Both the Claremont McKenna College Model United Nations (CMCMUN) and Pomona College Model United Nations (PCMUN) teams traveled to Boston this past weekend to attend the “Super Bowl of Model UN,” as characterized by The New York Times. In a standout performance, CMCMUN walked away with the award for Best Large Delegation, the conference’s top honor.
The event, hosted by Harvard National Model United Nations (HNMUN), took place at the Boston Marriott Copley Place in Boston, Massachusetts, from Feb. 20 to Feb. 23. The event boasted over 2,000 participants from colleges across the United States and the world at large, according to HNMUN.
At the conference, 12 of the 16 delegates from CMCMUN won awards, including three Best Delegate awards — the equivalent of first place — to Josh Morganstein CMC ’25, Louis Layman CM ’26 and Tom Inouye CM ’26.
In a Feb. 25 Instagram post, CMCUN highlighted their group-wide achievement: “CONGRATULATIONS to our Harvard team … They won Best Large Delegation at the conference for the first time in CMCUN history.”
Representing the other 4Cs, PCMUN sent five delegates, with Joshua Mosley PO ’26 winning a Diplomatic Commendation within his committee.
HNMUN, along with many other East Coast conferences, tends to take on a more serious tone than their West Coast counterparts, according to Morganstein and Mosley. With that serious tone, however, comes greater weight regarding end-of-season rankings.
“HNMUN is the most competitive domestic conference for American schools, so in that sense, it is the Super Bowl of MUN,” Morganstein, the club president, said in reference to The New York Times’ attribution. “It’s the highest ranked in terms of weighting for awards.”
Yet Mosely said that his willingness to have fun amidst the high-stakes circumstances helped him in the end.
“East Coast conferences are typically known for being a little more serious,” Mosley said. “I think that having those fun hooks in committee with your speeches makes you [more] noticeable.”
That West Coast attitude appeared to be shared amongst many participating institutions, with Morganstein and Mosley both noting a sense of camaraderie with their fellow West Coast schools. They said that the similar competitions and tournaments they participate in foster a sense of familiarity that can help when it comes time to make alliances in committee.
“It’s always nice when you walk in a committee and see a friendly face,” Morganstein said.
These friendly faces are made through other means too, such as famed Saturday night socials at conferences, where Morganstein said that the West Coast schools often come together for a regional celebration. They also perform exhibition runs, which help members get a feel for the atmosphere and faces that are sure to follow throughout the Model UN season.
CMC’s success at HNMUN left Morganstein excited for the remainder of the season and the club’s future. He said he recognizes the value of their award but is most proud of what he believes it represents about the club.
“More important than the awards and the ranking is what it represents about the talent we have on our team, the hard work that people are putting in, culturally how strong we are and how well we get along,” Morganstein said.
He also expressed his confidence in the members who will carry the group forward once his term as president ends, emphasizing the camaraderie that the organization has carefully cultivated over the years.
The bonds within the Model UN teams have opened up special opportunities, such as CMCMUN guaranteeing members the opportunity to attend two conferences over the course of the semester, something Morganstein said is unique on the Model UN circuit.
With the season still in full swing, both teams are looking to finish strong. The Harvard World Model United Nations (HWMUN) conference coming up in Manila, Philippines, which Morganstein cited as the “Olympics” of Model UN, provides another chance for CMCMUN to maintain momentum following their performance at HNMUN.