Please review the Virtual Information Session for the 2025 Challenge below.
Emergency management is an ever-changing field. No two disasters are alike, and the steps needed to prepare for and respond to them are equally as fluid. Fresh perspectives and innovative ideas are a necessity in creating a safer, more resilient future for our communities. That is why the New Jersey Emergency Preparedness Association is proud to host our Higher Education Challenge—an invitation for our up-and-coming emergency managers to present their insights and solutions into the changing climate of emergency management.
Submissions for the 2026 Conference will begin in the Fall of 2025.
Check back for more information, it will be posted as it becomes available.
Thank you to our 2025 Higher Education Challenge Sponsor EM Partners!!
As a leading emergency management consulting firm, they build strong partnerships through empowerment, knowledge, and trust in delivering full spectrum emergency management services.
They work with local, state, federal and private clients in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.
Prizes
Under development
Prizes will be awarded to the individual/team members who best presents a clearly defined topic.
The presentation that excels in the scoring criteria will receive:
- Winner recognition photo
- A monetary award..
Timeline
Under development
Challenge Details
Overview
2026 Challenge details are underdevelopment.
Students who are enrolled in an undergraduate or Master's program from a qualifying higher education institution (i.e. any school with an Emergency Management, Homeland Security or any Public Safety program, degree, or certificate), as well as recent graduates from undergraduate programs (within six (6) months of competition registration), are invited to submit an online application to enter the Higher Education Challenge. As part of the application process, applicants will give a brief description of their chosen topic and any relevant key points. Topics can be taken from past assignments they've completed during their higher education coursework or can be newly developed for this challenge. Applicants can apply individually or in groups of up to 3 people.
Topic Selection
Topics can cover any pertinent field in any phase of Emergency Management: Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, or Recovery. Potential themes may include threats & solutions in the field; analysis of disasters (i.e., response & recovery); analysis of systems & processes; emerging technology & techniques; etc. Fields may include any of the following disciplines: Emergency Management, Homeland Security, Public Safety, Public Health, Planning, Physical and Natural Sciences, Technology Development, Alert and Warning, Communications, Public Information, Sociology, Human Behavior, Economics, Public Administration, etc.
Criteria/Scoring
The above rubric identifies the scoring criteria that will be used by the judges in evaluating presentations at the NJEPA Conference. The final score will be used to determine the most successful team of the Challenge.
Competition Registration
You can submit your proposal by clicking on the "My Submissions" tab in the top left tool bar and then "add new". Registration is open TBD.
To register you will need the following:
- The name(s) of the individual(s) in your group with contact information
- Your higher education institute affiliation
- The major(s) of the group member(s)
- Short title (max. 100 characters) and summary of your presentation (100-500 words)
- A describtion of your proposal. (100 word minimum, 500 word maximum)
The NJEPA team will review your submission and notify you of acceptance of the proposal on a rolling basis. If your submission does not meet the challenge requirements, the group member(s) will be notified and provided the opportunity to update their submission before the registration deadline. Be sure to register early to allow time for updates, if needed.
Note: All selected presenters will be required to register for the conference to be eligible to participate. Any questions regarding the challenge can be submitted to HigherED@njepa.org.
Presentation
The Higher Education Challenge will take place on April 8, 2025. Presentations should be between 10-15 minutes in length. Judges will be scoring presentations based off of the provided presentation rubric. The best presentations will be ones that clearly articulate the topic, keep the audience engaged, and make good use of any audio/visual aids. Special attention will be given to topics and presentations where students can successfully articulate their own insights and proposed solutions for the issue(s) they've identified in emergency management.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who is eligible for the Challenge?
A: The Challenge is open to students who are enrolled in an undergraduate or Master's program and can attend the NJEPA Conference in-person to present. Students who have graduated within the last 6 months from undergraduate programs are eligible to participate. Proof of enrollment or graduation date required and can be demonstrated by sending the Higher Ed Team a copy of transcripts or student ID.
Q: When will participants need to register for the conference?
A: Participants must be registered for the conference to take part in the Challenge.
Note: Your registration will allow you to attend any of the Training (pre-registration is required) and Breakout Sessions you are interested in, as well as take advantage of the breakfasts, breaks, Vendor Reception and Conference Luncheon. If your school is interested in paying as a group, contact HigherEd@NJEPA.org for more information.
Q: Will there be separate judging categories for graduate and under-graduate students?
A: Graduate and undergraduate students will be judged together for this year’s Challenge. Splitting of graduate vs. under-graduate may be evaluated for Challenges in future years.
Q: We are considering building our team from several disciplines; can we do that?
A: Absolutely. Looking for answers to the issues arising in emergency management and public safety requires, in many cases, bringing together several disciplines to find the best solution(s). This kind of collaboration is encouraged in our profession. However, the team size cannot go above the maximum of three team members.
Q: Can a school enter more than one team?
A: Yes. The profession of emergency management requires multiple disciplines to problem solve and best protect the people we serve. We hope to see a wide variety of topics presented as part of the Challenge, so we encourage schools to send as many teams, with as many solutions as they can.
Q: Is there a limit to the number of submissions from one institution?
A:No. Students can only submit once, but multiple students from the same institution can submit.
Q: What are the restrictions on the presentation format?
A: You may use any format that is compatible with PowerPoint. No standard PowerPoint template is required to be used. Participants are expected to adhere to the overall time length of 10-15 minutes per presentation.
Q: Should the schools review the submission of the paper and presentation before it is submitted to NJEPA?
A: Yes. We encourage you to keep in contact with your sponsors, as you are representing your school; however, the solutions and paper should be the work of your team. In our profession, updating leadership and partners is routine for gathering input and staying focused, so this should become part of your project where possible.
Q: Will the proposal and presentation be reviewed by NJEPA before judging for integrity?
A: NJEPA expects all students to complete their proposal and presentation with integrity. Any concerns over integrity will be addressed by the NJEPA on a case-by-case basis.
Q: Who will be the judges?
A: Your proposals will be judged and selected for advancement by the NJEPA Higher Education Team. Your presentation will be judged by at least three experienced members of the emergency management community, including representatives from:
- The NJ Office of Emergency Management
- EM Partners
- NJ Emergency Preparedness Association
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