credit she deserves in just one paragraph. As head delegate, her unrelenting passion for her teammates and for Model UN propelled GWMUN to it’s highest fall ranking in team history. Amanda brought an unparalleled energy and vast trove of knowledge and wisdom to cadets lessons, instilling GWMUN skills and values in our next generation of delegates. Her speeches are remembered by everyone who has had the pleasure of being in committee with her, and her killer sense of style ensures every outfit she wears to committee is a true work of art. It’s been an honor to serve on your team this year, and we cannot wait to see what your future holds.
Ananya Sampath
The George Washington University
Ananya is one of the strongest delegates GWMUN has to offer. She takes preparation for conference to a whole new level and ensures her arc is planned down to the minute. She is a powerhouse in front room and a menace on the UNSC circuit. Ananya consistently stepped up to leadership roles this year, serving as Chief of Staff for our middle school conference, GWCIA, as well as Vice Head Delegate of the GWMUN travel team. That being said, what makes Ananya truly special is her heart and the care (and laughs) she gives to her teammates. GWMUN would not have reached its highs without her and we’re so grateful! Thank you so much for your years of dedication to this team and its people!
Atharva Kulkarni
University of California, Los Angeles
Forever ready with a monologue or well timed idiom, Atharva is a tremendous value to the MUN at UCLA community as a team member and competitor. He is a rising senior majoring in physics and can be found tinkering on particle accelerators in the lab outside his time in MUN. Despite his own modest self-evaluation, Atharva is an incredibly skilled delegate and he took home multiple awards across the circuit this year. He also crisis directed an incredible LAMUN Ad-Hoc where he managed to incorporate an animal melodrama, time-loop, and computer simulation into the committee over the course of the weekend. More importantly than any conference accolades, however, Atharva helps ensure that every person in this club feels welcomed which makes him a true leader and an individual anyone would feel lucky to call their friend.
Calder Altman
Claremont McKenna College
Calder Altman served as the fearless Vice President of the Claremont McKenna College MUN (CMCMUN) team for the past year. Throughout turbulent times during the year, he always served as a grounding presence and strong leader for all of us to look up to. As a delegate, anyone who has been in a committee with him knows just how Calder always finds the way to balance diplomacy with strength. After being a GA delegate for the first few years of MUN, Calder made the (quite wise, in my opinion) decision to make his way over to the crisis side of this silly little activity. This past year, he found immense competitive success, gavelling at both BARMUN and TrojanMUN, awarding at CHOMUN, and having a grand old time at HNMUN. More importantly, this past year he has provided invaluable advice to everyone on the circuit – newbies and seniors alike. Arguably the biggest contribution he makes comes from his mere presence – he always finds a way to make the most stressful conferences some of the most fun weekends of the year, make sure that those around him feel heard, and impart invaluable wisdom about both MUN and life in general. While we are going to greatly miss our philosopher king, we cannot wait to see him thrive and live his best chef life in Atlanta and are so grateful for the indelible mark that he has left on our team and the circuit.
Gabriel Gaysinsky
University of California, Davis
Ever since he joined the circuit this year, Gabe hit the ground running. Winning several awards and always lending a helping hand to his team, Gabe has been an invaluable member of the UC Davis MUN team. He is known to be an incredibly kind and helpful delegate in and out of committee. Whether scheming with the other side of a JCC to blow up space capitals or crafting directives with rats in sewers, his ideas always make a splash. Whether giving impassioned speeches or politicking to get his ideas passed, he is the delegate that you want to work with and that everyone gravitates towards. Even when he missed an entire committee session to attend his citizenship interview, (woohoo he passed!!), he still somehow managed to stay a major player. His commitment to helping other delegates is what we love most. In fact, he’s so committed to helping others that he even helps his team debate whether or not he exists. Truth is, he does not. Odd how there’s an empty spot on this list! We can’t wait to see how you continue to grow over the next three years. Hopefully, it will involve more renditions of Party in the USA. You’re genuinely one of the kindest people we know. You’re the best Gabe, Gunrock would be proud!!
