ACMA has developed the following awards and scholarships to ensure that members are recognized for outstanding service and have the opportunity to challenge themselves by participating in an international professional development program. The ACMA Board and membership is also very active in recruiting students in the field of local government management. This commitment is reflected in some of the scholarships ACMA offers.
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Marvin A. Andrews Scholarship/Internship
The Andrews Scholarship was initiated in 1990 in honor of the dedicated years of service by Marvin Andrews, former City Manager of Phoenix, to local government in Arizona. The Andrews Scholarship is sponsored by ACMA and is designed to honor and financially assist Arizona students in public administration, public policy or undergrad students working toward their Masters of Public Administration degree who aspire to a career in local government management. A scholarship is awarded to a full-time student attending either Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, University of Arizona or Grand Canyon University who has exhibited strong academic achievement.
In addition to the monetary award, the Andrews Scholarship recipient will be given the opportunity for a paid internship stipend of $6,000 with a participating Arizona city, town, or county. The purpose of the internship is to provide the scholarship recipient with professional experience and training in an Arizona city or town with a population of less than 50,000 or a county with a population of less than 200,000. This paid summer internship is provided through ACMA Scholarship funds and matching funds from the city, town, or county providing the internship. Details for host applicants can be found here. The Andrews Scholarship recipient will also be awarded a complimentary year of ACMA Student Membership.
Scholarship Criteria
Who may apply?
Masters of Public Administration and Masters of Public Policy Students as well as undergraduates in political science, planning, sustainability programs and the universities’ honors colleges at Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, the University of Arizona, and Grand Canyon University are eligible to apply for the ACMA scholarships. Master students must be enrolled in a graduate program or have completed their first semester. Undergraduate students must have completed at least 72 hours by December. Those completing the fall semester in time to graduate are also eligible.
Students not selected as the recipient will have the opportunity to interview with hosts that are not selected by the scholarship recipient. If this opportunity is available, students that applied and interviewed for the internship will be notified in March.
How are the scholarships to be used?
The scholarships are intended to assist promising undergraduate/graduate students or recent graduates with funding to continue their studies or job search.
What qualities does an ACMA Scholarship recipient possess?
ACMA scholarship recipients demonstrate a strong commitment to pursuing a career in public administration at the local level in Arizona, a willingness to accept the challenges of a vigorous academic program, and a desire to succeed in their professional and/or personal endeavors.
Internship
The selected Andrews Scholarship recipient will have the opportunity to interview prospective cities, towns and counties that have submitted an application to hose the Andrews intern. The recipient must be able to accept a paid summer internship in 2019. Depending on the location, the recipient must be able to travel.
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The Harvard Senior Executive Scholarship
ACMA will offer two full scholarships to this year to ACMA full and associate members for the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. This intensive, interactive program is designed to help participants learn innovative ways of management the real-world challenges and crises of government. Participants will develop new conceptual frameworks to address policy issues, explore the interrelationship between citizens and government, examine the ethical and professional responsibilities of leadership, and exchange ideas with faculty and participants from diverse backgrounds.
There are two program sessions available, June 3 – June 21, 2019 and July 8 – July 26, 2019. Selected recipients can choose either program dates. All scholarships offered to ACMA full and associate members will cover the full costs the program fee (tuition, housing, curricular materials, and most meals). In order to be considered for the two scholarships offered to ACMA members, please return your completed application to ACMA, Attention: Emily Webb, 1820 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ, 85007 or info@azmanagement.org.
Applications must be received by ACMA on or before Tuesday, March 19 (disregard the April deadline on the Harvard website if you are applying for the ACMA scholarship). Please do NOT send your application directly to Harvard, or it will not be considered for scholarship funds. Applications will be reviewed by the ACMA selection committee and selected applications will be forwarded to Harvard University. Applicants will be notified in late March if their applications have been forwarded to Harvard as ACMA scholarship candidates.
To access applications and recommendation forms directly, please click on the following links.
Click here for a program overview
Click here to view a brochure about the Harvard Scholarship
Click here to download a program application form
Click here to download a program recommendation form
ACMA Harvard Program Graduates:
2018
Matt Busby, Assistant City Manager, City of Apache Junction
Natalie Lewis, Deputy City Manager, City of Mesa2017
Gina Montes, Assistant City Manager, City of Avondale
Bryan Layton, Assistant County Manager, Navajo County2016
Justin Clifton, City Manager, City of Sedona
Jeff Tyne, Deputy City Manager, City of Peoria2015
Wynette Reed, Deputy City Manager, City of Goodyear
Mike Townsend, Deputy County Manager, Coconino County2014
John Kross, Town Manager, Town of Queen Creek
Robert Pickels, County Administrator, Yuma County2013
Charlie Cassens, City Manager, City of Lake Havasu City
Karolyn Kent, Deputy City Manager, City of Mesa2012
Andrew Bertelsen, Assistant County Manager, Coconino County
Dana Hlavac, Former Deputy County Manager, Mohave County
Susan Thorpe, Former Deputy City Manager, City of Peoria2011
Julie Ayers, County Administrator, Yavapai County
Jim Thompson, City Manager, City of Casa Grande
Jerene Watson, Deputy City Manager, City of Flagstaff2010
Shane Dille, City Manager, City of Nogales
Mary Jacobs, Assistant City Manager, City of Sierra Vista2009
Gilbert Davidson, Town Manager, Town of Marana
Kelly Udall, Town Manager, Town of Sahuarita
