Scholarships & Fellowships

Texas State University’s Political Science Department Conducts its Annual Scholarships & Awards Reception on Thursday April 23, 2026

On Thursday April 23, 2026, Texas State University’s Political Science Department conducted an Awards Reception/Dinner at the Texas State University LBJ Student Center to honor undergraduate & graduate students that received scholarships and awards both within and outside the university.

At the dinner, recognition was given, and awards were presented to outstanding undergraduate and graduate students at Texas State University’s programs in Political Science, Public Administration and Legal studies.

The Scholarship & Awards Reception/Dinner was co-sponsored by the Political Science Department & Texas State University’s William P. Hobby Center for Public Service.

The program began at about 6:30 pm with a “Welcome & Congratulations” introduction by Dr. Ken Grasso, Chair of the Political Science Department. The welcome greeting was followed by a buffet dinner for approximately 80 attendees. The awards program ended at about 8:00 pm

Dr. Grasso started the awards presentation ceremony by announcing the outstanding graduate students in Political Science, Public Administration & Legal Studies. The recipient of the outstanding graduate student in Political Science was Dylann Engle; the outstanding graduate student in Public Administration was Reagan Haik and the outstanding graduate student in Legal Studies was Andrea Toro Yehya. The outstanding undergraduate student in Political Science Award was awarded to Ashton Hansen.

The program continued with the announcement of a series of scholarships that were awarded to students in political Science & Legal studies. William Barry received the Political Science Richard B. Henderson Scholarship; Camilla Velazquez received the James H. McCrocklin Memorial Endowed Scholarship; Jakob Salsgiver received the Bettylee & Daniel Farlow Endowed Scholarship; Valentina Vera-Gonzalez received the Walter Richter Endowed Scholarship; and Saniyha Coleman, Lea Hartman, Fritz Kokinda, Monique Perez, & Layla Saldua all received Barney & Linda Knight Endowed Scholarships.

Alyssa Abitia received Dale Hardin Memorial Endowed Scholarship which was presented by Legal Studies Professor, Michelle Evans.

Dr. Howard Balanoff, Professor & Director of the William P. Hobby Center for Public Service presented William P. Hobby Family Scholarships and Francis Rich Family Scholarships which were awarded to students in the Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program.

Recipients of the William P. Hobby Scholarships were Mst Thahsina Aktar Asha, Hannah Amaya, Tanya Garduno, Heather Hampton & Ben Holt, Syeda Zareen Jaha, Ishrat Ritu, & Ariela Velazquez. Recipients of the Francis Rich Scholarships were Savanna Batson, Reagan Haik, Nusrat Neela & Julia Reeves.

Aryana Aryal & Joa Brown were MPA students who were recognized for their outstanding academic and professional achievement and received prestigious Management Fellowship Award from the International City/County Association (ICMA) and Walker Allee was recognized for his academic and professional achievement by being named as a Clarence Ridley Scholar by the Texas City Management Association (TCMA).

The Program continued with an induction ceremony for MPA students who were being recognized for outstanding academic achievement by being inducted into Pi Alpha Alpha, the Global Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration. Students that were inducted are Mst Thahsina Aktar Asha, Stacy Chezelle de la Peña, Hannah Amaya, Joa Brown, Reagan Haik Zoe Kulas, Nusrat Jahan Neela & Ariela Velazquez

The Program concluded with Dr. Mary Brennan, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, presenting the College of Liberal Arts Academic Excellence Awards to undergraduate students that have achieved sustained excellence.

For additional information about the activities and events of the Political Science Department please contact Alexis Finley at alexis.finley@txstate.edu

For additional information about the activities and programs of the William P. Hobby Center for Public Service contact Dr. Howard Balanoff at hb02@txstate.edu

Click here for the Awards Day Program which includes the names the award & scholarship recipients.

The William P. Hobby Center for Public Service Management Fellowship Program

The William P. Hobby Center for Public Service Government Management Fellowship Program has been established for recent graduates from the Texas State University Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program.

The Texas State University Management Fellows selected for this program will serve a one-year fellowship at a government entity (city, county, special district etc.) in Texas soon after they graduate from the MPA Program.

A unique feature about the Texas State University Government Management Fellows Program is that the MPA graduate(s) designated as a “Fellow(s)” is employed in a Texas government management position and upon successful completion of a 1-Year Fellowship, a portion of their salary is reimbursed by Texas State University’s William P. Hobby Center for Public Service.

The government entity hires the Texas State University MPA graduate in a management position with a salary range of about $55,000 – $75,000. At the end of a successful 1 Year Fellowship, the city invoices Texas State University’s William P. Hobby Center for an agreed amount between $5,000 – $7,500 for the organization’s participation in the Management Fellowship Program.

The reason for the variation in the reimbursement rate at this time is that the Hobby Center is currently fundraising for the Management Fellows Program and at the present time can only guarantee 1 Fellowship per year in the amount of $5,000 – $7,500.

The Government Management Fellows Program began in January 2025 with a “Beta Test” offered to the City of San Marcos, Texas. The City choose Mostafa Jalal, a Texas State University December 2024 MPA Graduate as their Management Fellow.

The Management Fellow position created at the City of San Marcos remains in effect until January 31, 2026. Since the City of San Marcos, decided to authorize the Management Fellowship position, in January 2025, in January 2026 the City will invoice the William P. Hobby Center for an agreed upon amount between $5,000 – $7,500 that will go toward the support of the City of San Marcos Management Fellowship.

At the end of January 2026, the City of San Marcos may decide to employ the Management Fellow in a permanent position. It could also decide to continue the Management Fellows Program and select another Management Fellow from the graduates of May 2026 and/or the December 2026 Texas State MPA Program.

