MPA students competed in the NASPAA Wildfire Simulation competition in San Francisco.

MPA students competed in the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) Wildfire Simulation competition in San Francisco. This year’s competition - which parallels the realities of public managers working together to solve the same problem - focused on wildfire threats. Students were split into teams. Each team member played a different role (town mayor, community coalition representative, environmental organization representative, etc.) that had conflicting interests with at least one other team member. Teams were tasked with creating the best wildfire mitigation plan for a fictitious town.

The competition was designed to emphasize that, in the real world, there is no one right answer. Therefore, the judges evaluated teams on their ability to compromise and provide sound explanations for their wildfire mitigation plans. This educational experience granted students the unique opportunity to network and collaborate with people from around the country; practice negotiation, compromise, and clear communication; and learn how to adapt to sudden and unexpected challenges. Best of all, students got to enjoy and explore the great city of San Francisco with their classmates!