Jessica Middleton
Florida State University
Jessica Middleton is a graduating senior who has served the Florida State University World Affairs Program as the Assistant Director of Conference Logistics, Vice Director, and this year as Director, leading the team to numerous delegation awards while training a whole new generation of FSU delegates. Jessica also oversaw the creation and successful first iteration of NoleMUN, FSU’s ranked collegiate conference where she also served as Crisis Director for the Ad-Hoc committee. Jessica has competed in MUN since high school where she developed her skills and led her team before bringing her tradition of excellence, selfless service, and competitive edge to Florida State, quickly rising to become one of FSU’s all-time great delegates. Earning numerous awards on the collegiate circuit and always being the life of the party at Head Delegate socials, Jessica has lived the values she has instilled in the FSU team of service, kindness, and honor. Somehow managing to find a Golden Retriever to pet at every conference our team attended this year, Jessica has ensured that every person she has crossed paths with on the circuit was left with a smile and a worn-out joke or TikTok reference to remember her by. An absolutely monumental presence in committee, she has single-handedly ensured that the tradition of addressing crisis notes to Parks and Rec characters has been upheld on the circuit. Throughout her time as Director, Jessica has bestowed a love of MUN in dozens of delegates, and a love of her as a friend in even more, in addition to surely setting some kind of speed record for running through an airport to make a connecting flight in her beat to hell traveling Converse. As she enters into a career at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., she will take her big heart and love of the MUN community with her. We love you Jessica! Go Noles!
Jonah Clark
Clark University
As ClarkMUN’s JCC aficionado, Jonah has never met a crisis committee he couldn’t revel in. Whether it be a committee about gang warfare, maple syrup, or a political drama about Chicago city governance, Jonah was on the spot to wreak havoc through his flamboyant crisis arcs. He parlayed his talents into three awards at some of the most competitive conferences on the circuit and was one of ClarkMUN’s most capable delegates in our first year back in person. Aside from his conference exploits, Jonah ran the highly-coveted Barrett’s Privateers crisis committee at our first in-person ClarkMUN conference in two years (which actually ended up on the r/seashanties subreddit and sparked a chorus of sea shanties at closing ceremonies). Jonah is also known to have the most pristine aesthetic and most immaculate vibes on the team. The best part is that Jonah is only a sophomore, meaning he still has two years to further cement himself as a spiritual and competitive leader for the team!
Mahek Ahmad
Georgetown University
Mahek Ahmad is a force of nature on the collegiate circuit; after hosting the spectacularly successful NCSC XLVIII as its Executive Director, Mahek’s momentum kept going as Team GUMUN’s Conferences Coordinator and Head Delegate this past year. After four years competing on the circuit, she is known and feared by many as an unstoppable delegate, shining in every GA and crisis she participates in. Most notably, Mahek has an incredible talent for UNSC committees, as shown by her stellar performances at BarMUN, &MUN, and ChoMUN this year. She is also unafraid to go back to her roots to show off her GA chops at HNMUN and McMUN, where she earned a gavel in the notorious Ad-Hoc General Assembly. Above all, Mahek is most known for her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Model UN community. She has spearheaded several initiatives as both a conference leader and head delegate to create a safer, more vibrant team culture by institutionalizing leadership passion projects, reforming deliberation procedures, and standing up for members of the team. Mahek has been an important mentor to countless GUMUN underclassmen and upperclassmen throughout her time in the Model UN community. Thank you Mahek for always supporting us, and your presence on the team will truly be missed and never forgotten.
Nicole Jonassen
Claremont McKenna College
Nicole Jonassen is not only the Vice President of the Claremont McKenna College MUN (CMCMUN) team, but an empathetic friend and passionate advocate both in and out of committee. From a prolific high school MUN career to serving as CMCMUN’s Delegate Coordinator External this past year, Nicole has undoubtedly proven her commitment to MUN: she has served her team through countless hours of work, contributed to a vibrant collegiate MUN community through skillful diplomacy, and advanced the Model UN experience for all through her thoughtful leadership. Although just a sophomore, Nicole has found competitive success on the circuit as conferences returned to in person—receiving awards at both UPMUNC and LAMUN, as well as winning gavels at both HNMUN and TrojanMUN. When she’s not solving crises for the CMCMUN team or at conferences, she is a dedicated leader on CMC’s campus and student government, having established TerraCycle mask recycling boxes as the Environmental Affairs Chair. Beyond that, she still finds time to go thrifting or host movie nights with her team, which is already feeling the meaningful impact of the first half of her collegiate MUN journey. We cannot wait to witness her growth and excellence throughout the next few years—she is the definition of a responsible leader, and her continued leadership will undoubtedly transform the CMCMUN team for the better.
