NEXT GENERATION
Innovating Student Engagement How ICMA Student Chapters prevailed in a virtual world
BY REBECCA DESANTIS
For university students around the world, it was a tough year. Students
used to the traditional in-person educational setting were forced by the COVID-19 pandemic to continue their learning from behind a screen. Programming and events were moved to video conference platforms, and opportunities for engagement were moved online. Our ICMA Student Chapter members worked hard this past year to find new ways to engage from their virtual school environments. They were creative and innovative in using their resources to plan events, programs, and activities that engaged fellow students interested in the local government profession. This year, the theme of ICMA’s Annual Best Chapter Event Contest was innovating student engagement in a virtual world. Chapters presented their most successful and creative event of the year to members of the ICMA Executive Board, highlighting the event’s topic, involvement, and impact. With this annual contest, ICMA shows its support for student members and all the work they do throughout the year to engage students who aspire to join the local government profession. Our winners—Grand Valley State University, Central
Michigan University, University of Arizona, and University of Georgia—are a true testament to resiliency and creativity when barriers are present. These chapters found new ways to engage virtually and still create dynamic experiences for their student members and campus community. Grand Valley State University and Central Michigan University
Winning Event: Joint Virtual Conference, “Michigan Emerging Leaders Student Local Government Conference” This was the first time these chapters came together to create an event of this size, with over 100 participants. The goal of the conference was to provide students and emerging local government leaders with meaningful professional development and networking opportunities by bringing them together with current local government leaders at different
REBECCA DESANTIS is a program manager of career and equity advancement, ICMA (rdesantis@icma.org).
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University of Georgia
