JSGS students win silver medal at second annual national public administration case study competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- February 14, 2013 2013-02-08-JSGS Saskatoon--The Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS) took home the silver medal at the Second Annual National Public Administration Case Study Competition held on February 8 in Kingston, ON. Endorsed by the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) and the Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA), and organized by Queen's University, the competition included ten teams of graduate students from policy schools across Canada.

By University Communications

Case study competitions emphasize the leadership and innovation needed to address the complex challenges faced by today's government. "This event is a great experiential learning opportunity," said Dan Perrins, Director of JSGS Outreach & Training and this year's team coach. "It provides students with the chance to showcase their analytical and presentation abilities in the context of a public administration challenge that deals with policy, delivery and communication - all core elements required of public servants advising decision makers."
This year's JSGS team was comprised of two students from each of the school's University of Saskatchewan and University of Regina campuses - Nicole Callihoo, David Cundall, Dominic French and Julene Restall. The students were given a fictional case and were asked to provide policy recommendations to a panel of senior leaders from various governments and institutions. This year's fictitious case study, "Canada made me do this — the tragic death of Nelly Traverse," focused on Aboriginal suicide, social and economic challenges of Aboriginal communities, national security, the power of social media within a policy context, and the impact of events on business and foreign affairs.
"The case competition experience was fantastic. Analyzing the case and developing the policy recommendations and the presentation was challenging, but definitely a rewarding experience for the team," said Nicole Callihoo. "As the case itself was complicated, selection of the issues was a difficult task. Applying the lessons learned in our classes and from coaches and professors was tremendously helpful."
The judging panel members included Janet Mason, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs; Robert Taylor, CEO IPAC; Toby Fyfe, Vice-President, Institute on Governance; and Howard Yeung, Senior Marketing Manager, Deloitte Canada.
The JSGS provides students with a full spectrum of public policy and administration education, from policy concepts and theory to hands-on practical application, and experiential learning opportunities that have a regional, national and international focus.
-30-
For more information, contact:
Erica Schindel, Communications and Marketing Specialist
Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy
(306) 966-2663
erica.schindel@usask.ca