Topic Summary

In 2017, professional hockey changed forever. Moments after the New England Admirals captured the MLH Cup, superstar Scott Hunter shocked the sports world when he called Kip Grady down from the stands and kissed him on the ice during the championship celebration. Within minutes, videos flooded social media, sports networks interrupted broadcasts for breaking coverage, and reporters, sponsors, fans, and league officials scrambled to respond. What should have been a triumphant night for the Admirals quickly became the most controversial moment in modern hockey history. While many celebrated the kiss as a groundbreaking moment for the sport, others viewed it as a threat to hockey’s traditional culture and image.

On the “Game Changers” side of the Joint Crisis Committee, delegates must navigate the league’s public response and discuss how the MLH should handle media coverage, sponsorship concerns, public relations, and the future image of professional hockey. Team executives, journalists, agents, and public figures must decide how to control narratives while balancing financial pressure, fan reactions, and player safety. Meanwhile, on the “Heated Rivalry” side, players, coaches, and hockey dynasties fear what this cultural shift could mean for their careers, reputations, locker rooms, and rivalries. Delegates must now determine whether hockey will evolve with the moment or resist change entirely.

Director’s Letter, I'll Believe in Anything: The 'Game Changers', 2017

My name is Liv Serio and I am a senior in Quincy House studying English with a minor in Economics from Rochester, Michigan. I am incredibly excited to serve as your Director for the Heated Rivalry JCC at HNMUN 2027!

I have competed in Model UN for 6 years, staffed both HMUN and HNMUN, served as Director of Innovation on Harvard's Intercollegiate Model United Nations team, served as the previous Director General of HNMUN 2026 and directed at HMUN India 2025. Outside of Model UN, I am involved in Harvard College Consulting Group and JFK Jr. Forum Committee. In my free time, I enjoy reading, traveling, hiking, and cackling with my friends.

I cannot wait to welcome all of our incredible delegates to HNMUN 2027!

All the best,

Liv Serio

Director, I'll Believe in Anything: The 'Game Changers', 2017

crisis@hnmun.org

Director’s Letter, I'll Believe in Anything: A ‘Heated Rivalry’, 2017

Dearest Delegates,

My name is Zhaoxin Sun but you can call me Jojo and I am a junior studying Government and Economics. Hailing from Illinois but lived in China for several years as a child, which really shaped my interest in global affairs and my appreciation for the region’s history and culture.

I was first introduced to Model UN in high school and fell in love with its fun, fast-paced, and flexible debate style. I especially enjoyed crisis committees because delegates could use collaboration and creativity to influence the direction of committees. Since coming to Harvard, I joined the Harvard Intercollegiate MUN team and has had the chance to staff several conferences in Boston. I am so excited to meet everyone and see where you take this JCC!

Best,

Zhaoxin (Jojo) Sun

Director, I'll Believe in Anything: A ‘Heated Rivalry’, 2017

crisis@hnmun.org

Crisis Director’s Letter, I'll Believe in Anything: A ‘Heated Rivalry’, 2017

Dearest Delegates,

My name is Janaysa Dorcin and I am honored to serve as your crisis director for the 73nd iteration of Harvard National Model United Nations!

I’m a senior at Harvard, concentrating in Government with a secondary in Educational Studies. I’m a Miami native, and I am also proudly Haitian-American. I compete on our Intercollegiate Model UN team, and staff our high school and college conference. On campus, I’m active politically, do lots of work in education, and give campus tours. When I’m not MUNning it up, you can catch me working in our Admissions Office, traveling, or procrastinating LSAT prep.

I look forward to seeing each of you in committee. This committee pushes you to be your most cunning self, shaping our beautiful future of hockey and dare I say, love. I highly value creativity and strategic diplomacy in your approaches to committee, and I hope this committee will be a thrilling, fun experience for all delegates.

See you on the ice,

Janaysa

Crisis Director, I'll Believe in Anything: ‘The Game Changers’, 2017

crisis@hnmun.org

Coordinating Crisis Director’s Letter, I'll Believe in Anything: A ‘Heated Rivalry’, 2017

Dear Delegates,

My name is Kenny Taukolo, and I am so excited to be your chair for the ECOFIN committee throughout the conference! I am currently a senior at Harvard College concentrating in Environmental Science and Engineering with a focus on clean energy. I grew up in a suburb near Chicago, but went to a boarding school in Aurora, Illinois.

Although I attended a math and science magnet school, I eagerly joined our school’s Model UN team, interested in global politics and the current state of international affairs. I became president of the team my senior year, and continued to make many amazing memories at various MUN conferences.

At Harvard I am a part of ICMUN, the collegiate competitive travel team for Model UN, and served as one of the past head delegates. In the past, I was honored to chair the GADHOC at HMUN and the European Space Agency at HNMUN. This past year, I served as the Under-Secretary-General of the General Assemblies at HNMUN 2026. Since then, I have made a swift exit towards the dark side (aka crisis). Outside of the MUN world, I am a news writer for the Harvard Crimson newspaper, a board member of the Undergraduate Law Review, and policy analyst for the Clean Energy Group.

I encourage all of you to come prepared with well-researched positions, a willingness to collaborate, and the confidence to contribute your ideas. At the same time, I value creativity, adaptability, and respectful discourse just as much as technical accuracy. My goal is to foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable speaking, negotiating, and shaping the direction of the room.

Please feel free to connect with me with any questions or concerns leading up to the committee. Let me know if I can help in any way as, Model UN, at the end of the day, is a collaborative effort, and only when we all work together does change really happen. I look forward to meeting all of you!

Signing off,

Kenny Taukolo

Coordinating Crisis Director, I'll Believe in Anything: The 'Game Changers' vs. A ‘Heated Rivalry’, 2017

crisis@hnmun.org

Coordinating Crisis Director’s Letter, I'll Believe in Anything: A ‘Heated Rivalry’, 2017

Dearest Delegates,

I am so honored and excited to welcome you to the Heated Rivalry committee for Harvard National Model United Nations’s 73rd National United Nations Conference.

To introduce myself, my name is Morgan Gibson, and I am a sophomore at Harvard University concentrating in Government. I am originally from Lexington, Massachusetts, but at Harvard, I live in Currier House. On campus, I compete on the Intercollegiate Model United Nations Team (where I may already know some of you!). Outside of MUN, I am also a member of the Army ROTC program, the Varsity Women’s Rugby Team, and serve as Secretary of the Association of Black Harvard Women. In my free time, I love exploring new places around Boston, reading, and watching Broadway musicals.

As Crisis Director, I hope to make this committee dynamic, creative, and fun for all delegates, and with a topic as exciting as this one, that should not be too difficult. I cannot wait to see how you all respond to crisis updates while also advancing your own personal agendas in committee. One of my favorite parts of crisis is watching delegates fully embrace the format's creativity to build unique and memorable arcs. Most importantly, though, I want to ensure that everyone has an amazing experience this weekend, and I truly cannot wait to meet all of you.

Best,

Morgan Gibson

Crisis Director, I'll Believe in Anything: A ‘Heated Rivalry’, 2017

crisis@hnmun.org