Get involved on campus

International City/County Management Association (ICMA) is the premier professional organization for local government professionals. ICMA seeks to create excellence in local governance by advocating for and developing professional local government management worldwide. The organization provides support in the form of publications, the Knowledge Network, webinars and various other tools to innumerable persons interested in local government management. The Arizona City/County Management Association is the local chapter of the ICMA. Many School of Public Affairs alumni and faculty are members of ICMA and ACMA and support the mission and activities of the Student Chapter.

Arizona State University’s ICMA (ASU-ICMA) Student Chapter was founded in the fall of 2012 and organized several events including tours of facilities in the Phoenix Metro Area, discussions with active and retired managers, and other learning opportunities. The chapter continues to grow in undergraduate and graduate student members and seeks opportunities to connect student members with School of Public Affairs (SPA) alumni and local government representatives for informational and networking opportunities throughout the academic year.

Why get involved?

Undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to join the student chapter. Benefits of FREE membership in ASU’s ICMA student chapter include:

• Access to local government professionals at different stages of their careers to share experiences and help you land an internship, fellowship, your first job, or your next promotion.
• Over 5,000 online articles, case studies, reports and sample local government documents.
• Job ads in the biweekly ICMA Newsletter and on the JobCenter Web site.
• Public Management magazine online.
• Networking with your colleagues through the Who’s Who online membership directory.
• Access to the members-only online discussion groups and mentor-coaching program. 

We strongly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity available to few students throughout the country. To find out about and join the ASU-ICMA Student Chapter start here -https://eoss.asu.edu/clubs. We look forward to hearing from you. 

Learn more: 2025 - 26 Annual Report  

Leadership Team 2026 - 2027

President - Mireya Ramirez | MPA '27 | [email protected]  

Serves as the leader of the organization and works with all other members of the elected board and ICMA and School of Public Affairs representatives to execute programming, develop closer ties with the national ICMA organization and create professional partnerships with local governments and affiliated organizations within Arizona.

Vice President -  Diego Rodriguez Vasquez  | BS, Public Service and Policy '26; MPA Candidate | [email protected] 

Assists the President in directing the organization and works with other members of the elected board on special initiatives. Represents ICMA student chapter on the SPA Alumni Advisory Committee and coordinates efforts to disseminate scholarships for participation in professional conferences and development activities with professional associations like ICMA and ACMA.

External Program Coordinator - Trevor Kramer | BS, Emergency Management and Homeland Security '27 | [email protected] 

Assists the president and leadership team to draw speakers from local, state and federal government and community partners to discuss different facets of government management with students and alumni through professional and social events and activities. Works with SPA Career Services Office to coordinate logistics of alumni-student engagement activities.

Internal Program Coordinator - Lindsey Bailey | MPP '27 | [email protected] 

Assists the president and leadership team to encourage student, faculty and alumni participation in scheduled Student Chapter, ICMA, ACMA and School of Public Affairs events. Works with SPA Career Services Office to plan chapter social events, networking mixers, career development workshops, webinars and other special events.

Executive Member-at-Large - Cole Schulze | MPA Urban Management Candidate 

Faculty Advisor

Akheil Singla | Director of Master's Programs and Associate Professor, School of Public Affairs

Akheil's teaching and research focuses on public financial management at the state and local level, with a specific focus on municipal debt markets as well as local government financial health. Some of his recent work has explored municipal bankruptcy in cities like Detroit, Stockton, Vallejo and San Bernardino. In addition, he has studied the use of interest rate swaps and other debt-related derivatives by state and local governments.

Administrative Support 

Kari Kent is an ASU MPA Alum and is currently serving the School of Public Affairs as ASU Local Government Fellowship Director for the Marvin Andrews/Jane Morris Fellowships in Urban Management, the Rural Communities Fellowship, and the Harrell-Hutchinson Visiting Urban Management Professional Programs. Kari supports the Chapter's faculty advisor and leadership team with programming and connection to the national ICMA organization, as well as local governments and affiliated organizations within Arizona. She can be reached at [email protected].

Maryjo Douglas Zunk is Manager of the School of Public Affairs (SPA) Office of Career and Professional Development and provides career-related and administrative support to the ICMA Student Chapter at ASU. She serves as a vital connection between students, faculty, alumni and professionals in the field of public administration and policy in the Phoenix Metro Area, Arizona and nationally. She can be reached at [email protected] or (602) 496-0450.  

Scholarships

The Arizona City/County Management Association (ACMA) includes many School of Public Affairs alumni, faculty and staff, practicing professionals and students throughout the state. 

The ACMA Andrews Scholarship/Internship. This scholarship provides a full-time MPA student from Arizona universities a $2,000 scholarship and $6,000 paid summer internship with a city (population 50,000 or less) or a county (population 200,000 or less). In addition, the recipient receives a complimentary one-year membership with ACMA and funds to cover 2 days/1 night attendance at the ACMA Winter Conference in Sedona.