Priyanka Shingwekar
Georgetown University
For her third year on the circuit, Priyanka Shingwekar has been an outstanding delegate and role model alike for the circuit and the Georgetown Model UN team. With every conference, Priyanka continues to be a supportive presence for fellow delegates while also racking up awards along the way. Alongside an honorable at VICS, Priyanka earned gavels at CMUNNY, McMUN, and ChoMUN. Additionally, Priyanka showed off her GA chops and received an Outstanding at HNMUN. Beyond her circuit performance, Priyanka has continued to serve as a strong leader for the Georgetown Model UN community. As NCSC XLIX’s Secretary-General, Priyanka, alongside Executive Director Amritha Ramalingam, was integral in increasing the conference’s overall ranking while simultaneously fostering more inclusive efforts. Building of her own experiences on the circuit, Priyanka reformed NCSC’s misconduct process and implemented NCSC’s first crisis committee exclusively for delegates who identify as female or nonbinary. For the travel team, Priyanka helped bring the team back in-person as this year’s Deputy of Operations where she managed the team’s logistics and finances. This team is so excited to see Priyanka round out her final year on the circuit as Georgetown Model UN’s Conferences Coordinator. Priyanka, thank you for an amazing year of friendship, mentorship, and girlbossery. We know you will do amazing things next year!
Zamaan Qureshi
American University
This past year, Zamaan Qureshi has taken Model UN by storm, both on the circuit and within the AUMUN team. Though only a sophomore, Zamaan served as Assistant Head Delegate for the AUMUN team , and it was because of his dedication, experience, and freakishly calm composure under pressure that the team reached #1 this fall. Zamaan also competed as the team’s de facto UNSC del, finishing off this year with a whooping 9 UNSC committees since last spring, and awards in almost all of them. Additionally, our noted UNSC del competed in GA for the first time this year, and still managed to walk home with an outstanding. He’s not only known for his enthusiasm for the team and spectacular performance at conferences, but also for bringing in knowledge from his non-larping work at the Real Facebook Oversight Board. Zamaan works to tackle anti-trust issues, filing FOIA requests at inhumane speeds and making Mark Zuckerberg shake in his boots. On top of all this, he’s been published in TIME and has been interviewed by Joe Scarborough on MSNBC (in case his team members hadn’t flexed that enough already). Zamaan never fails to exceed expectations, and this team would not be where it is today had it not been for his work. We are all so excited to see the amazing things he will accomplish as Head Delegate next year!
COLLEGE MODEL UN ALL-STAR TEAM (THIRD TEAM)
Bilge Batsukh
University of Virginia
Bilge Batsukh is a graduating fourth-year from the University of Virginia who most recently served as one of UVA Model UN’s Head Delegates, but there is more to Bilge than what can be found on a resume. Anyone can highlight the gavels he has won this past year or his insane Dune committee he Crisis Directed at VICS. However, what truly encapsulates such a larger than life figure is what he has done for the team as one of its head delegates. With the entire MUN landscape returning to in-person conferences, the transition was bound to be tough. Bilge did not back down, instead resolving to form a stronger team. Whether that be late night feedback sessions during conferences to putting in extra effort to get to know the new members on the team, Bilge has always gone above and beyond what was expected of him. While sad to see him depart, his illustrious career as part of UVA’s MUN team will certainly be remembered!
Burke Croft
University of Chicago
This past year, Burke Croft crushed his debut as a head del, making a name for himself on the GA circuit as one of UChicago’s best and brightest. He even dabbled in crisis– and in business bro-ing– on the notorious Art of the Deal committee at UPMUNC, which is amusing to those of us who know him as a granola leftist. In committee, Burke is easily identifiable as the man wearing a suit (or maybe even just a blazer and black jeans) with his iconic Chacos and man bun. Whether you know him from his crisis stint in the fall, for his increasingly long GA resume, or via an independent interest in Alaska’s political dynasties, you surely know Burke as an empathetic, down-to-earth person who cares deeply for the people around him and the causes he believes in. Fueled by coffee maker ramen and his Hydroflask of ~Teamsec juice~, in just this past year he has already made his mark on the circuit and on our team culture. We’ll miss him when he temporarily returns home to Alaska next fall to help out in the midterm elections, but luckily he’ll make it back just in time to get shipped off to Philadelphia. It has been a gift to have Burke in leadership, and we can’t wait to see what he has in store for next year.
