For the first time in the program's history, FIU's Model UN team has been named the top team in North America by BestDelegate.com. The team beat the University of Chicago out of the top spot, sweeping the circuit with the most individual awards (more than 120) and the most delegation awards (nine) of any team.
According to BestDelgate.com, "No other college MUN team came close in any of those measurements."
"Widely respected across the circuit for the training and hard work that the team puts in every year, FIU demonstrated this year that any university — including public schools outside of the elite Northeast — can become the #1 team in college Model UN," the announcement read.
"Keep in mind this is a team that had to fly to travel to almost all of its conferences, so it has worked to overcome funding disadvantages caused by not being located in the Northeast."
The FIU team has advanced steadily in the past decade and has been in the Top 5 since 2012, as noted in Best Delegate , the organization that ranks Model UN teams based on performance. FIU has also been the highest ranked team in Florida and the highest from any public university in the country for several years.
Model United Nations programs bring together different universities across the United States, as well as hundreds of college students, with the goal of furthering international awareness and building consensus. The program is designed to build students' public speaking, analytical writing, negotiations, critical analysis and research skills.
Former head delegate and current advisor Michelle Rosario compliments the new attitude that the FIU team has taken on: “Since the start of the season, we wanted to emphasize diplomacy in every facet, from how we treat our peers on the team, to other delegates on the circuit, to the character that we humbly strive to uphold day to day. This year we were so delighted to find out what could happen if we came together collaboratively, our team dynamic and values truly made the difference at every conference we traveled to. We will carry the lessons, the laughs, the happy tears, as well as the memories in our hearts and we can't wait to see everyone again in the fall. Special thank you and goodbye to our remarkable graduating head delegates: Syed Fuad Adnan, Alexander Morales, and Mario Treto.”