Each year, ICMA offers ICMA Annual Conference scholarships to our deserving membership, including first-time attendees. Meet some of our scholarship recipients and find out how receiving a scholarship impacted their career. 

For more on how to apply for a 2019 ICMA Annual Conference scholarship, click here.

Small Community Scholarship Recipients

“The scholarship provided me with the opportunity to attend the conference when I would have otherwise been unable to due to our village’s small size. The conference proved to be so very beneficial in a number of ways as so many of the sessions were directly relevant to issues we are dealing with in our village. I was so thankful to be able to attend and walk away with such valuable information and a truly fulfilling experience!” – Melissa Dodd, Assistant Village Manager, Village of Yellow Springs, Ohio

"The ICMA scholarship allowed me to attend the conference in San Antonio. The experience I had and the knowledge I gained has been instrumental in helping me to be a better city manager.  I hope to attend every year." - Michael Ceci, City Manager, Farrell, Pennsylvania

"Attending the 2017 ICMA Annual Conference in San Antonio was a remarkable experience not only for the educational and networking opportunities, but also for the amazing atmosphere of the community it was held in. This was my first time attending a national ICMA conference, thanks to the scholarship opportunity provided by ICMA, and will definitely be an annual experience going forward. Thank you ICMA for this opportunity and I look for the 2018 conference in Baltimore!" - Nicholas J. Wharton, MPA, Assistant Town Administrator, Town of Severance, Colorado

"Being a new manager from a small community in Maine, I was very fortunate to receive a scholarship to attend the Seattle conference last year.  What an experience!  The educational sessions were very rewarding and the networking with others from around the country and world was priceless!  Thank you ICMA for allowing me to participate with the best of the best in our profession!" - Christine M. Landes, Town Manager, Bethel, Maine

Workplace Diversity Scholarship Recipients

"ICMA was truly one of the best conferences I have attended. I was awarded the scholarship and came by myself; the only person from San Francisco City and County.  I was a little nervous to be “going stag”; my fears were soon set aside.  Everyone was super friendly.  Whether waiting in line for food, sitting down for lunch, or participating in a session everyone was willing to talk, swap stories, and even give a younger person like myself career advice.  In addition, the sessions themselves were well-paced, had tremendous variety, and were quite interesting. I highly recommend the tours as well, which give you a chance to see the great host city—great way to be a city geek! Finally, the closing dinner was super fun; great food, awesome weather, and bunch of city workers letting their hair down! I really recommend the conference.”- Rachael Tanner, Planner III, City & County of San Francisco, California

"I am so empowered with the information I received at the conference and so thankful for the opportunity to attend. I have been so out of the loop due to the lack of funds for educational training  opportunities. This conference has armed me with the knowledge and resources that I need to explore to advance my career. I will be definitely checking out the opportunities listed below and can’t thank ICMA enough. If there is anything I can do to help in the future, please don’t hesitate to contact me."  - Allecia Chatman, Council Administrative Aide, Tulsa, Oklahoma

"It was a great privilege to be able to attend the ICMA conference in 2017. I valued the opportunity to meet people in person and have deep meaningful conversations about our profession and the future." - Monica Elise Davis, Management Analyst II, City of Hayward

Young Professional Scholarship Recipients

"My conference experience was outstanding!  One of the most impactful moments was the general session, sitting there among professional managers from all over the U.S.  I've been telling many of my colleagues in Michigan that they absolutely need to consider making it to an ICMA conference soon."- Vester Davis, Assistant to the City Manager, Grand Haven, Michigan

"There was a short period I worked on a grounds crew at a golf course that opened my eyes to more than just the game.  Now, if I can enjoy a round of golf, I can’t help but notice and recall how we used to do things or ask, “why do they do that this way?”  Similarly, as a town manager, all the things that used to just be are now understood from the perspective of budgets and personnel needs or are relative to towns/cities near and afar.  Serving as a first-time town manager with only three years’ experience, I was remined how similar our challenges are.  Over 3,000 attendees from all over the world came together in San Antonio and having the opportunity to attend brought great influence to me and value to our small community to know that we are not the first community, or only, dealing with any given problem and that perhaps we look further for success stories.  The international network that is convened at this conference is absolutely remarkable and 100% worth the participation." - Andrew Dorr, Town Manager, Vinalhaven, Maine

Stene Scholarship Recipient

"Attending ICMA’s annual conference in Kansas City was a tremendous opportunity. Over the course of the conference, I received speed coaching from current city managers, attended numerous insightful and engaging sessions, and I was able to connect with countless individuals that are passionate about local government and serving their communities. Perhaps most importantly, it reaffirmed my interest in the field of city management and my desire to pursue a career in local government." - Will Provost, MPA Candidate and City/County Management Fellow at the University of Southern California