Cigna presented three scholarships - two for $5,000 and one for $10,000
- to full-time students at the National Forum for Black Public
Administrators (NFBPA) Annual Conference at the Virginia Beach
Conference Center. The scholarship recipients excel in leadership and
communications and all are pursuing degrees in public administration.
The Cigna Foundation scholarships coincide with the NFBPA's efforts to
support the education and development of African-American students in
the public administration field.
Gerald C. Smith II received the $10,000 Cigna NFBPA scholarship and is a
junior at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
William Henry Munn III received the $5,000 Cigna Ulysses Ford Memorial
Scholarship and is an MPA candidate specializing in public management at
the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. This is the first year the
Ulysses Ford Memorial Scholarship was awarded. Ulysses Ford was a
long-time NFBPA member and Cigna wanted to honor his years of
commitment, dedication and development to young leaders.
Dandra T. Mitial received a $5,000 Cigna NFBPA scholarship and is an MPA
candidate specializing in internal administration and development at
Clark Atlanta University.
"Cigna recognizes the value of building a company and a society that are
truly inclusive," said Gianna Jackson, executive director of The Cigna
Foundation. "Supporting students at the NFBPA conference is an
investment in those who will lead our cities, towns, country and perhaps
our world as we move forward toward a stronger, healthier global
community."