Despite a year full of challenges and change, the Clark University Model United Nations team recently ranked among the top ten teams in North America within the World Division — the highest ranking in the team’s history. This year, the rankings celebrate teams that showed immense resilience by not only enduring through particularly unusual circumstances but also succeeding at the highest level possible in collegiate Model UN.

While Clark’s team has ranked highly on a consistent basis, this year marked the first time the team broke into the Top 10. The rankings, which use a weighted score methodology, reflect both the attendance and competitiveness of teams. This year, Clark’s team adopted a new strategy for both team recruitment and competing — rather than relying on winning at a few large conferences, Clark Model UN attended and won awards at many conferences, including those hosted by Harvard University, McGill University, the University of Chicago, the University of California Berkeley, UCLA, the College of William and Mary, and Seton Hall University.

In a statement, the team cited a combination of new talent and seasoned leadership in their success. “The awards our team received this year are a testament to the incredible work put in by organizational leaders to ensure the COVID model of competing was accessible to new delegates. Integral to this model of learning and teaching are the investments made available to first-year students, such as allowing them to compete on the ‘travel’ team and providing them leadership positions within the club.”

The team is confident that Clark MUN will move forward fully equipped to compete and succeed in the circuit through the next generation of “MUNchkins,” and that next year’s leadership will have an exceptional team prepared for anything.

Kevin Felix Chan, co-founder of Best Delegate and an educator in the national Model United Nations organization, noted, “Small but powerful acts of leadership, such as encouraging others, problem-solving, or checking in on someone’s mental health, were extremely important” in such a challenging year. He commended all teams for their resilience and spirit.

Clark University Model United Nations is a student-run organization that serves Clarkies interested in political science and international relations. The team is open to students of all majors and skills, and offers opportunities to participate in experiential learning, academic gatherings, and social events.