SPA Scholarships
Please note all qualifications may not be listed in the scholarship descriptions. The application deadline for 2009-2010 has passed.
Ann & Neil Kerwin PhD Fellowship
Bernard and Adele Rosen Scholarship for the Masters in Public Administration Program
Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies (CCPS) Endowment
Donald G. Zauderer Key Executive Scholarship
Dr. Bernard H. Ross Public Administration Scholarship Fund
Gill Family Foundation Scholarship
John D. Young Memorial Scholarship
Lois & George Schaefer Scholarship
Martha R. Leinbach Memorial Scholarship
MAXIMUS Charitable Foundation Public Service Scholarship
Monte and Marie Liang Scholarship
Morley Segal and Edith Whitfield Seashore Fellowship
Paul A., Paul H., and Isabella A. Clarke Scholarship
School of Public Affairs Griffin Scholarship
Amos Perlmutter Award honors the memory of Amos Perlmutter, who was a professor at AU from 1972 until his death in 2001. Professor Perlmutter was an expert in comparative politics and foreign affairs. During his career, Professor Perlmutter published fifteen books, was a member of the Israeli Defense Forces, an advisor to the Greek government, a member of the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission, and an author of a weekly column for The Washington Times. His contributions to American University and the world community enriched the field of comparative politics.
This endowed fund will support the following activities each year, pending available fund:
$500 will fund the Amos Perlmutter Award, given to a senior in the Department of Government each spring who has demonstrated exceptional academic performance in the field of comparative politics.
$1,000 will support costs associated with the Amos Perlmutter Memorial Lecture in partnership with the Council on Comparative Studies. This lecture will take place once each year and be managed by the Department of Government.
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Ann & Neil Kerwin PhD Fellowship
The Neil and Ann Kerwin Doctoral Fellowship will be awarded to a doctoral student in the School of Public Affairs who has reached the dissertation stage in her or his graduate studies. The award seeks to support dissertation research that is deemed by the SPA faculty and Dean to be of the highest quality and likely to lead to publication in a major peer reviewed journal or press. The award will be in the amount of $15,000 for one year.
Eligibility is limited to SPA doctoral students who: have successfully completed all comprehensive examinations; have an approved dissertation proposal; are dedicated to a career in university teaching; and will work on the dissertation on a full-time basis during the year of the award; have not received prior SPA funding for the dissertation.
Selection criteria: a superlative academic record as reflected in the student’s grades in course work and comprehensive examinations; the likelihood that the dissertation research will produce results worthy of publication in a major refereed journal in the field or university press book; the likelihood that the dissertation will be successfully completed within one year of the award.
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Bernard and Adele Rosen Scholarship for the Masters in Public Administration Program
The Bernard and Adele Rosen Scholarship for the Masters in Public Administration Program was both created by and named after Bernard Rosen, Distinguished Adjunct Professor in Residence Emeritus at the School of Public Affairs, and his beloved wife for over 60 years, the late Adele Rosen.
This year The Rosen Scholarship provides $5,000 to a full-time graduate student entering the two-year Masters in Public Administration program. Half of the scholarship will be awarded during the student's first year. The remaining $2,500 will be distributed in the student's second year, pending the successful completion of the first year. Awardees will be selected based on academic and leadership experiences, as well as their interest in applying knowledge and insights developed in the MPA program to a career in government service.
In addition to the Rosen’s generous financial gift to American University, Professor Rosen donated a comprehensive autobiography chronicling his career in the federal civil service and higher education. The autobiography is housed in AU’s archive library and is available to students and scholars. It provides an overview of his career in academia and in government, copies and excerpts of prominent papers and testimony delivered during his public service, and highlights of his life with Adele.
Bernard Rosen taught graduate courses in politics of administration, public personnel administration, public management, and ethics for public managers at American University's School of Public Affairs. Prior to this 25-year second career, which concluded in the spring of 2000, he was Executive Director of the United States Civil Service Commission, the central personnel management agency of the federal government. As a thirty-four year career official in the U.S. Government, he served in key positions in Washington, Cincinnati, Chicago, San Francisco, and overseas.
