ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ competed at four intercollegiate model UN conferences in 2025-26, winning awards against the strongest competition in the nation. Our destinations were Boston, Bloomington, Chicago and Charlottesville.
ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿â€™s Delenn Main won Best Delegate (first place) at the Boston Area Model UN Conference (BarMUN) in the autumn. In April, MUN President Brayden Beall was part of our delegation to the University of Chicago’s conference (ChoMUN), where he won Best Delegate. At the same conference, a verbal commendation (fourth place) went to Elizjah Eddy. Both Brayden and Elizjah graduate this May.
The ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ conference program for 2025-26 was designed and led by our College Conference Coordinator, junior international studies major Delenn Main. Just one week before, Delenn won an Honorable Mention (third place) at the University of Virginia Crisis Simulation Conference (VICS). Last year she came in fourth at the same conference.
The biggest surprise at the UVa event was ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ freshman pre-med major Holden Plemmons, who won the The Spirit of VICS award, given to the delegate who most impressed the conference organizers. Last year the same award went to ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿â€™s J Belin. ‘My goal was not necessarily to get an award’, Holden confessed after. It was the second year in a row for ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿. Next year Holden will serve ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ as Secretary-Treasurer for our high school conference, ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿MUNC 50.
After returning from the University of Virginia event, Elise Corbin said, ‘As a freshman at ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ and a new member of the delegation, I thoroughly enjoyed how welcoming everyone is. My favorite experiences from the conference all surround speaking in front of my committee; you don't believe you can do it until you do! I spoke once, and from there found the confidence to speak several times and lead committee debates, which other delegates in my committee complimented me on.
Gabrielle Edwards, a junior biomedical sciences major, and part of our delegations at both Charlottesville and Chicago, shared the same sentiment, We’re a fun and close-knit group that trust each other. Most people here are like my family, and I love the bond that we have.’
Matthew Juarez, Model UN leader and President of the ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ Political Science Association, said after Chicago, ‘The best part of this conference overall was working with my team of delegates who provided great advice and camaraderie throughout the conference. Our head delegate, Delenn Main, led a very organized and successful experience. Without her, our delegation would not have performed so great.’
Delenn Main note that ‘Winning an Honorable was incredibly rewarding, but what meant the most was how immersive and intense the experience felt from start to finish! Every session was engaging, making my time stand out as a high-quality experience like no other!’
Delenn says, ‘Being able to represent Old Dominion University makes me so proud to be a Monarch. This year, ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ as a delegation stood out. Comments from other schools such as the University of Georgia and Georgetown University reflected that, with each and every ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ delegate upholding a high standard of conduct and competition. I couldn't be prouder of this year's delegates!’ Next year, Delenn will study in China.
According to Teaching Professor Aaron Karp, Director of the ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ Model UN, ‘Our students compete directly against the best-known schools in the country and emerge victorious and accomplished. I know nothing else that reveals as much about the talent and ambition we build here.’