Scholarship and Fellowship Committee

Co-Chairs:

Stormy Johnson, CPA, CGFO, Finance Director, Haltom City,

Lupe Orozco, CGFO, Administrative Services Manager, City of Keller

Mission Statement

The Government Finance Officers Association of Texas formed a standing committee to encourage the development of government accounting and finance throughout Texas. This committee, appointed by the officers of the GFOAT, is charged with the responsibility of developing and administering the funds provided for instructional development and professionalism within the industry of government finance.

Foundation Programs and Services:

Lynn F. Anderson Fellowship

Awarded to a graduate student in the area of governmental finance based on the intent of the study and future career choice. The Fellowship is a $5,000 ($2,500 per semester) scholarship awarded for one year.

Conference Scholarships

Two scholarships are awarded annually for each Spring Institute and the Fall Conference. The Scholarships are for current governmental employees in the financial area who intend to continue to progress professionally in the field of government finance. If you are not currently a member of the GFOAT and receive a scholarship, the Scholarship/Fellowship Committee will also provide a one-year membership to GFOAT. GFOAT pays the conference registration fee, lodging, and travel expenses.

Internship Scholarship in Government Finance

The GFOAT Internship Scholarship Program engages local government leaders to cultivate and develop the next generation by offering an internship experience funded partially through a GFOAT Internship Scholarship.

The Internship Scholarship is open to all qualified Texas local governments with at least one GFOAT active member in good standing. To be considered as a host city candidate, you must submit a host city application to the Scholarship/Fellowship Committee by July 1. All host city applications will be reviewed to ensure eligibility, and the final candidate will be chosen randomly by the committee. The host city awardee will be responsible for complying with employment laws and regulations for the intern, and must:

• Have at least one active GFOAT member in the organization.
• Provide a minimum of 300 hours of supervised work experience to be completed over one year, at a minimum of $10 hourly compensation.
• Be responsible for finding, selecting, mentoring, and supervising a qualified student.
• Offer exposure to budgeting, finance, or accounting to prepare the awardee for a future position in local government finance.
• Encourage the intern awardee to attend GFOAT related events during the internship period. GFOAT will cover event expenses as part of the Internship Scholarship.

The host city will be responsible for finding a qualified student enrolled as an accounting undergraduate or a related major. The student should be in good standing from an accredited Texas college or university with a desire to work in the government finance field. To be considered, host city applications must be received by July 1.

For details and online applications, go to https://gfoat.org/internship-scholarship-program/. Email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.