Cherry Hill East’s Model U.N. attended the Rutgers University Model U.N. (RUMUN) this past weekend, Nov. 20 – 23, 2025. In attendance were 875 students from 31 schools, and East was notably recognized as Best Medium Delegation. Individual awards were won by Eren Buyruknilen, Jessica Huang, Matthew Aynbinder, and Shreyas Krishna for Best Position Paper; Leah Molavi as Outstanding Delegate; and Viraj Bharatia as Best Delegate. 

Typically, a Model UN conference consists of a single-day program, which is often faster-paced and involves less preparation in advance. RUMUN, however, was a four-day conference which took place at Rutgers University’s New Brunswick campus. 

Students were given their assignments weeks in advance, encouraged to research their assigned topics and draft position papers for their respective committees ranging from United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC). As a four-day convention, RUMUN required more effort and preparation compared to the single-day events the committee typically travels for, contributing to roughly 20 hours of sessions over the four days. 

While the team may be professional during the conference hours, they enjoy time to bond during their free time and in between sessions. After their first committee session, the entire team united to eat and debrief their experiences with Model UN co-advisors Mrs. Mikulski and Mrs. Dolan. Once the debate and convention are over, the advisors also typically treat students to a special dinner at a restaurant of their choosing and sometimes even a sweet treat after. 

For many students, participating in Model UN is a way to gain social skills while also becoming educated on current events and creating memorable experiences with friends. 

“I’ve definitely, like, gotten more comfortable with public speaking, especially since, like, in the beginning, I wouldn’t talk that much,” said Model UN Co-Secretary General Jessica Huang (‘26). “The research and public speaking have just been really helpful, and learning how to do research correctly and getting involved in world politics and current events.”

Looking ahead, Model UN leaders are already preparing for CHESMUN, a conference that East will be hosting on April 18. This entails ensuring that all of the behind-the-scenes work and logistics are coordinated before they start dividing assignments for the delegates.

If you are not already involved with the club, the leaders encourage you to seek advice from Mrs. Mikulski and Mrs. Dolan, join the Google Classroom, and follow along on their Instagram account @cheastmodelun for more updates on future conferences.