CSMUN Momentum Continues
Crescent’s third Model UN conference (CSMUN) took place on December 13 and 14, attracting over 250 delegates from more than a dozen schools. Building on the success of the past two years, the conference reflected both the growing reputation of the event and the dedication of the students behind it.
Secretaries General Gregory Mavroudis and Deren Terzioglu, both members of the Class of 2026, have been involved in the CSMUN conference since its inception in spring 2024. Having witnessed its evolution firsthand, they felt well prepared to take on leadership roles this year. “ I was a chair for the last two years, and Greg was head of logistics at the first conference and a chair last year,” says Terzioglu. “We pretty much knew how the conference ran before we applied to run this one.”
While they had a team of 70 volunteers, directing such a large group required extensive preparation and guidance from the Crescent secretariat. Along the way, challenges emerged: assigning delegates to specific positions proved difficult if students had accidentally registered twice, seasonal viruses caused some attendees to cancel, and they had to quickly adapt to a policy change by the website hosting platform that delayed the registration kickoff.
Despite these obstacles, the conference was a success. One notable initiative was the use of “dais feedback” (the dais is the group of people in charge of each committee during a Model UN conference). “The chairs left the room, and we had an open discussion with the delegates to see what they liked, what they thought we could improve upon,” says Mavroudis. Terzioglu notes that for many participants, it was their first Model UN experience, and feedback frequently highlighted how supportive and encouraging the dais members were.
As the dust settles, Mavroudis and Terzioglu are gathering feedback and reflecting on lessons learned. “In Model UN, it's never about the awards,” says Mavroudis. “We've always ensured it's about what you've learned, how the experience has helped you, and whether you had fun.” They hope to pass that philosophy on to the next Crescent secretariat.
