Awards and Scholarships

Awards

• Joan Fiss Bishop Leadership Award

• Marcia P. Crowley Service to the Section Award

• Dr. Julia Juanita Henderson International Award

• Dr. Rita Mae Kelly Distinguished Research Award

• Outstanding Mentorship Award

• Best Dissertation/Thesis Award

• Rising Star Award

Created in 1985 to honor Joan Fiss Bishop - ASPA's women's movement founder and former National Council member who co-chaired the ASPA Women's Caucus in Denver, Colorado (April 1971) and chaired ASPA's Task Force on the Status of Women in Public Administration (1971-1973) - one of the first created by a professional association. The Task Force gave rise to the ASPA National Committee on Women in Public Administration (1973-1982), and subsequently the Section for Women in Public Administration (SWPA) was established in 1982. Fiss Bishop is believed to be the first person to serve as career services director at four different colleges and universities, including Emmanuel College, Radcliffe College, Wellesley College, and Harvard Graduate School of Design. 

Award Criteria

• Promoted increased participation of women in the public administration profession;

• Exhibited defined contribution to increased involvement in the public sector;

• Demonstrated innovative leadership and accomplished professionalism in their own public sector career; 

• Made a commitment to the public administration profession through membership in ASPA. ​

• Honoree must be a current SWPA member in good standing.

Nomination Guidelines

• Self-nominations are welcome.

• Documents required for consideration include:

  • Coming soon!

Originally created in 1991 to honor Julia Henderson, the award was rededicated in 2007 to honor Marcy Crowley - long-time Wayland, Massachusetts selectman (24 years), former ASPA National president (1995-1996) and long-time SWPA historian and board member. 

Award Criteria

• Outstanding service to the Section for Women in Public Administration (SWPA); 

• Service to the Section for several years; 

• A demonstrated impact on the work of the Section; 

• Honoree must be a current SWPA member in good standing.

Nomination Guidelines

• Self-nominations are welcome.

• Documents required for consideration include:

  • Coming soon!

Created in 2007 to honor Dr. Julia J. Henderson - the ASPA charter and National Council member who served as Secretary General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (1971-1978) and as a United Nations senior administrator (1945-1970). Henderson is believed to be the first woman fellow elected to the National Academy of Public Administration (1968). 

Award Criteria

• Demonstrated commitment to international public administration; 

• Demonstrated commitment to international public service in general; or 

• Demonstrated commitment to careers in international public administration and public service

• Honoree does not have to be an ASPA or Section member. 

Nomination Guidelines

• Self-nominations are welcome.

• Documents required for consideration include:

  • Coming soon!

Created in 1991 to honor Dr. Rita Mae Kelly - renowned scholar and women's rights leader, who founded the Center for Empowerment and Global-Local Equity (1996), served as dean of School of Social Sciences (1996-2001) and held the Distinguished Chair in Applied Ethics at the University of Texas-Dallas. She received the Section's first Distinguished Research Award.

Award Criteria

• Contributed outstanding research on gender related issues; 

• Performed research on an issue significant to the role of women in public administration; 

• Made an impact through that research on women's lives.

• Honoree does not have to be an ASPA or Section member.

Nomination Guidelines

• Self-nominations are welcome.

• Documents required for consideration include:

  • Coming soon!

Honors an individual, who by example and action, has provided outstanding service and mentorship to women and/or graduate students in public administration and/or academia.

Award Criteria

• Must demonstrate mentorship to women and/or graduate students in public administration.

• Honoree does not have to be an ASPA or Section member.

Nomination Guidelines

• Self-nominations are welcome.

• Documents required for consideration include:

  • Coming soon!

Honors an individual who is in the process of completing or completed within the last two years a master thesis or doctoral dissertation related to gender and/or public administration. 

Award Criteria

• Must have completed thesis or dissertation in past two years.

• Thesis or dissertation topic must be related to gender and/or public administration.

• Honoree does not have to be an ASPA or Section member.

Nomination Guidelines

• Self-nominations are welcome.

• Documents required for consideration include:

  • Coming soon!