The ACMA Esser Scholarship. This $2,000 scholarship is awarded to an MPA student working full-time in local government from the in-state universities. The recipient will also receive funds to cover 2 days/1 night attendance at the ACMA Winter Conference in Sedona.

ICMA takes applications annually in spring for the Edwin O. Stene Scholarship, which is open to graduate students with little or no experience in local government.  The scholarship is a $1500 stipend to attend the ICMA Annual Conference in September, and is provided to two (2) awardees. Learn more about the scholarship, along with instructions for how to apply: https://conference.icma.org/scholarships/ .  Direct inquiries to [email protected] .

The Emergency Management Student Association (EMSA) is an Arizona State University Student Organization. EMSA is sponsored by the ASU Center for Emergency Management and Homeland Security (CEMHS). The Association identifies hands-on experiences for students interested in Disaster Management, Operations, Preparedness, Response and Homeland Security. 

EMSA teams with agencies like the Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management, Portland Bureau of Emergency Management, International Association of Emergency Managers, Arizona State University, Federal  Emergency Management Association, ASU Center for Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Arizona’s Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, and City of Phoenix to identify training and professional development opportunities for students of Emergency Management Homeland Security degree programs.

EMSA reorganized and restarted in 2025 - 26.  ASU student club information and membership application can be found at: https://eoss.asu.edu/clubs .

2025 - 2026 Student Officers

Brandon Rodriguez (Student) [email protected] ; 

Jonae Lopez Rodriguez (Student) [email protected] ; 

Michael Merkel (Student) [email protected]

Faculty Sponsors: 

E-mail: [email protected] 

Contact Information

Center for Emergency Management and Homeland Security

411 N Central Avenue, Suite 422, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA

Mail Code: 3720

Student Veterans Association at Arizona State University

SVA Tempe leads, builds and serves. The mission of SVA Tempe is to promote leadership, build community and provide service for veteran and military-affiliated students at ASU to ensure their success in higher education and future careers. The vision of SVA Tempe is to lead, build and serve the Student Veteran community, and collaborate with the affiliated SVA Chapters of ASU, to fully engage the 5,000 plus veteran and military-affiliated students at all ASU locations, in person and online, in programs of academic success, professional development and social engagement. All veteran and military-affiliated students will succeed in higher education, integrate into college culture and civilian society, achieve their academic goals, gain meaningful employment and become the future leaders of America.

We are a Student Veterans of America Chapter. The Student Veterans Association at ASU Tempe, founded in 2009 as the ASU Veterans Club, carries on a tradition of veteran fellowship and camaraderie that goes back to the original ASU Veterans Club that was founded in the late 1960s. SVA Tempe is a peer group for students and faculty at ASU who are veteran and military-affiliated students, their dependents, and supporters and advocates. SVA Tempe promotes leadership among Student Veterans by advocating for the needs of veteran and military-affiliated students, enhancing the veteran-friendly climate at ASU and inviting creative initiative from the Student Veteran community. SVA Tempe builds community among Student Veterans by encouraging the formation of veteran student organizations at ASU Tempe, such as Law Students for Veterans Legal Interests and Fulton Student Veterans Organization, in collaboration with their respective academic departments; engaging partner organizations such as SVA at Downtown, Polytechnic, West, Lake Havasu and the Tau Epsilon Phi ASU Veterans Fraternity; engaging partner departments such as the Pat Tillman Veteran Center, Veterans Upward Bound, the Disability Resource Center, and ROTC groups; utilizing social media to engage the veteran and military-affiliated student community, and recruiting new members or referring them to partner organizations. SVA Tempe provides service to Student Veterans by promoting academic success, professional development and social engagement

Information here

Contact Information

E-mail: [email protected]

Current President Garry Stone: [email protected]  

Pi Alpha Alpha

Eligible students are invited to become members of the Arizona State University chapter of Pi Alpha Alpha each spring. 

The purpose of Pi Alpha Alpha is to encourage and recognize outstanding scholarship and accomplishment in public affairs and administration. Its objectives, such as fostering integrity, professionalism and effective performance, promote the advancement of quality in the education and practice of the art and science of public affairs and administration. PAA membership identifies those with the highest performance levels in educational programs preparing them for public service careers. 

Membership in the ASU chapter is restricted to those students who have met the eligibility requirements as follows:

• Undergraduate students: 3.7 or higher GPA with at least 90 credits completed prior to current spring semester.
• Graduate students: 3.8 or higher GPA with at least one half of their course work towards their degree completed.

If you meet the eligibility requirements listed above and have not received your invitation, contact the School of Public Affairs at 602-496-0450 or email [email protected]. The $50.00 is a one-time entry fee required by national headquarters. There are no national or local chapter membership dues.