Skip to content

The Awards & Recognition Committee of the U.S. Council of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM-USA) has selected the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, IAEM Student Chapter, as the IAEM-USA 2025 Student Chapter Award recipient. The award will be presented at the 73rd IAEM Annual Conference & EMEX in Louisville, Kentucky.

2025 IAEM-USA Student Chapter Award: Massachusetts Maritime Academy

This year’s Student Chapter of the Year Award is proudly presented to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) IAEM Student Chapter—a fully student-led organization that has distinguished itself through outstanding leadership, advocacy, community engagement, and professional development.

Among their most impressive accomplishments is participating in “Emergency Management Day on Beacon Hill,” where students were invited to the Massachusetts State House alongside professional emergency managers. There, they met directly with legislators to advocate for increased funding and support for emergency management at the state and local levels. Their thoughtful involvement and advocacy demonstrated a strong commitment not only to their academic program but also to the profession.

The chapter has also achieved significant growth in membership, doubling its numbers over the past year by welcoming and engaging incoming freshmen. Through active programming—including guest speakers, LinkedIn workshops, chapter movie nights, and peer support—they have built a strong, inclusive community of future emergency managers. Their emphasis on mentoring newer students is laying the groundwork for continued involvement in IAEM for years to come.

Besides campus activities, the MMA Student Chapter has developed strong relationships with various community partners. They have organized tours of key agencies such as the Providence Emergency Management Agency, the Hyannis Fire Department, and FEMA Region 1 offices. These experiences have given students a better understanding of real-world emergency management while also allowing them to show experienced professionals the value of their education and enthusiasm.

The chapter is also highly active in professional circles—maintaining social media platforms to highlight member achievements and chapter events, attending IAEM Region 1 meetings, and participating in national conferences. Last fall, they brought four students to the IAEM Annual Conference in Colorado and aim to double that number this year in Kentucky.

The MMA IAEM Student Chapter exemplifies the best of student engagement in emergency management: growing their own knowledge, uplifting one another, and stepping up to tackle both state-level and national issues facing the field today.

The IAEM-USA Student Chapter of the Year Award recognizes an IAEM-registered student chapter that has made significant contributions to promoting the IAEM and the field of emergency management through public awareness, increasing membership, showing leadership and initiative in education, and increasing the professionalism of emergency and disaster management.

For an official copy of this press release, please contact Dawn Shiley, CAE.

Scroll To Top