Honors an individual early in their academic or professional public service career (less than 5 years) who has demonstrated outstanding potential, growth, and commitment to advancing the field of public administration and public service. 

Award Criteria

• Must be new to the public administration or academic profession (less than 5 years).

• Honoree does not have to be an ASPA or Section member.

Nomination Guidelines

• Self-nominations are welcome.

• Documents required for consideration include:

  • Coming soon!

The Section for Women in Public Administration annually awards a $500.00 scholarship to a deserving Master's student to help defray the costs associated with attending the ASPA national conference.

Please note: scholarships are only distributed via PayPal. No other payment option will be available. Recipients will be required to provide their PayPal information to SWPA to receive the funds.

Students may apply for any of the student scholarships they are eligible for, including the international student scholarship, but can only be awarded one.

Eligibility Criteria

• Must be a student enrolled in a Master’s degree program in Public Administration/Public Policy/Public Affairs or a closely related field.

• Must be a member of ASPA. (If not already a member of SWPA, willing to become a member of SWPA.)

• Willing to serve on the SWPA Board for one (1) year as a past scholarship awardee.

Nomination Guidelines

• Self-nominations are welcome.

• Documents required for consideration include:

  • Cover letter

  • CV/Resume

  • Letter of Recommendation

The Section for Women in Public Administration annually awards a $500.00 scholarship to a deserving doctoral student to help defray the costs associated with attending the ASPA national conference.

Please note: scholarships are only distributed via PayPal. No other payment option will be available. Recipients will be required to provide their PayPal information to SWPA to receive the funds.

Students may apply for any of the student scholarships they are eligible for, including the international student scholarship, but can only be awarded one.

Eligibility Criteria

• Must be a student enrolled in a Ph.D. degree program in Public Administration/Public Policy/Public Affairs or a closely related field.

• Must be a member of ASPA. (If not already a member of SWPA, willing to become a member of SWPA.)

• Willing to serve on the SWPA Board for one (1) year as a past scholarship awardee.

Nomination Guidelines

• Self-nominations are welcome.

• Documents required for consideration include:

  • Cover letter

  • CV/Resume

  • Letter of Recommendation

The Section for Women in Public Administration annually awards a $500.00 scholarship to a deserving practitioner to help defray the costs associated with attending the ASPA national conference.

Please note: scholarships are only distributed via PayPal. No other payment option will be available. Recipients will be required to provide their PayPal information to SWPA to receive the funds.

Eligibility Criteria

• Must be a full-time practitioner in Public Administration/Public Policy/Public Affairs or a closely related field.

• Must be a member of ASPA. (If not already a member of SWPA, willing to become a member of SWPA.)

• Willing to serve on the SWPA Board for one (1) year as a past scholarship awardee.

Nomination Guidelines

• Self-nominations are welcome.

• Documents required for consideration include:

  • Cover letter

  • CV/Resume

  • Letter of Recommendation

The Dr. Gina Scutelnicu Todoran International Student Award which provides financial support to international scholars pursuing a doctoral or graduate degree in public administration or a related discipline.

Please note: scholarships are only distributed via PayPal. No other payment option will be available. Recipients will be required to provide their PayPal information to SWPA to receive the funds.

Students may apply for any of the student scholarships they are eligible for, including the international student scholarship, but can only be awarded one.

Eligibility Criteria

• Must be a member of ASPA. (If not already a member of SWPA, willing to become a member of SWPA.)

• International students who are studying in the U.S. (those who are on a student visa - e.g. F1 or J1 visa).

• Pursuing a graduate or doctoral degree in public administration, affairs, policy or related field.

• Willing to serve on the SWPA Board for one (1) year as a past scholarship awardee.

Nomination Process

• Submit using the button above. Self-nominations are welcome.

• Documents required include (must be one PDF file):

  • Nomination/Recommendation statement (300 words or less)

  • CV/Resume

  • Signed letter of nomination/recommendation from relevant faculty, supervisor/manager, or ASPA chapter or section officer.

  • ASPA conference proposal acceptance (if applicable)

  • Proof of enrollment in a graduate degree program (if applicable)

  • Proof of international student status (I-20/DS-2019, if applicable)