With the end of another school year, here are results of the ICMA Student Chapter Best Event Contest. Through this annual contest, ICMA shows its support for ICMA student members and all the work they do to engage students who aspire to join the local government profession. Each year, the Best Chapter Event Contest awards a select few ICMA Student Chapters with travel funds to attend the ICMA Annual Conference. Chapters present their most successful event to members of the ICMA Executive Board, highlighting topic, involvement, and impact, with a special focus on innovation this year. This year's winners are the University of Delaware, University of West Georgia, and North Carolina Central University.

North Carolina Central University won the ICMA Student Chapter Best Event Contest for their Red Table Talk: MPA Edition panel. The panel discussion allowed students to learn about leadership roles in the community and leadership transparency in the workplace. The chapter officers collaborated with an understanding of cultural competency and intersectionality to curate an event that provided a roundtable discussion with local city leaders and students. The guest list included:

• Wanda Page, city manager, Durham
• Dr. Nathan Boucher, associate research professor, Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University
• Britany Waddell, director of planning, AICP, CZO, Chapel Hill
• Dr. Germaine Brewington, internal audit director, Durham, and adjunct professor, Department of Public Administration, EMPA, North Carolina Central University

The discussion between the students and the leaders prompted deliberation on cultural comprehension and intersectionality in the workplace. The leaders communicated examples of challenges and positive outcomes of servant leadership. For instance, workforce equity is a challenging matter that minorities experience today. One panelist discussed empathy and deliberated an approach of leadership that makes employees feel included, which gives staff a sense of belonging.

The panel, Red Table Talk: MPA Edition, was a creative way to bring together local leaders in public service and current students in higher education. The event demonstrated an understanding of cultural competence and intersectionality of minority students at universities. The knowledge and understanding of how leadership correlates to public service is significant to the growth and advancement of North Carolina Central University graduate students.  

The University of Delaware (UD) won the ICMA Student Chapter Best Event Contest for their Hope for Housing in Delaware policy dinner. In recognition of Fair Housing Month, the University of Delaware's Biden Institute and the UD ICMA Student Chapter cohosted a policy dinner to discuss strategies to boost equal access to affordable housing for all Delawareans. The event was primarily planned by ICMA Student Chapter Co-President Meghan Lapointe (MPA '23) and member Chelsia Ivee Douglas, a UD public policy & administration doctoral student and Whittington Fellow with the Biden Institute. Panelists included:

• Jeanine Kleimo, chair, Dover Interfaith Mission for Housing
• Stephen Metraux, Ph.D., director, Center for Community Research & Service
• Matt Meyer, New Castle County Executive, and Eugene R. Young Jr., director, Delaware State Housing Authority

Safe, affordable, and quality housing; neighborhood and community building; and homelessness are bedrock issues for state and local governments nationwide and in Delaware. The discussion highlighted government entities and community organizations working collaboratively to develop innovative strategies to solve Delawareans' unique housing challenges.

Nearly 70 people attended the event, including ICMA Student Chapter members and leadership, UD students, Delaware local government leaders, and staff members from UD's Biden School of Public Policy & Administration and Biden Institute.

Students were able to network, learn about a complex public policy issue, ask questions, and engage with distinguished panelists.