For the third year in a row, AU’s Model United Nations (AUMUN) team is tops in the country, according to Best Delegate rankings released in May. AU is only the second university to three-peat.

“Our rise to one of the most successful teams in the nation is a testament to each member’s dedication and love for both this activity and our program,” says head delegate Ellie White, SIS/BA ’25.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of students—from middle school to college—participate in Model UN, which simulates the 193-member organization headquartered in New York City. College students attend weekend conferences that follow two formats: general assembly, where participants are assigned a country or committee, and crisis committees, which require delegates to navigate fictional catastrophes like nuclear war.

Students hone their public speaking, critical thinking, and research skills, which enable them “to hit the ground running” after graduation, says SIS dean Shannon Hader.

“Model UN is not just about great competition, achievement, and performance; it helps students build professional skills at a level that is truly impressive,” she says. “It sets them up to walk into their next adventures as leaders who will continue to grow and learn.”

AUMUN’s 55 members bested Harvard, Georgetown, Boston University, and the University of Chicago, which round out this year’s top five. The team attended nearly half of all available conferences, racking up more than 100 individual honors and five delegation awards.

AUMUN—part of the American University International Relations Society—has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the last 10 years. The team emerged from the top 50 in 2014–15 to land in the top 25 the following year. AUMUN reached the top five for the first time in 2018–19—and hasn’t budged in the six years since.

Each year, about 180 Eagles try out for 18 spots. Students selected after two rounds of interviews are required to attend one conference each semester. Arjun Mishra, CAS/BS ’27, SIS/BA ’27, says the selection process, while daunting, is worth it.

“Really, the most grueling part of being on the team is trying out,” says Mishra, who also participated in Model UN during high school in Queens, New York. “That’s just the hard first step that leads to four years of fun, enjoyment, and travel.”

AUMUN has also helped Eagles build community. Students hang out together outside of competitions and Wednesday night practices; they also boast two thriving Facebook Messenger groups, one for current students and another that includes alumni.

“We definitely are close-knit,” says White, who met her closest friends on campus through AUMUN. “And for me, it’s one of the most special organizations to be a part of on campus—and to know there is a whole community of people that have your back.”

In part, that community comes from traveling together—an essential but expensive aspect of Model UN. The SIS Dean’s Fund has provided financial support to AUMUN in recent years to help defray travel costs and decrease the barriers to participation. A handful of alumni, including Loren Danzis, SIS/BA ’93, and Nic Valbuena, SIS/BA ’23, have also made gifts to support AUMUN.

“I hope that it’s relieved a little bit of the financial stress so that members can focus on the substance of the competition,” Hader says. “They don’t need to think first, ‘What is this going to cost?’ Instead, they can think, ‘What can I contribute?’”