Darshan Parikh

Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator, Chesterfield County

How are HSEP classes preparing you to lead?

I’d say the breadth of background that you receive in this program has really helped me to anticipate and better understand the needs of my clients and partners.

What is the best part of the HSEP program?

The learning platforms and course design are really unsurpassed in terms of sparking student engagement and discussion. Students in this particular program will find that the engagement and connection that you have with students—all of whom will be peers in your profession—is very high. Not a week goes by that I don’t talk with a few of the graduates from my program by text. It’s great to know that if I need a favor or to ask advice, I have people that I can talk to.

What professional and personal goals would you like to accomplish with your HSEP degree?

Certainly looking to progress into a coordinator or management role. The knowledge itself is super useful, but I think the program has been most useful in helping me to be able to make the business case for a particular rationale or additional resources.

If you were to recommend this program to a colleague, what would you say?

This program is excellent for students who want to [develop] a broad array of skills and connections. I would encourage prospective students to prioritize making connections with one another as highly as they prioritize good grades because fostering connections within emergency management is particularly important.