Emily Mims
University of Florida
Emily Mims is a first year on the University of Florida Model UN team studying History and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies with a minor in Education Studies. Lover of Kanye West, Gavels, and fun facts, Emily is a loved member of our team. Competing at 4 conferences this year, Emily had a late start on the circuit. At UNCMUNC, Emily earned Outstanding Delegate in DISEC, proving themself a competitive force on the team. Her next conference, UCBMUN, was their pride and joy. Not only did Emily organize her teams delegation attendance, Emily experienced the best travel experience of their life full of fun, food, and family. Though her topic changed a week beforehand, their position was changed 20 minutes before opening, and her committee became an ad-hoc jcc, Emily left with their first Gavel and a larger passion for Model UN. She received an Outstanding at ChoMUN finishing their season as a decorated GA and Crisis delegate. Emily served as a Crisis Director for GatorMUN and the Assistant Director of Conference Logistics, aiding in conference travel booking and delegate assistance. They are excited to continue their team involvement as a Crisis Director and the Director of Conference Logistics for the University of Florida’s team.
Georgia Steigerwald
Harvard College
Since joining in her first semester, Georgia Kott Steigerwald has been one of the most committed people on Harvard’s Model UN team – ICMUN. From her passionate, chair-standing Security Council speeches to crisis arcs that ranged from funny and unexpected to straight up absurd, she has swept through committees and won awards at NCSC, ChoMUN, and LAMUN. Furthermore, her impact outside of the committee room has truly revolutionized the team. In her roles as both Head Delegate and now “Momager” (or Program Supervisor) of ICMUN, Georgia has been a mentor and friend to every single person on the team. She has taken to heart the importance of inspiring and motivating those around her, which she has embodied both at conferences and back on campus. Even in the short breaks between committee sessions, you could often find Georgia running around the conference venue – trying to find and help anyone who needed her advice for committee. The performance of ICMUN’s exceptional freshman class can largely be attributed to her unwavering dedication and commitment to their success. There are few who have poured as much of their time and energy into making the ICMUN experience great as Georgia.
Ishaan Chatterjee
University of Miami
Ishaan Chatterjee is a graduating senior majoring in Microbiology and Immunology. From when Ishaan joined the Miami MUN team as a freshman, up through his current role as a retiring Head Delegate, his legacy to the team became clear. Ishaan quickly distinguished himself as an incredibly competent and successful delegate, and by his sophomore year he became the most awarded traveling member on the team. But his success did not stop there – despite having a year off on the circuit due to Covid-19 restrictions, he became the most traveled and most awarded member in Miami MUN history, with an enviable record of winning an award at every single conference other than his first, in every type of committee offered on the circuit. With this record, his dedication to the activity, and his playful and approachable demeanor outside of MUN, he became an obvious role model and leader to everyone on our team, and a great friend/mentor. Ishaan carried his success with him during his year as a Head Delegate, and designed unique training sessions for the team that ultimately led to one of the most successful and prolific competitive years in Miami MUN history. Ishaan’s graduation will create an obvious hole in the MUN team due to his sheer influence and impact over the last four years, but he feels confident that our younger classes will fill his large shoes and is excited to watch what they accomplish. Ishaan plans to continue using his “Obama-like” voice after graduation by advocating for better minority representation in medicine and becoming a leader in the medical field.
Joel Shapiro
Boston University
With a MUN resume that is (literally) several pages long, the flexibility needed to take on vastly different committee types, and a true love for MUN and all those he comes across, Joel Shapiro is a fantastic delegate and an even better friend. Now a rising Junior studying International Relations and Computer Science, Joel has been a force on the team since before he even stepped foot on BU’s campus. While he was first introduced to us as an extremely attentive user of Facebook Messenger, he quickly became known for his ability to make friends in almost every committee he’s in. Nearly every time a BU del enters a committee Thursday night, they leave having been asked “Do you know Joel?” at least once. Beyond his friendliness, Joel’s ability to shift his delegate style rapidly makes him an incredibly strong competitor, and this year he mastered massive double delegate GAs and tiny crisis committees alike. Beyond his competition history, his most impressive mark is currently being made at BarMUN as our next Secretary-General. Against all odds, Joel will be fearlessly leading BarMUN into its first year in a hotel, and navigating the new waters that come with such a massive change. Outside of MUN, Joel loves Agatha Christie novels, his Computer Science professors, and Swedish Fish. We are so proud of all the work he has done, and so excited to see it pay off in October!
