Regent University Student Named Regional Winner of the 2021 NASPAA-Batten Student Simulation Competition

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (March 15, 2021) – The Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) and the University of Virginia Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy have announced the winners of the 2021 NASPAA-Batten Student Simulation Competition. Abigail Rouser, representing Regent University’s Robertson School of Government, was a member of the third place team in one of the assigned “virtual regions” of the competition.

“We’re so proud of this accomplishment by Ms. Rouser,” said Dr. Stephen Perry, Interim Senior Associate Dean in the Robertson School of Government. “It is a great experience for our students to work with others from multiple universities on solving national problems in a simulated setting. The fact that Ms. Rouser helped her team to achieve this strong finish is highly commendable.”

Perry also praised Asher Peck, who received an honorable mention as a member of the 4th place team in another “virtual region” of the competition. Both Peck and Rouser are pursuing master’s degrees in Government. Perry noted that last year, when the competition was held in person, Leah Roach was on the championship team in her region and that team took the global championship. “She helped prepare our students for what to expect on this year’s team,” Perry said.

This year, over 400 students from 120 universities in 30 countries took part in the NASPAA-Batten Student Simulation Competition. Participants competed virtually at one of the four virtual competitions hosted on February 27 and March 6, 2021. The competition—a partnership between the University of Virginia Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and NASPAA—annually connects public policy students from a vast network of universities worldwide through simulated gameplay. Developed by experts at the Batten School’s Center for Leadership Simulation and Gaming and backed by real-world data, the simulation places students in leadership roles within a time-sensitive, fast-paced environment where they must work together to minimize the impact of a deadly infectious disease.

“Simulation-based learning is incredibly valuable, as it applies theory to practice, and goes beyond conventional modes of learning,” said NASPAA Simulation Education Director Supriya Golas. “Through these simulations, students can take what they’ve learned in the classroom and apply it to simulated real-world experiences.”

100 participating teams were evaluated on simulation scores, teamwork, organization, policy decision making, and policy presentations. The four winning teams from each site will advance to the global “All Star” round in which a panel of prominent judges will identify the global winner.

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Founded in 1977, Regent University is America’s premier Christian university with more than 11,000 students studying on its 70-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and online around the world. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 150+ areas of study including business, communication and the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare, and psychology. Regent University, ranked among top national universities (U.S. News & World Report, 2020), is one of only 23 universities nationally to receive an “A” rating for its comprehensive liberal arts core curriculum.