The Maggie Walker Model UN Club is no stranger to winning. Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) hosted the first iteration of its conference RAMMUNC this April, featuring four committees including the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN), World War I, the UN Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC), and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). 

Although VCU did not have delegation awards like “Best Delegation” or “Outstanding Delegation,” Maggie Walker swept the floor, winning several awards in each committee. Out of the 19 MLWGS students that competed, 14 won awards. VCU awarded Verbal Commendations to Ian Sexton (‘25), Jahan Hassan (‘25), and Shrihari Kalagi (‘27), Honorable Mentions to Ethan Roerink (‘26), Ousmane Dieng (‘27), and Geunyoung Chung (‘27), Outstanding Delegate to Chris Qian (‘27), Rewa Totey (‘26), and Sanaya Bothra (‘26), and Best Delegate to Aditya Badhrayan (‘25), Tanvi Palavalas (‘25), Priya Kumar (‘27), Deepanshi Kumar (‘26), and Amy Sun (‘27). 

Roerink, who represented French Prime Minister George Clemenceau during World War I, described the intricate and creative ways delegates changed the course of human history. “In committee, the French Parliament removed me from office, so I established my own breakaway nation called the Republic of Britney, which inspired two other regions to do so too. Meanwhile in Germany, the Kaiser tried to flee, so Germany ended up collapsing on itself and breaking into a bunch of small provinces.” The chairs didn't want a repeat of canonical historical events, or for the delegates to agree on mutual peace, at least not immediately. They wanted to see delegates come up with creative, but realistic ways in which the delegates could handle WWI.

Over in DISEC, Kalagi represented New Zealand as a double-delegation with Hassan. In MUN, double-delegate committees are where a set of two delegates are paired to work together to represent one country. Kalagi elaborated on how delegates “debated and weighed the benefits of using government surveillance to reduce crime in addition to the danger of the government using surveillance to suppress citizens.”

ASEAN was RAMMUNC’s premier specialized committee, and Kumar, representing Japan, extensively debated the Belt and Road Initiative imposed by China and the rising sea levels caused by climate change. According to Kumar, “There was not only a lot of debate centered around the various industries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and ways to limit China’s power, but there was also debate about how industries are affecting climate change.”

When asked about any advice these delegates would give to students looking to join Model UN, Roerink attributed his success to having a distinct goal, which was “unifying the allied powers” and being able “to get that message across through eloquent speeches.” Similarly, Kalagi also emphasized “speaking ability.” He stressed the importance of “researching your topics beyond the background guide,” and Kumar elaborated on this further by saying, “Coming prepared will allw you to be more confident inside committee, and [it will] get you to participate more.”

Outside of the committee sessions, delegates had the freedom to explore VCU’s campus with their friends, strengthening the club’s bond. Roerink commented, “There were lots of amazing restaurants; my friends and I ate at this one really nice Korean restaurant. It was just a great, fun, and respectful atmosphere while not being too out of control. Overall, it was a fantastic way to end the MUN year.” 

Additionally, swarms of people running the Monument Avenue 10K were pouring by committee rooms. Kumar recalled when the entire MLWGS delegation had to cross the 10k, an incredibly memorable and entertaining moment for her. Roerink was even lucky enough to see runners crossing the finish line during committee, and Kalagi said that the energy of the 10K transferred to the conference. 

Regarding the overall quality of the conference, Roerink praised the VCU staff for “being very knowledgeable about the event and giving constructive feedback and fresh perspectives.” He particularly liked the good mix of the unmoderated and moderated caucuses in the debate structure of committee sessions. In addition, the chairs made sure to notify the delegates ahead of time when crises would occur so that the delegates could finish their crisis notes. On the other hand, Kalagi enjoyed the opening and closing ceremonies, as “we got to learn from the real United Nations and hear from very interesting people.” 

Palavalas, who is next year’s MUN co-president along with Badhrayan, said, “It was cool that Maggie Walker was able to establish a presence, and we look forward to continuing the tradition of competing at RAMMUNC.” 

Looking towards plans for next year, Palavalas expressed how “[the MUN club] plans on getting more involved in the lives of students by hosting a freshman training session during the summer and arranging a ‘mock conference’ at the beginning of the school year where everyone is invited. That way, prospective club members can try it and learn from more experienced delegates and what they are capable of. Having that hands-on experience before we send delegates to actual conferences can boost confidence and set them up for success.”

When asked about the other conferences she was excited to attend, Palavalas responded, “This November, Maggie Walker plans on attending Virginia MUN, hosted by the University of Virginia, which has proven to be a well-run and highly competitive conference. It will certainly challenge our delegates, showing them what a collegiate conference looks like and helping them grow.”