Three ICMA members have been awarded scholarships that will help them expand their horizons by participating in the ICMA International Regional Summit in Wellington, New Zealand, February 22-26.

Linda Wang, associate professor of public management, China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL) in Beijing, China, and Seth Sumner, assistant city manager, Savannah, Tennessee, are recipients of John Garvey Scholarships. Victor Cardenas, assistant city manager, Novi, Michigan, is the recipient of support from the Scholarship Fund in Memory of William H. “Bill” Hansell, Jr.

Dongfang (Linda) Wang has been a key member of the ICMA China Center staff ever since ICMA and CUPL established the Center. She has served as a translator of English-language documents, facilitated the visiting scholar program in which ICMA members teach courses in China, and provided significant support for the 2014 international regional summit in Yangzhou and the pre- and post-summit study tours. Her goals in applying for the Garvey Scholarship were to become an international scholar and expert on local governance, to strengthen the academic and practitioner exchanges between countries, and to help establish a local governance model in China.

As assistant city manager, Seth Sumner serves as executive director of Savannah’s nationally accredited Main Street Program and coordinator of the Historic Zoning Commission in addition to sharing overall responsibilities with the city manager. He is a graduate of Leadership ICMA Class of 2013—an experience that allowed him to attend the Senior Executive Institute at the University of Virginia and build lasting professional friendships while honing his skills. And he serves as the practitioner advisor for the ICMA Student Chapter at the University of Tennessee. He applied for the Garvey Scholarship in order to build a broader international network and gain knowledge from international colleagues.

Hansell Scholarship recipient Victor Cardenas oversees the human resources, information technology, and finance departments in Novi as well as assisting in overall organizational management and economic development activities. He is responsible for the city’s transparency efforts and performance measurement reporting and oversees its Graduate Management Analyst program. Serving as interim city manager during a transition, he oversaw the passage of the annual budget and appointed a department head. He is a member of the ICMA International Committee and in that capacity has supported the efforts of ICMA México-Latinoamérica to promote professional management in Mexico.

About the Garvey and Hansell Funds

The John Garvey Fund was established in 1995 at the recommendation of the ICMA International Committee to create a scholarship to assist ICMA members in gaining an international management perspective. The scholarship was named for John Garvey, who served as coordinator of the International Management Exchange Program for many years. Its purpose is to increase the number of women, minorities, and young professionals participating in international activities.

The Hansell Scholarship Fund recognizes the establishment of ICMA International during Bill Hansell’s tenure as ICMA executive director. The fund supports U.S. mid-career local government professionals who seek to gain international experience and learning.

About the International Regional Summit

The International Regional Summit coincides with meetings of the ICMA Executive Board and the ICMA International Committee. The Executive Board agenda includes a joint meeting with the committee, and together, the two groups will discuss ways to maximize international exposure and opportunities at the ICMA Annual Conference in Seattle September 27-30, 2015.

The summit includes a full-day professional forum with members of the New Zealand Society of Local Government Managers (SOLGM), featuring case studies on topics of interest to local government professionals around the world. Summit attendees will visit Wellington City Council offices and the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs, and possibly meet the Minister of Local Government and tour the New Zealand Parliament.

A pre-summit study tour in New Zealand and a post-summit tour in Australia round out the experience for participants. The Australia tour includes a forum in Sydney on local government reform with members of Local Government Professionals Australia-­New South Wales.