Wright State’s Model United Nations team wins top honor, continuing 46-year tradition of national recognition

Wright State’s Model United Nations program earned an Outstanding Delegation Award — the highest team honor — at the 2026 National Model U.N. Conference, continuing its tradition of excellence.

Wright State University’s Model United Nations program took on a bigger challenge this year — and came away with the top team award at the 2026 National Model U.N. Conference in New York City.

Competing against more than 160 colleges and universities from around the world, Wright State earned an Outstanding Delegation Award, placing it among the top 20% of participants.

The honor extends a decades-long streak. Since its founding in 1970, Wright State’s Model U.N. program has earned a team award every year the national conference has been held.

This year’s result was especially notable because Wright State represented two countries — Morocco and Seychelles — adding complexity to its preparation.

“We took a chance taking more students by representing two different countries. Despite the challenges of classmates training for different countries, everyone was treated equally, we remained one classroom under one vision for preparation, and it worked out well,” said Vaughn Shannon, Ph.D., professor of political science and director of the Master of Arts in International and Comparative Politics program.

Shannon and Liam Anderson, Ph.D., professor of political science, are the program’s long-time advisors.

At Model U.N. conferences, students serve as delegates on United Nations committees, researching global issues and advocating positions based on the real-world policies of their assigned countries. The experience builds skills in diplomacy, public speaking, research and negotiation.

In addition to the team award, four Wright State students received individual awards at the 2026 conference:

Outstanding Paper Award:

• Rebekah Delgrosso and Misker Dressie — Commission on Narcotic Drugs
• Rawan Hagi and Janaya Render — General Assembly Second Committee

Peer Award for Outstanding Delegates in Committee:

• Rebekah Delgrosso and Misker Dressie — Commission on Narcotic Drugs

Murphy Van Balen, head delegate and a graduate student in international and comparative politics, credits the team’s success to its faculty advisors and the countless hours students spend preparing, both in and out of class.

For Van Balen, the most rewarding moments come in watching students grow.

“My favorite highlight every year is watching the students that came into the first day of class shy, quiet and with little public speaking ability, confidently give speeches in rooms of hundreds of people from all over the world,” Van Balen said. “As someone who struggled with public speaking in my first year as well, seeing these students take a leap of faith from their comfort zone and blossom as a person is the most rewarding part of being on the Model U.N. team.”

This year’s team members are CeCe Davis, Rebekah Delgrosso, Emma Doci, Misker Dressie, Jasper Franco, Gabriel Foreman, Sadi Ghimire, Ala Hagi, Rawan Hagi, Molly Holloway, Chloe Johnston, Victoria Kunc, Airess Martin, Kate McKinley-Brewer, Siobhan O’Boyle, Peace Ozoude, Janaya Render, Abrar Salem, Chris Schiber, Chiara Stirpe, Kameron Van Balen, Murphy Van Balen, Baden Wagoner, Klay Warner, Ameer White and Connor Wilson.

Learn more about Wright State’s award-winning Model United Nations program at wright.edu/modelun.