Health Messaging Student Competition

2026 Cross Lerner Center Student Competition

This year, the Lerner Center at Mailman School of Public Health had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with the Lerner Centers at Syracuse University, CU School of Nursing, NYU Langone and Johns Hopkins for a Cross-Lerner Center Student Health Messaging Competition. The top two finalists from Mailman, CU School of Nursing and Syracuse were eligible to submit their work in consideration for an additional prize. We are so excited to announce the winners of our Cross Lerner Competition for this inaugural year. 

First Place: 

Microbes & Me: An Educational Coloring Book by Megan A. Milligan, Lyric K. Tully, Antonia L. Hamilton, and Alexa G. Deyo 
Syracuse University College of Arts and Sceinces, Child Health Lab

Product: Coloring Book 

Second Place: 

Swipe Right for the Right Method: A Digital Platform to Combat Birth Control Misinformation by Nancy Nguyen and Michelle Dai
Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health

Product: App

Third Place: 

From Silence to Support: A Multilingual Approach to Postpartum Mental Health by Ran L. Cortright & Hana Peterman
Columbia University School of Nursing

Product: Mental Health Check Tool

Congratulations to our 2026 Health Messaging Student Competition winners!

The Lerner Center is excited to announce the winners of our 5th annual Health Messaging Student Competition! This year, we received 25 incredible submissions. We hosted this year's award ceremony on April 24th, where the top three teams presented their work. Congratulations to all our student winners!

First Place: 

The "Policy as Medicine" (PaM) Web Hub: A Social Justice Resource for Clinicians Servicing Immigrant Populations in New York City  by Diego A. Quintana Licona, Emanuel Clemente, and Abhiyudh S. Rajput

Product: Web Hub

Second Place: 

Swipe Right for the Right Method: A Digital Platform to Combat Birth Control Misinformation by Nancy Nguyen and Michelle Dai

Product: App

Third Place: 

Cooling the Gap: Improving Access to Cooling Centers in NYC by Kaylee Park, Trisha Addagnati, and Hannah Farley

Product: App


Congratulations to our 2025 Health Messaging Student Competition winners!

The Lerner Center is excited to announce the winners of our 4th annual Health Messaging Student Competition! On April 24th, we hosted an Award Ceremony and our top three teams presented their projects to the Mailman community. Congratulations to our student winners!

First Place:

Nae Nhae Pasahahnunwut & Erynne Jackson 

Product: Children's Book

Second place:

Quit It: An interactive game answering questions, role-playing, and overcoming challenges related to quitting vaping and creating healthy habits  by Riva Chaudri

Product: Card game

Third place:

Combatting Misinformation by Devki Patel

Product: Posters

This year, we received 9 submissions from students within five different departments. Health communication products included: poster/fliers, social media posts, card game, short video, digital quiz, advocacy toolkit, ArcGIS StoryMap, children’s book, “pink cards,” website, peer education video, podcast and resource hub. We are so impressed with the student work. Thank you to our industry mentors, competition judges and student participants.


Congratulations to our 2024 Health Messaging Student Competition winners!

On April 12th, the Lerner Center announced the first, second and third place winners of the 2024 Health Messaging Student Competition. The three outstanding student teams then presented their health messaging materials to the Mailman community.  Congratulations to our student winners!

First place:

Health, Happiness and Life: A Guide for Expectant Black Mothers in NYC  by Jazmyne Bullock, Courtney George, Ugomma Korie & Megan Spinella

Product: Podcast

Second place:

Mapping Mutual Aid: Using GIS to Promote Health Equity in Buffalo, NY  by Kaiya John & Samina Rashiq

Product: Interactive map

Third place:

Desire Dialogues: A get to know you game for new sexual partners by Madison Moore

Product: Card game

This year, we received 13 submissions from students within five different departments. Health communication products included: documentary films, posters, magazine, e-book, card game, social media (FB, IG, TikTok), Zine, interactive map, fact sheet, podcast and short videos. We are so impressed with the student work. Thank you to our industry mentors, competition judges and student participants. 

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