Starting in September 2025 Texas State University’s William P. Hobby Center for Public Service will offer at least 1 additional Management Fellowship to a city, county, special district etc. most likely in the Central Texas Region.

For additional information about the 2026 Texas State University Government Management Fellowship Program:

Contact
Dr. Howard R. Balanoff, Professor & Director
William P. Hobby Center for Public Service
Texas State University
601 University Drive
San Marcos, Texas 78666
Hb02@txstate.edu
www.williamphobby.org
512/694-7864

The William P. Hobby Center for Public Service Government Intern Fellowship Program

The William P. Hobby Center for Public Service Government Intern Fellowship Program has been established for a select few students that are enrolled in the PA 5489 Public Administration Internship Course. The Fellows selected for this program are students in the Texas State University Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program for one or two semesters.

At the start of each academic semester about 5 – 7 of our Texas State University MPA students are placed as interns in a public or not-for-profit organization (i.e. city, county, special district etc.) in the Central Texas area.

Normally 2 or 3 of the interns placed during a semester are designated as MPA Intern Fellows and are compensated for the time that they spend (normally a 14-week semester) with a public or not for profit organization.

The way the intern fellowship program works is that the organization hosting a Texas State University MPA Intern Fellow will pay the intern at the rate of $15 per hour for 10 hours per week of work for a 14-week semester. The work can be entirely in-person, entirely virtual, or a hybrid combination of in-person and virtual work.

For example, an MPA student that would start working on or about September 1, 2025, would complete the internship on or about November 30, 2025. The total pay to the Intern for the semester would be $15 per hour X10 hours per week X 14 weeks = $2,100. At the end of a successful internship, the William P. Hobby Center for Public Service would reimburse the organization for a maximum of $2,100 that they paid to the intern during the Fall 2025 semester.

In the Spring 2025 semester 2 MPA students received Intern Fellowships. One was placed with the city of Buda, and one was placed with the City of Cedar Park. These cities hosted Texas State University MPA Interns and paid them $15 dollars an hour for the 14-week semester.

After the students completed their internship, the cities of Buda & Cedar Park invoiced the William P. Hobby Center for Public Service for $2,100 for the services provided by their interns. The benefit to the cities was that they received the services of the interns for free since the cities could invoice the Hobby Center for the amount they paid to the students during the Fall 2025 semester.

The benefit of this internship fellowship program for the MPA students is that they have real world “mentors” that provide them with practical experience in government administration and management. The students also leave the internship with professional references that are provided by their internship supervisors that they can use when they complete their MPA degree and start looking for employment.

For additional information about the William P. Hobby Center for Public Service Government Intern Fellowship Program

Contact:
Dr. Howard R. Balanoff, Professor & Director
William P. Hobby Center for Public Service
Texas State University
601 University Drive
San Marcos, Texas 78666
Hb02@txstate.edu
www.williamphobby.org
512/694-7864

The PA 5389 internship course is designed to provide practical experience to pre-service and in-service graduate students wishing to gain experience in the public & not-for-profit sectors. The internship consists of part-time or full-time employment in a public sector, not for profit sector, or related private sector organization.

The academic portion of the internship requires the completion of 1 or 2 semesters of the PA 5389 Internship course. The PA 5389 course can satisfy a background course requirement for graduate students with no public or non-profit sector experience.

It can also satisfy 1 or 2 of the elective course requirements of a graduate degree program for students exempt from the background requirement that may be looking for future positions in the public or not-for-profit sectors.

Normally a student intern will work an average of 10-15 hours per week for one semester for the 3 hours of PA 5389 credit. The work can be on-site, entirely virtual or a combination of virtual and on-site activities. The academic component of the public service internship includes a required practical project/research paper and the completion of assigned readings.

The internship is primarily designed to provide practical on-the-job experience for students. The academic component consists of on-the-job experience in a government office, or a non-profit or public sector related private sector organization.

Ideally, the internship experience provides professional experience and an opportunity to integrate theories learned in the classroom with practical experience. In addition, the student intern is exposed to the daily routines, processes, procedures, and expectations of work life in the public and non-profit sectors.

The internship is a structured educational work experience, where students take a responsible role and contribute to a public sector on non-profit sector organization. Through the internship, the student learns new skills, expands their knowledge of an area of management or policy. The student also explores career options and applies academic knowledge in a “real- life” situation. The internship facilitates the development of professional skills such as finance, communication, planning, leadership and management.

Prior to registering for the PA 5389 Internship course, students must contact the the professor assigned to teach the course and obtain permission to register for PA 5389 in the Banner registration system.

The student is expected to work a total of about 120 – 180 hours over the course of the internship. This usually averages 10 to 15 hours a week for about 12-14 weeks. The student is required to turn in 3 monthly internship activity reports documenting the work and research activities they have conducted as a part of their internship experience. In addition to the required activities’ reports the intern is required to complete a 12 -15-page project/research paper on a management and/or policy topic related to the area of their internship.

The intern’s organizational supervisor/mentor is required to provide day to day observation of the intern and turn in 2 reports to the intern’s faculty advisor on the duties, responsibilities, work, and research activities of the intern that they are supervising.

Over the course of the internship the student should have at least two meetings with the faculty assigned to teach the internship course. One meeting at the start of the semester will be with the intern and the intern’s supervisor/mentor. A second meeting will be held toward the end of the semester and will be a joint meeting of the faculty member teaching the PA 5389 course and all the interns registered for the PA 5389 course in that semester.

Examples of Internship Sponsors

MPA students looking for internships should consider organizations such as those listed below. Students should feel free to contact individuals at these organizations about the availability of paid and unpaid internships. Many of these organizations have sponsored Texas State University MPA Interns in the past.