Aneliya Kassymova, a first-year Master of Public Policy student at the Graduate School of Public Policy (GSPP), led her team to first place in the prestigious international 2025 NASPAA Simulation Competition.
This year’s competition focused on pandemic crisis management. Participants assumed the roles of public officials and were tasked with making critical decisions in a rapidly changing environment, balancing economic growth, political stability, and public health.
Thanks to a clear strategic vision, strong teamwork, and effective leadership, Aneliya’s team — composed of students from various U.S. universities — outperformed many of the world’s top competitors. At the heart of their approach was the principle that no economic or political cost should outweigh the value of human life, a conviction that guided all of their policy decisions throughout the competition.
Aneliya played the role of Prime Minister in the simulation, coordinating the team’s actions and ensuring consistency, ethical integrity, and strategic coherence in all decision-making. Key initiatives included the formation of a regional alliance in response to international conflicts, providing vaccine support to neighboring countries, and allocating significant resources to the Global Health Fund.
“Participating in the NASPAA simulation competition was one of the most intellectually and emotionally enriching experiences of my academic journey,” said Kassymova. “It gave me the opportunity to apply the knowledge I gained at university in a realistic setting and to further develop key skills in leadership, negotiation, and ethical decision-making.”
The final stage of the competition challenged participants to draft a policy memo and prepare a presentation — all within just 75 minutes — testing their flexibility, communication, and teamwork under pressure. Aneliya’s team excelled in the challenge, ultimately outperforming peers from leading institutions including NYU and Cornell.
