2026 Health Messaging Student Competition: Promoting Social Justice and Behavior Change to Advance Public Health for All
The Lerner Center is hosting a health messaging competition and all MSPH students are invited to enter! The competition aims to highlight how health communications can be used as a powerful tool to change behavior, promote health and enhance social and environmental justice.
Students (1-4 students per submission) will be asked to create a health communication product (e.g. video, GIS mapping, data visualizations, social media posts, podcast, poster, etc) and campaign designed to promote social justice and/or behavior change that advances public health for all. To share campaign details, students will create nine slides that answer specific questions.
Finalists will be chosen using the following criteria: effective messaging, creativity/innovation, design/aesthetics, public health impact and relevance, the potential for dissemination, adherence to the project guidelines, and ability to promote healthy behaviors and/or enhance social justice.
Submissions are due on March 31st 2026 by 5pm. First, second and third place prizes will be awarded. 1st place team: $1000; 2nd place team: $750; 3rd place team: $500. Finalists will also be entered into a multi-school, “Lerner Centers Health Messaging Student Competition,” in which their submissions will be judged alongside finalist submissions from Syracuse University and Johns Hopkins University. Additional monetary prizes will be awarded to top winners.
Register by January 21st: Please email the name(s)/department(s) of your group members to Olivia Cull, ohc2103@cumc.columbia.edu.