He and Adele Berman were married in 1942. They have two sons and three grandsons. Adele’s enormous contribution in research, editing, and typing is acknowledged in the major published writings of Professor Rosen.
Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies (CCPS) Endowment
The Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies Endowment supports selected students' costs for participating in CCPS programs or institutes. Approximately $2,500 will be allocated in variable increments by the Director of CCPS, pending available funds. For example, one student may receive the full $2,500 in one year, or five students can each receive $500. Note that the support allocated to any student account will replace a current financial need. The award will not necessarily be available as a cash reimbursement from student accounts, unless a credit remains on the system after all debts are paid.
The recipients of the awards will be selected on the basis of merit and financial need. Students must apply for this award each year by submitting a resume and a one to two page letter to the Director of CCPS. The letter should address academic and professional achievements and future aspirations, and it should detail financial need (income, scholarships, loans, expenses).
Donald G. Zauderer Key Executive Scholarship
Funded by donations from former students, family, friends and colleagues, the Donald G. Zauderer Key Executive Scholarship provides approximately $2,500 to partially support selected students’ costs associated with obtaining a MPA degree in the Key Executive program.
Applicants for the scholarship must be admitted into the Key Executive Program and not be receiving financial support from their employer. Applicants must submit an essay describing their major strengths and how their participation in the Key Executive Program will enhance their leadership potential and the public service (essay limited to 300 words). In addition to the essay, applicants must submit completed evaluation forms from three individuals (forms can be obtained from the Key Executive Program office). Application packets must be submitted to the Director of the Key Executive Program by July 15 each year. Recipients will be notified by August 15.
Dr. Donald G. Zauderer is Professor Emeritus of Public Administration at American University. While at American, Dr. Zauderer directed the Key Executive Program for emerging leaders in the public service. As an educational entrepreneur, he also developed graduate programs in Organization Development, Management Consulting, Human Resource Management, Public Financial Management, and the Management of Technology for the Mitre Corporation.
Upon retiring from American, Dr. Zauderer served as Senior Advisor at The Brookings Institution, where he directed a program entitled Mastering the Art of Public Leadership. This innovative and value based program focused on developing the next generation of public service leaders.
Dr. Zauderer received his PhD from Indiana University, with concentrations in Public Management, Public Policy Analysis, Organization Behavior, Political Science, and Economics.
For more information on the life and work of Dr. Zauderer, please visit http://www.dzauderer.com/.
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Dr. Bernard H. Ross Public Administration Scholarship Fund
The Dr. Bernard H. Ross Public Administration Scholarship Fund in recognition of Dr Ross’ thirty-eight years of scholarly service. This scholarship will recognize the important impact that Dr. Ross’ teaching, research and publication have had on the field of public administration and public policy and on graduate education at American University.
$2000 will be offered to an American University full or part-time student who is pursuing a MPA or MPP. The Ross Scholar must show strong academic achievement at the undergraduate level, a record of community service, and maintain a 3.2 GPA to renew the scholarship. By March 1 each year, Advisers in the Department of Public Administration and Graduate Admissions staff will nominate eligible students. The Dean will make his/her selection by March 15.
Dr. Ross has distinguished himself as a scholar and teacher in the areas of public policy and management. His most recent published works include Urban Politics (with Myron Levine) and How Washington Works: An Executive's Guide to Government (with Neil Kerwin and Lee Fritschler.) Additionally, Professor Ross published in journals such as Public Risk, Management Review, and The Urban Interest. Professor Ross is a National Academy of Public Administration Fellow, member of the American Society for Public Administration and a recipient of the School of Public Affairs' Award for Outstanding Teaching. Most noteworthy is Dr. Ross’ reputation with his current and former students. “Dr. Ross was my favorite professor during my college years”, one alumnus remarked, “and any success that I experienced was at least partially due to his influence in my life”.
