Case study winners share how the competition prepares students for public health careers

Three George Mason University interdisciplinary teams placed in the 2026 National Case Study Competition in Health Education. Students share what they learned from the experience and why they recommend it to others.

Three George Mason University interdisciplinary teams placed in the 2026 National Case Study Competition in Health Education. Students say the experience strengthened their public health skills, expanded their professional networks, and reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration.

Through the competition, students gained hands-on experience in public health program planning, built confidence in addressing complex health challenges, and learned how professionals from different disciplines work together to develop effective solutions. Three College of Public Health teams earned national recognition, including two gold awards and one bronze. Graduate teams Manisha Jagdesh Leemani, and Isela Caballero and Jessica Hively and Ananya Edupuganti each earned gold awards, while undergraduate students Michael Kaleem and Ava Parker earned bronze. Associate Professor in the Department of Global and Community Health Michelle Williams advised all three teams.

The annual competition challenges undergraduate and graduate students to develop evidence-based solutions to real-world public health problems. This year's participants were tasked with designing culturally responsive mental health interventions for youth and their families.

"This is a unique opportunity for a nursing student [to be able to participate in a public health case competition] due to the nursing school's location within the College of Public Health. As an undergraduate and master's student at a different university, I was not aware of similar opportunities and have found it to be a really valuable learning experience," said Hively, who is working on a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) and graduate certificate in public health.

All of the participants described the competition as both challenging and rewarding. Their experiences highlighted three key takeaways: gaining real-world intervention planning experience, building professional skills and confidence, and learning the value of interdisciplinary collaboration.

What did students gain from participating in the case competition?

Real-world intervention planning experience

Beyond designing interventions, participants said the competition helped them develop practical workplace skills that will benefit them throughout their careers.

"I thought that this would be an incredible opportunity to gain skills necessary for successful public health program planning, it would open doors to network with like-minded faculty and students, and I could contribute to something that I am passionate about. I knew that this experience was going to be so much fun, and I was right: This was amazing!" said student Ava Parker, who is working on a bachelor's degree in community health.

The undergraduate team explored how district-wide partnerships with local schools and community organizations in Portland, Oregon, could support culturally relevant mental health awareness, early intervention, and peer support programs to better serve students.

"I saw it as an opportunity to gain hands-on experience while working alongside another graduate student. It ended up being one of the most rewarding experiences of my graduate program and reinforced my passion for public health," said Caballero, a MPH student.

Building skills and confidence

"This case competition was incredibly helpful in building skills and confidence needed to create targeted public health programs. I learned how to effectively and efficiently work as a team, where each person is able to contribute their own sets of skills to find solutions to public health problems," said Parker, who would like to pursue a career in infectious disease surveillance at the local, state, or federal level.

"I learned that program implementation takes time and careful planning. Additionally, you have to be as realistic as possible and think a lot about the what ifs because there could be a lot of holes poked in your methodology if you do not think about these things," said Honors College student Michael Kaleem, who has completed a BS in Community Health and also pursuing an accelerated master's in public health.

"This case competition was much more public health-focused, which challenged me to rethink how I approached problems as an administrator. I had to look beyond financial sustainability and operational considerations and think more deeply about community impact, health equity, and population health outcomes. It was a great opportunity to challenge myself, learn from a different perspective, and grow both personally and professionally," said Ananya Edupuganti, Master of Health Administration '26.

The graduate teams developed a culturally responsive mental health intervention that partnered with a local Native American organization to deliver CBT-based programming for youth and their caregivers.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Perhaps the most significant takeaway was learning how professionals from different disciplines can work together to address complex public health challenges. Case competitions provide students the opportunity to work with students and faculty in other disciplines they may not interact with in their classes. Interdisciplinary collaboration is key to public health.

"I participated in the case competition because I was interested in the opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary team. I am an MSN to DNP and graduate certificate in public health student, and Ananya was a Master of Health Administration student. These types of interdisciplinary opportunities mimic the 'real-world' public health and health care environments and are great opportunities for learning," said Hively.

"The most valuable lesson I learned was how much we can learn from people with different backgrounds and experiences. Our collaboration reminded me that the strongest solutions are rarely developed in isolation; they come from bringing together different areas of expertise, listening to one another, and working toward a shared goal. That experience is something I will carry with me throughout my career in health care," said Edupuganti, who recently accepted a position with UF Health Shands Hospital in health care operations and analytics.

Advice for students considering participating in a case competition

"Go for it, even if it's your first one. It's a great opportunity to step outside your comfort zone and apply what you've learned to real-world challenges. Don't worry about having all the answers. Focus on learning from the experience, trust your teammates, and enjoy the process," said Caballero.

Students say the experience offers an invaluable opportunity to apply classroom learning to real-world public health challenges, collaborate across disciplines, and build skills that translate directly to future careers.