From a police investigation on the way to Rutgers, New Jersey, to seeing guest-squeaker Joseph Biden in New York City, the 2024-2025 season was far from dull for Radnor’s Model United Nations (RADMUN) team. The talented RADMUN students had the opportunity to travel to four conferences along the East Coast where they engaged in rigorous simulations of real United Nations committees. All of the conferences provided unique challenges and enriching experiences for delegates, making for a truly unforgettable season.
For those of you who are not familiar with the process of Model UN, conferences typically include three days of debate and a final morning of closing ceremonies. Prior to a conference, students, also known as delegates, are assigned to a country and will choose a subcommittee of the UN to represent. In the week leading up to the conference students will work down to the wire writing thorough research papers that reflect their subcommittee’s conference topic and their assigned nation’s point of view. While these research papers are turned in in advance, RADMUN is always hectically writing their speeches for committee on the bus ride to conferences. Most students work in partners, but a select few, typically experienced seniors, will be single delegates and serve on crisis committees. These specialized crisis committees center around a modern or historic event where students will act as a person involved in the event, rather than a representative of a nation. The majority of the team however, serves on what are known as General Assemblies, where they simulate the work of committees like UNICEF (United Nations Nations Children’s Fund) or UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization). Prior to the weekend, these committees have long background guides which students read. The background guide covers the specific topic which the committee will be covering for the weekend. For example, in UNICEF your topic might be Protecting Children in War Zones or Addressing Child Hunger in the Modern Economy. The number of students in a committee varies by conference but can range from 25 to 300!
Throughout the committee sessions students go between moderated and unmoderated caucuses. During a moderated caucus, delegates will choose a specific topic to discuss and take turns formally addressing the committee with their countries thoughts on the subject. In contrast, during an unmoderated caucus, students have free time to roam around the conference room and make partnerships with other countries. It is during these non-structured times that students will make ‘blocs’ – groups of nations with similar ideas. Once blocs have been established, students work together to write resolutions, which are collaborative papers that provide solutions to the committee’s topic. After papers are drafted they are presented, revised through a Q&A period and amendments, and finally voted upon. Delegates are able to win awards through contributing to position papers, making strong speeches, and, above all, showing diplomacy. Fortunately, at Radnor we have a skilled team who earned awards at all the conferences they attended this season!
RADMUN’s first conference was the Rutgers Model United Nations conference (RUMUN) in New Jersey. It got off to a rocky start when the bus crashed on the highway entrance by the high school but, after brief questioning by the police and an inspection of the bus, RADMUN hit the road! RUMUN is a special conference for Radnor students as it is where the experienced upper-classmen pair up with new members to show them the ropes. Together, the double-delegate pairings spent a sleepless weekend debating some of the most-pressing global issues. RUMUN has a reputation for its lack of freetime, and I am afraid to report that the rumors are true – students were in committee for up to 10 hours per day. For the limited free time students did have, they enjoyed the local coffee shop famous for its strawberry matcha and the legendary Bagel-Nosh, a Rutger’s breakfast and lunch spot which has been passed down through generations of RADMUN students. On the final night, RADMUN headed out for team dinner at Fat Cactus Cantina, a fun Mexican restaurant. In the end, students Annie Zhong, Chase Carlton, Eadlin Morrissey, Emily Decker, Evelyn Jean, Kavin Thapar, Luke Howard, Nadia Dougherty, Naphtali Slaim, and William Duff all took home awards!
RADMUN reunited in February for Washington D.C.’s North American Model United Conference (NAIMUN). Did students stay in the hotel where former U.S. president Ronald Reagan assassination attempt took place? Yes. Did they let this slightly distributing fact freak them out? Most definitely not! RADMUN spent a reproductive weekend in simulations that centered around the NAIMUN’s 2025 theme “Diplomacy through Education,” devising solutions that spread awareness to global conflicts and fostered international understanding. A highlight of the D.C. conference is the Saturday morning off where RADMUN is free to sleep in or explore the city. While some students made it to the capitol, others browsed the shops surrounding the nearby Georgetown University campus. When debate was all said and done, RADMUN reunited for a team dinner at a local thai-restaurant and headed back to the hotel for NAIMUN’s Delegate Dance. Despite the “no mosh-pit” rule, students had a fun evening of socializing. All in all, Radnor seniors William Duff and Daisy Madden both brought home the Verbal Commendation award, which is equivalent to third place.
Radnor Students exploring Washington D.C.
Just one week later, RADMUN headed off to the Philadelphia Model United Nations Conference (PHILMUN) in Old City. This smaller conference was an opportunity for Radnor’s delegates to really stand out, and that they did. Students spear-headed the writing of position papers and made charismatic speeches. RADMUN members Kirthi Middle, Natailie Myers, Annie Zhong, Haeun Cho, Daisy Madden, Jackson Diskin, Charles Yang, Martina Mecerril, Ryan Donoghue, William Duff, Anthony Remesh, Napthali Slaim, and last by not least, Luke Howard, earned awards! 
Not to mention Radnor’s team award for the school’s contributions to the conference. Outside of the committee, delegates enjoyed the nearby pizza shop, sushi restaurant, and range of cafés. Team dinner was at a nice American restaurant and despite a lack of conference-organized activities, students had a fun time hanging out in their hotel rooms.
RADMUN’s roll continued right into March when students attended the National High School Model United conference (NHSMUN) in New York City. With Times Square just a few blocks away and a presidential guest speaker, the conference was nothing short of exciting. The weekend kicked off with a live choir and dancers performing an arrangement of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ Empire State of Mind. The ceremony was followed by a later night committee which did not wrap until 11 pm. Luckily, students had no problem getting up to see the former U.S. President Joseph Biden’s speech the next morning. Unfortunately, student’s morning coffees were not let into the auditorium, but delegates quickly got over this minor disappointment as they enjoyed a speech and Q&A from such an esteemed guest. RADMUN learned that Biden’s favorite icecream flavor is chocolate chip, but they also learned much more; how to make connections in politics, stand up for what you believe in, and that networking can take you a long way
. Students took Biden’s advice throughout the remainder of the conference with Charles Yang, Eeeshan Patel, Sonai Dougherty, and Eliza Goodchild ultimately earning awards. On the last night, RADMUN went to Sarfina for team dinner and headed back to the hotel for another delegate dance. NHSMUN is known for its range of international students – kids from France, Chilé, Brazil, Italy, the UK, and many other nations were present – a condition very much reflected in the dances playlist. 
Despite not knowing all the global hits, RADMUN sure had a fun last night!
All of RADMUN’s successes could not have been possible without their senior captains: Ryan Donoghue, Eadlin Morrissey, Sonia Dougherty, and William Duff. Plus a special thank you to advisors Mr. Spear and Mr. Dunbar for their unwavering commitment to Radnor’s Model UN team.
Sophomores and juniors if you’re interested in joining Radnor’s Model United Nations team please keep your eyes peeled for a schoology post on the Spring Tryouts. And see more on RADMUN on their instagram @radnormun.
