Financial Aid

Graduate Assistants/Fellowships

Assistantships
Each year the Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs awards eight-to-ten graduate assistantships to outstanding students pursuing a Master of Public Administration degree at Wichita State University. Graduate assistants assist faculty in instruction and work directly with faculty and staff on research and community service projects through the Center for Urban Studies and the Kansas Public Finance Center.

Graduate assistantships are awarded primarily on the basis of a student's academic record, demonstrated leadership abilities, and potential for success in the field of public administration. To be eligible for a graduate assistantship in the Hugo Wall School, a student must be admitted in full standing to the Master of Public Administration degree.

Assistants are expected to work twenty hours per week and pursue their graduate degree on a full-time basis. Currently, assistants earn a stipend of $9,000 for a nine-month appointment and may be granted a 35 percent tuition waiver. Graduate assistants are also eligible to apply for fellowships which are awarded competitively by the Hugo Wall School.

Applications for assistantships beginning in the fall semester are due March 1. For complete application guidelines, contact the main office of the Hugo Wall School, Room 208 Lindquist Hall. For information, phone (316) 978-7240.

Fellowships
Four endowed fellowships in the Hugo Wall School provide financial assistance to students enrolled in the Master of Public Administration degree. These fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis to students with exemplary records and specific career interests in the field of public administration. The following fellowships are available:

• The Hugo Wall Fellowship was established in 1973 to honor the contributions made to community service and the field of public administration by the late Professor Hugo Wall. Hugo Wall fellowships are awarded to outstanding students with a career interest in urban affairs or public administration.
• The George Pyle Fellowship was initiated in 1990 by members of the Wichita State University Managers Association (WSUMA), to honor George Pyle's thirty-nine years of service in the field of city management, the last twenty-two years as city manager of Hutchinson, Kansas. George Pyle Fellowships are awarded to graduate students planning careers as city or county managers.
• The George Van Riper Fellowship was established in 1997 from an endowment honoring the late George Van Riper, a graduate of the MPA degree program and practitioner in the field of public finance. Van Riper fellowships are awarded to graduate students planning careers in public finance. Van Riper Fellows work primarily on research and community service projects through the Kansas Public Finance Center.
• The Mike Hill Fellowship was initiated in 2001 to honor Mike Hill's thirty-seven years of public service in behalf of the citizens of Wichita and Sedgwick County. Throughout his public service with the Wichita Police Department and as Sedgwick County Sheriff, Mike Hill provided a model of excellence in the management of law enforcement operations. The Mike Hill Fellowship is intended to provide financial assistance to graduate students with education and experience in law enforcement who seek to advance in the field of public management.

For the fall semester, applications are due March 1. For complete application guidelines, contact the academic office of the Hugo Wall School at (316) 978-7240.