Jonny Dalsey
University of California, Los Angeles
Jonny started his travel career as a first-year and quickly established himself as one of UCLA’s most avid and capable travelers. Even between internships and officer positions, Jonny still found the time and energy to travel to nearly every conference UCLA attended in the last three years, ending his travel career with a gavel at UCBMUN. He has mentored other crisis delegates on the team, and never shies away from helping newer travel delegates even while he’s competing. Jonny shines brightest when he is helping others succeed, and everyone knows him as one of the kindest, funniest, most energetic people to travel with. He is our travel daddy, our bankroller, and our saving grace. We don’t know where we’d be without Jonny.
Juliette Van Heerden
University of Miami
Juliette van Heerden is truly one of a kind. As a graduating senior, she has become the epitome of what it means to be a role model. Joining the Miami Model UN team as a freshman with no prior MUN experience, she dedicated herself to learn, practice and grow as a delegate, eventually rising to becoming one of the most prolific Head Delegates in Miami History. Those who know Juliette well understand that her attention to detail, and meticulous nature makes her an effective crisis delegate, and even better Head Delegate. Besides winning many awards throughout her four years on the circuit, Juliette also dedicates herself to teaching her insane note-writing skills to members of the Miami MUN team. She is best-known for her novel-length masterpiece crisis notes, which have back rooms wondering how anyone can write that fast, or that small, on a notepad. Juliette is the one to go to for the best (and most honest) advice about anything from crisis arcs to whether your jokes are actually funny. When she is not doing Model UN, she is leading initiatives as a senator in student government, building communities as a Resident Assistant, and making it look easy to maintain a 4.0 gpa as a premed student. She has been such an important part of the Miami Model United Nations team and while we are sad to see her go, we know that she will absolutely kill it at Drexel Medical School next year, as she becomes the world’s best physician of her age.
Lizzie Williamson
American University
Lizzie Williamson is a rising senior pursuing a degree in International Relations with a focus on Environmental Sustainability and Global Development. Lizzie navigated the AU Model UN team through a new and challenging year returning to in-person collegiate conferences in the middle of a pandemic. Lizzie’s ability to adapt, respond, and lead the team through all the hurdles thrown her way is a testament to her ability as a Head Delegate and a leader. As Head Delegate, Lizzie was a constant mainstay on the team, helping our delegates prepare for conferences, designing a GA training curriculum for the year, and dealing with whatever challenges the team threw her way. In addition to leading the AUMUN team, Lizzie also was an active delegate this season. She competed at five conferences this year and awarded at all but one conference and including two gavels! We are so proud of the work Lizzie has done and know that she will succeed as she takes on the role as CEO of AMIRS, the umbrella organization of the AUMUN team, AmeriMUNC, WIRC, and more.
Marek Kong
Florida International University
Marek Kong is a rising junior at Florida International University and has been on the FIU Model UN team since his freshman year of college. He has demonstrated an exceptional amount of talent in both GA and crisis committees, and has been one of the best mentors to others on the team. Being from China and Jamaica, one of Marek’s most defining characteristics is his passion for both countries as he deeply enjoys spreading the culture and not to mention, enjoy doing committees related to both of his countries. With the crazy and unique amount of arcs he comes up with, Marek is the best person to reach out to if you want to put the fun in MUN. The FIU team couldn’t imagine doing MUN without him as he is notably one of the most caring, passionate, energetic, adventurous, and ambitious person. We are beyond excited to have Marek as one of our Head Delegates for the 2022-2023 school year and know he will absolutely kill it next year!
Meesha Reiisieh
American University
Meesha Reiisieh is a graduating senior with a degree in Political Science and Psychology. Meesha was our most competitive senior on the team this year competing at seven conferences. This season, Meesha stepped up and jumped in to help our team, bringing her expertise in GA to compete in the United Nations Security Council. Meesha was an incredible teammate and leader to our team this year, stepping up wherever she was needed and leading the team when she had to. Over her four years on the AUMUN team, Meesha served as Head Delegate and Assistant Head Delegate. She has been this team’s rock and pioneered us through a tough, online season through the pandemic. Meesha has created a legacy that will live on well past her graduation. We wish her all the best as she heads back to California and cannot wait to see the amazing things she will accomplish!
