Megan Di Giovanni, MPA '25, has won the 2024 Grand Challenges Memo competition put on by the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA). Her memo, "Classifying Extreme Heat as a Natural Disaster", won in the category of Ensuring Environmental Sustainability. The memo argues for amending the Stafford Act to classify extreme heat as a natural disaster in order for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to be authorized to provide aid and relief to affected communities.
Reflecting on her memo, Di Giovanni stated, "I am beyond grateful for the award and thankful for all the support I have received from SPP. This competition highlights the importance and responsibility we as SPP graduate students have to engage in real-world problems. I hope that my memo, along with the memos of the other winners, will be passed to the next presidential administration and provides them with necessary insight on the grand challenges of the world. "
Thad Miller, SPP Graduate Program Director, added, “In her winning memo, Megan has proposed a creative and compelling approach to address a pressing societal challenge – how can we leverage federal resources to support communities during and after extreme heat events? SPP is incredibly proud of Megan for this achievement and we are all looking forward to following her career as she puts her skills and commitment to work in public service.”
To read Di Giovanni's winning memo and learn more about the NAPA Grand Challenges Memo competition, visit their site here (scroll to bottom).