APPLICATIONS FOR 2012 ARE NOW CLOSED!

The Ferguson Group, an ICMA Strategic Partner, has graciously agreed to fund an ICMA scholarship to the Harvard Kennedy Senior Executives in Local Government Program.  The Ferguson Group has committed to funding one scholarship a year for 3 years.  The first scholarship was awarded in 2011.  This will be the second year the scholarship is offered.

The Harvard Senior Executive program is a unique opportunity to challenge conventional thinking, thought processes, and the values that drive leadership decisions.  It’s an opportunity for senior level city and county managers and assistants to experience personal and professional renewal. Participants step away from the daily routine for 3 weeks, engage their intellect and hearts with other executives in team efforts to resolve tough issues and renew the commitment to their life’s work. 

The scholarship, awarded by ICMA, covers the $11,450 tuition fee.  The scholarship recipient will need to cover their own travel expenses.   

To apply for the 2012 scholarship, fill out both ICMA’s application and the Harvard Senior Executive application and return them together to TFGHarvardscholarship@icma.org by Friday, January 6, 2012.  Applications received after this date will not be considered for the scholarship.   

Program dates for 2012 are:

• June 4 - June 22
• July 9- July 27

Participants choose the session which they would like to attend.

A committee of ICMA members, chaired by Strib Boyton, City Manager of High Point, North Carolina and a participant in the program, will select the recipient for the scholarship.  Announcement of this year’s scholarship recipient will be made by March 12, 2012.  All committee members are also graduates of the program.

Here is what past participants are saying about the Senior Executives Program:

“I would recommend the Harvard Senior Executive Program for city manager’s and think the scholarship opportunities make it even more attractive. I found the experience very challenging and also personally and professionally rewarding. By attending KSG I am able to better articulate my beliefs and philosophies and my networking capability exploded which has created more public value to the community I represent.”

Peter E. Auger

City Manager, City of Auburn Hills, MI

“The Harvard Senior Executive Program was by far the most thought provoking and educational leadership program that I’ve had the pleasure of attending.  The program provided me with lessons in leadership that I use every day in my professional life.  Invaluable lessons that I will continue to use throughout the remainder of my life”.

Dale E. Iman 

City Manager, City of Fayetteville, NC

Scholarship Awardees must meet the following Criteria:

1.    Membership in ICMA. 

2.    Senior executive experience defined as serving as a city, county, or town manager or assistant manager.

3.    A demonstrated commitment to the local government management profession . Evidence of such a commitment includes but is not limited to service to ICMA, state or other professional associations;  contributions to the body of knowledge about current issues through writing or teaching about local government issues; support for the ICMA Fund for Professional Management; consistent career professional development; attainment of the ICMA Credentialed Manager designation (desired, but not required).

4.    Exemplary leadership and service to local government. Awards and recognition for programmatic success and leadership and/or recognition by leadership within the organization or community for significant contributions help to define exemplary leadership and service.

5.    Resources to pay for travel

6.    Prior approval of the employer to participate in the program 

7.    Successful completion of the application including a statement of the most significant strategic challenges in your work and how participation in this program will help address those challenges; description of immediate and long-term career goals and how attending this program help achieve them;

8.     The successful candidate agrees to fulfill any post session requirements as designed by the committee intended to contribute to the advancement of leadership, the profession and its body of knowledge.

9.    The scholarship recipient is expected to write an article on his/her experience at the Senior Executives in Local Government Program for ICMA’s newsletter and for use on the ICMA website.  As well, the recipient is strongly encouraged to attend the ICMA 98th annual conference in October in Phoenix, Arizona.

For more information on the application process, please contact Felicia Littky, The Ferguson Group-Harvard Scholarship Program Manager, at 202-962-3656 or via email at: TFGHarvardscholarship@icma.org.