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FedEx Scholarship
The FedEx scholarship embodies the company’s commitment to advance access to higher education, in particular for students facing economic challenges in financing their education. Two graduate and two undergraduate students will receive awards of $5,000 for the 2009-2010 academic year. FedEx Scholars will be selected based on their academic achievements, commitment to public service and financial need. Recipients will be selected by the Dean of the School of Public Affairs.
Gill Family Foundation Scholarship
The Gill Family Foundation Scholarship is a $2,000 financial award designated to a Ph.D. student whose dissertation is in the area of American Politics, Comparative Politics, Public Administration, or Policy Analysis, using quantitative methods. This scholarship is awarded each April.
The Gill Family Foundation was established in 1997 in Houston, Texas to further the Gill family’s interest in support of educational philanthropy. As a statement of philosophy, the Gill family has noted that “Education plays the critical role in providing opportunities for growth, development, success, lasting relationships, and satisfaction in life. We are committed to giving back to the system which provided us so much opportunity for success and financial independence."
Dr. Jefferson Gill received his Ph.D. at SPA in 1996 and is currently a professor of government at the University of California, Davis.
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Jane R. Glaser Scholarship
The Jane R. Glaser Scholarship Fund in the School of Public Affairs provides financial support to an undergraduate SPA student. Income from the fund (approximately $2,500) will be awarded annually to an undergraduate student for the purpose of spending at least one semester studying abroad in Israel at the Hebrew University PLC. Scholarships awarded by the fund will be applied solely to the cost of attending Hebrew University.
Patricia L. Glaser, BA/SPA'69, established this scholarship in honor of her mother, Jane R. Glaser. Ms. Glaser currently practices law as a partner with the law offices of Christensen, Miller, Fink, Jacobs, Glaser, Weil & Shapiro, LLP.
Click here for the Jane R. Glaser Scholarship PDF brochure.
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John D. Young Memorial Scholarship
The John D. Young Memorial Scholarship was established by the family of John D. Young after his death. John D. Young was described as a man who dedicated himself to outstanding public service with a 36 year career in government and over a decade of service to the department of Public Administration in SPA.
$2,500 will be distributed to the recipient, chosen by a committee of faculty members in the Department of Public Administration and Policy.
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Lois & George Schaefer Scholarship
George Schaefer (BA/SPA'72) and his wife, Lois Bedner Schaefer (BA/KSB'72), established the Lois and George Schaefer Scholarship in the School of Public Affairs in 2000. George and Lois made this financial commitment to the education of SPA undergraduates by endowing a scholarship that supports an eligible student each year with a $2,500 award. "Lois and I believe that it is important to give back to American University in recognition of all we received while attending. We fully support the development of the School's programs and its focus on being one of the nation's top public affairs schools that attracts top talent”, George said recently.
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Martha R. Leinbach Memorial Scholarship
The Martha R. Leinbach Scholarship, endowed in 2002, is awarded to a full-time undergraduate student in the School of Public Affairs. Pending available funds, $4,000 will be distributed to the selected student.
Martha R. Leinbach received her BS from SPA in 1951. The scholarship was established by the trustees of Ms. Leinbach’s estate.
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MAXIMUS Charitable Foundation Public Service Scholarship
Through the MAXIMUS Charitable Foundation Public Service Scholarship, SPA aims to provide unique educational opportunities for academically eligible, yet financially disadvantaged youth of the DC metro area.
The scholarship will be offered to a disadvantaged youth who is a resident of the Washington, D.C. metro area (including Washington, D.C., and cities within a 25 mile radius). Eligible applicants will express an interest in the study of public service and show high-school experience in community and civic volunteerism.
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Monte and Marie Liang Scholarship
The Monte and Marie Liang Scholarship is awarded to a junior or senior in the School of Public Affairs who serves in a position of leadership on the American University campus. It was established in 2007 by the generosity of Regina Liang Muehlhauser, SPA alumna and member of the American University Board of Trustees, and her husband, G. Robert Muehlhauser. The scholarship was created in memory of Mrs. Muehlhauser's parents, Monte and Marie Liang. This year, $1,000 will be awarded.
