The SCAG Student Showcase challenges students to create posters and StoryMaps that innovatively and meaningfully tell a story, provide insight, showcase plans and projects, engage stakeholders, and illustrate possibilities of open data at the regional level. Winners of the Student Showcase competition receive cash prizes.
Competition finalists will be invited to attend SCAG’s Regional Conference and General Assembly as conference fellows and will receive complimentary event registration, hotel accommodation, and admission to the conference in Palm Desert on May 1-2, 2025. At the Regional Conference and General Assembly, conference fellows will present their posters and StoryMaps to elected officials and industry leaders from across Southern California.
A panel of judges will select one poster and one StoryMap for the “Best in Show” award. Conference attendees will vote for their favorite poster and StoryMap to be recognized with an “Audience Award.” All four awards, each worth $1,500, will be announced at the end of the conference.
A total of $6,000 will be awarded across four prizes.
COMPETITION DATES
The following due dates are applicable for both the Poster Challenge and the StoryMap Challenge.
- Application Opens: Jan. 30, 2025
- Final Projects Due: March 13, 2025, at 10 a.m.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Sustainability – Promotes sustainable practices such as emission reductions, land use and transportation integration, natural resource conservation, active transportation, energy efficiency, and housing.
Innovation – Introduces a new concept or challenges and improves current planning processes.
Transferability – Includes strategies and concepts that can be applied to different locations or programs.
Feasibility – Has realistic potential to be implemented.
Presentation – Demonstrates excellent writing, visualization, and overall organization.
Eligible submittals include any applied projects or research. Students can submit a topic area for both the poster and StoryMap competition.
For guidelines and additional information, please visit the SCAG website.