On Saturday, November 15, Drew’s Model UN team joined nearly 400 students at the Tri Valley Model UN Conference at Dougherty Valley High School. Over the course of a nearly 14-hour day, Drew students engaged in rigorous debate, diplomatic negotiations, and collaborative problem-solving across a range of global issues.
Each Drew delegate contributed meaningfully to their committee work, demonstrating strong preparation, thoughtful engagement, and a commitment to representing their assigned countries with integrity. In a committee of more than 100 participants, Drew’s Jonas T. ’26 and Tejas S. ’26 were awarded Outstanding Delegate, a recognition of their negotiation skills, effective communication, and sustained leadership throughout the conference.
Model UN asks students to think critically, collaborate with diverse peers, and approach complex global issues with depth and nuance. Seen through their leadership, confidence, and creativity, this year’s Tri Valley Conference was a powerful reflection of the academic skills and civic-minded values Drew students continue to cultivate.
For Jonas, the experience was both energizing and memorable.“Having the opportunity to go to a school-funded Model UN conference is super exciting. The whole day was a blast!” he reflected. “It’s super rare to have six delegates from Drew all in the same committee, and it was really fun to get to work together to solve problems. Drew students really shined during the entire conference—we made sure that we were known. From dominating Un-Mods to performing raps, our delegation’s creativity defines us.”
Jonas also shared what made this moment particularly meaningful:“It was special to win an award alongside one of my best friends, especially in our last double delegate conference of our high school career. Three years ago, Tejas showed me the ropes in our first double delegate conference, and I can’t thank him enough. Three awards and four conferences later, we’re still going strong! Go Drew MUN!”
Tejas S. ‘26 echoed Jonas’s enthusiasm for the day’s challenges and breakthroughs.“It was really exciting to participate in the conference,” he said. “We were presented with some challenges to overcome—in a library with an odd layout and no chance to speak. But later on, we cemented our presence by introducing our ‘TRAVIS’ plan and leading our bloc. By the end of the conference, we felt confident we would win an award. The committee chairs told us we had ‘the best unmod presence they had ever seen.’ Winning Outstanding Delegate was a big moment for Drew MUN in the 25–26 year.”
Congratulations to all participating delegates for their hard work, leadership, and enthusiasm! Their performance at Tri Valley MUN highlights the intellectual curiosity and collaborative spirit that define our academic community.
At Drew, this is what student leadership looks like—thoughtful, prepared, creative, and ready to engage with the world.