Paulina Keim
University of Virginia
Graduating fourth year Paulina “Polly” Keim is a driving force of UVA Model UN and on the circuit, known for her unique crisis arcs, energetic personality, and amazing outfits. Despite having never done Model UN before, Polly made an impact on the circuit from her very first year, and would go on to win awards at some of the most competitive conferences on the circuit over the next four years. Polly is also extremely welcoming and kind and was foundational in creating the UVAMUN community that exists today. Polly also previously served as Treasurer and then President of UVA’s International Relations Organization. She will be dearly missed by her friends and teammates at UVA and on the circuit next year, though we are so excited to see what she accomplishes next!
Peter Awabdeh
College of William & Mary
In Peter Awabdeh’s first year on the circuit, he demonstrated that he is a force to be reckoned with. From the outset of his freshman year, Peter has been an All-Star within our organization, being selected as the Director of Internal Logistics of W&M’s Travel Team, serving as the team’s head delegate at HNMUN, and crisis directing the JCC at &MUN. Garnering awards in his first year on the circuit in GA, Crisis, and midsize Crisis committees, Peter has shown his versatility in committee and has always been someone the team can count on, as anyone Peter personally coached knew they were in very good hands. His fierce committee performances with the most unique and detailed of arcs and clauses are far from his best quality, as Peter was always a friendly face within our team and on the circuit. His positivity, kindness, and exceptional sense of fashion always brought light to a room. W&M’s travel team would not have operated as successfully as it did without Peter’s contributions, and we are so privileged to have had him as a part of our team. We are unbelievably excited to see the amazing things Peter accomplishes in future years on the circuit and in his new role on our IRC’s Executive Board as our Director of Finance!
Shayna Cohen
University of Chicago
Shayna Cohen, otherwise known as the “responsible one,” has given much more to the UChicago MUN team than any non-Teamsec member in recent history. While she is a fantastic leader in her own right (something something Secgen of ChoMUN), she has shown unmatched mettle and dedication in our return to a rigorous travel schedule. From volunteering as a head del for our cursed road trip to VICS over Spring Break to never missing a team training (even though she is far past needing them) to being an unofficial debrief leader to attending a whopping total of six five conferences this year, Shayna has gone above and beyond to ensure that the team has the competitive and emotional support we need. Shayna is one of the most genuine, kind, and empathetic people that UChicago has ever sent to conference, but don’t mistake this for weakness. As the only upperclassman of team to never blank a conference, throughout her four years of competing she has collected more awards than almost anyone on team, many of them gavels. Through her empathy-driven and “wholesome” approach to crisis, Shayna has not sacrificed her values for any award and has made many friends across the circuit along the way. She is the definition of research-obsessed: Shayna specializes in niche historical committees and UNSCs— forever a content-lover and Wikipedia rabbit-hole expert (she has sworn off Ad-hocs for this reason). While she claims her true passion is medicine—which her Honors Neuroscience thesis and Health & Society minor prove, we suppose—she gave a hell-of-a-lot of energy to UChicago Model UN. For this, we are forever grateful, and we wish her the best of luck as she graduates and sets out on a long road to make the world a better place.
Vikrant Magadi
University of Chicago
While Vikrant Magadi embodies many amazing things, the word that may just describe him best is dedicated – dedicated to his team, dedicated to his friends, dedicated to being a top-tier delegate. Vikrant brought that dedication to the UChicago team this year, inspiring all of us to work harder, not only in planning arcs and projecting in speeches, but in being good friends and kind people. Vikrant also plunged himself head first into the head del circuit this year, tackling some of the circuit’s hardest UNSC’s and Ad Hoc’s, showing he can compete with–and belongs among–the best delegates on the circuit.
Vikrant will be the President of the UChicago team next year (an admittedly lateral move from his position as President of TJMUN in high school), and the team is confident that the future of UChicago MUN is in good hands
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Congratulations to all the delegates! Thank you for your leadership in college Model UN this year. We look forward to seeing how college Model UN continues next year.