Awards

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. ​

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

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; 

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

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: Honors an individual who has:: 

    • 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. ​

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.

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.

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.

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.