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Morley Segal and Edith Whitfield Seashore Fellowship
The Morley Segal and Edith Whitfield Seashore Fellowship Fund was developed in recognition and appreciation of AU/NTL founders, Morley Segal and Edith Seashore, to benefit students of the AU/NTL master’s program in organization development (MSOD). The fellowship fund provides scholarship support to its recipients and assists with costs related to educational expenses. The award is approximately $2,500 each year.
Click here for the Whitfield Seashore Fellowship PDF brochure.
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NOBLE Scholarship Fund
The Washington, D.C. Chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) supports an annual need-based scholarship in the School of Public Affairs. The student chosen to receive the $1,250 scholarship should be enrolled in a degree program in the Department of Justice, Law and Society and reside within the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Scholarship preference will be given to a minority student. The scholarship recipient must maintain satisfactory progress in his/her degree program and agree to perform two years of service in the field of law enforcement upon graduation.
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Patricia Ann Heinaman Award
The Patricia Ann Heinaman Award provides an annual stipend of $250 for an undergraduate student who has excelled in their academic work and has made a meaningful difference in community service and advocacy. The award recognizes Ms. Heinaman’s tireless efforts to advance policy and issues related to affordable housing on both the regional and national level.
Ms. Heinaman embodied the true essence of public service and dedicated her entire career to helping both individuals and communities in ways that were meaningful, substantive, and lasting. She worked for the Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments distributing federal money throughout the region for assisted housing construction, and later for the Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission acquiring and developing low and moderate income housing. She later founded the Montgomery Housing Partnership, a non-profit organization which renovates distressed properties or builds new units for families in need. Her final contribution was with the National Housing Trust in Washington, D.C., where she assisted in housing unit acquisition and renovation on a national level.
Ms. Heinaman graduated summa cum laude with a degree in political science from the School of Public Affairs of the American University in 1971. She was married for 34 years to Keith Schiszik, also a graduate of AU’s School of Public Affairs and, later the Washington College of Law.
Selection for the award will be made by chair of the Government Department.
Paul A., Paul H., and Isabella A. Clarke Scholarship
In 1997, Isabella A. Clarke, in memory of her son and husband, established a bequest which would provide for an endowed scholarship in the School of Public Affairs to benefit undergraduate and/or graduate students who demonstrate academic merit and financial need. Students must also demonstrate an interest in public service. This year five graduate students will be awarded $4,000 each.
The Clarke family has been involved in public service for many years, so it was a natural choice for Mrs. Clarke to decide that a family scholarship to benefit students studying in SPA was a suitable memorial.
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Robert H. Repetto Scholarship
The Robert H. Repetto Scholarship is endowed to support a full-time, undergraduate, honors student in the Department of Government in the School of Public Affairs. This is a need based scholarship of $3,500 annually.
This scholarship was established by the trustees of Robert H. Repetto’s estate in1990. Mr. Repetto, BS/KSB'69, MBA/KSB'71, was a successful stockbroker as well as a political enthusiast.
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Robert P. Boynton Award
The School of Public Affairs established the Robert P. Boynton Award in memory of late professor, Bob Boynton. It was created to award graduate students who have demonstrated academic excellence in the fields of comparative public administration, international development administration, and nonprofit management.
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School of Public Affairs Griffin Scholarship
The School of Public Affairs Griffin Scholarship is awarded to students from New England states who demonstrate leadership in civic and school projects, and aptitude for public service. One award at $2500 is available this year. The award was established in December of 2006 through the generosity of Charles "Chip" Griffin, a 1994 SPA alum.
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Susan Dweck Scholarship
A graduate student in the Department of Public Administration is eligible to receive the Susan Dweck Scholarship each year, through nomination by faculty advisors or the Graduate Office of Marketing, Admissions and Outreach. $3,500 will be distributed to two graduate student this year.
Susan Dweck, MSHR/SPA'88 (AU NTL program), is a consultant with Susan Dweck and Associates.
