SPAA Hosts 2026 NASPAA Student Simulation Competition
Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) served as a host site for the 2026 NASPAA Student Simulation Competition, bringing together Master of Public Administration (MPA) students from programs across the United States and abroad for a day of collaborative problem-solving focused on wildfire mitigation.
Assistant Professor Dr. Ricardo Bello-Gomez served as the site leader for Rutgers SPAA, coordinating the virtual participation of 18 MPA students who worked in teams to analyze complex policy challenges, develop strategic responses, and present their recommendations in a simulated public management environment.
The competition also benefited from the participation of three experienced public safety professionals who volunteered their time as judges and provided valuable practitioner insight throughout the exercise:
- Dr. James Davy, Distinguished Practitioner in Residence, Rutgers SPAA
- Gerald Arminio, Emergency Management Coordinator and Sergeant, Marlboro Township Police Department
- Gerard Long, Deputy Fire Chief for the City of Orange and Rutgers SPAA MPA alumnus
Four SPAA MPA students also took part in the simulation through teams hosted at other participating universities: Jodi Murphy, George Zapata, Kawanda Gupton, and Jill Segulin.
The NASPAA Simulation Competition provides students with an opportunity to apply the analytical, leadership, and collaborative skills developed in their MPA programs to real-world policy scenarios.
"Events like this reinforce SPAA’s commitment to preparing future public service leaders who can navigate complex challenges and work across organizations and communities to develop effective solutions," said Dr. Bello-Gomez.
"We thank the students, judges, and partner institutions who contributed to making this year’s competition a success," he added.