Baruch College Graduate Student Named a Regional Winner to Compete in Final Worldwide Student Simulation Competition

April 16, 2021

Master of International Affairs graduate student Amanda Copkov (’22) was able to overcome nervousness in her first-ever competition to secure a first place finish at the regional section of the 2021 NASPAA-Batten Student Simulation Competition, which featured more than 400 students from 120 universities in 30 countries. She now moves on to compete in the All-Star event, scheduled to take place on April 16.

Watch the Final Event: The Pandemic 2.0 Simulation Global All-Star Round will occur on Friday, April 16, at 7:00 p.m.

Copkov, who is in her second semester in the Master of International Affairs (MIA) program at Baruch College’s Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, collaborated with students from New York, Egypt, Germany, and Moscow to beat 19 other teams in the regional segment of the competition.

“Once we began playing the game, it was fun. It was interesting to be able to talk and collaborate with other students from all over the world,” Copkov said. “It was definitely an insightful experience to play the roles of the people in charge of making public policy for a country.”

Copkov’s win drew accolades from the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs.

“We’re so proud of what Amanda has been able to accomplish here,” said David Birdsell, PhD, Dean of the Marxe School. “Her regional victory has earned her a berth in the global competition among the very best teams in the world. Getting there required a sound understanding of the policy issues involved, and critically, the ability to work well with and amplify the efforts of her colleagues in addition to making her own contributions; something we pay a great deal of attention to in the Marxe School. I wish her well in the ‘All-Star’ final!”

The competition—a partnership between the University of Virginia Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy along with the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA)—connects public policy students worldwide through simulated gameplay where they work together in leadership roles to navigate difficult policy decisions and their outcomes. The purpose is for the teams to make regulatory policies that minimize the impact of a deadly infectious disease.

Carla Anne Robbins, director of the Marxe School’s MIA program, also praised Copkov for her remarkable achievement.

“We are so proud of our All Star Amanda Copkov,” Robbins added. “Working together to find global solutions is what the Marxe School and the Master of International Affairs Program is all about.”

First place team members each receive $100 and get to play in the Global All-Star Game on April 16 at 7:00 p.m. where the total prize pool is approximately $10,000.

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