Northern Illinois University
Department of Public Administration
School of Public and Global Affairs

This award recognizes an outstanding applicant to the M.P.A. program who shows promise of excellence in public service. The basis for the award includes the applicant’s admission essay, undergraduate GPA and transcripts. Morris Scholars must maintain a 3.7 GPA in their second year (while remaining full-time) to continue receiving the scholarship. The recipient receives a certificate at graduation honoring their status as a Morris Scholar.

The faculty confers our highest student award to honor President Emeritus William R. Monat. The Monat Scholar exemplifies excellence in scholarship and public service, meeting faculty expectations for great public service in future years. The award includes a $1,000 gift from the Monat Scholar Fund. The Monat Scholar is automatically nominated by faculty for the NIU Graduate School’s Outstanding Scholar Award.

The faculty confers this scholarship to recognize a graduating M.P.A. student who has demonstrated outstanding scholarship in the study of public and nonprofit administration and public policy. The award includes a $1,000 gift from the Wit Scholar Fund. The Wit Scholar is automatically nominated by the faculty for the Outstanding Student Award of the Chicago Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration.

This competitive fellowship is awarded to an NIU M.P.A. student who shows exceptional potential for a successful career in local government management. It honors Professor Emeritus James M. Banovetz for his leadership in developing NIU’s graduate program in public administration and Audrey M. Banovetz for her many years of supporting the program, its faculty and students.

This competitive fellowship supports minority M.P.A. students attending conferences focused on the professionalization of minority public administrators (e.g., the National Forum for Black Public Administrators). It honors David and Catherine Arnold. David Arnold served nearly 40 years at ICMA, editing the Municipal Yearbook. Arnold Fellows are expected to build networks among peers as they become the next generation of public administrators.