Mass. Municipal Management Association awards scholarships

The Massachusetts Municipal Management Association has awarded scholarships to five local officials from the Nancy Galkowski Legacy Fund and chosen the annual Whitlock Scholarship recipient.

Galkowski recipients are:
• Southbridge Human Resources Director Noor El Gaderi, who will use the funds to pursue her Society for Human Resources Management designation
• Millis Human Resources Generalist Victoria Schindler, who will participate in the MMA-Suffolk Finance Seminar
• Amherst Assistant DEI Director Philip Avila, who will enroll in the MMA-Suffolk Human Resources Seminar
• Barnstable Property Manager Polina Plucinski, who will pursue her Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Official designation
• Easton Deputy Town Administrator Sean Dugan, who will participate in the International City/County Management Association’s Emerging Leaders Development Program

Nancy Galkowski had a 35-year career in municipal management in Massachusetts and a passion for mentoring younger managers and being of service to all of her peers. Following her passing in 2013, the Massachusetts Municipal Management Association established a fund to honor her memory and continue her legacy.

The Gerry Whitlock Scholarship was awarded to Brian Kleckner, who is pursuing his master’s degree in public administration at Suffolk University and works as legislative director for state Rep. Jim O’Day. Brian Kleckner is the son of Mel Kleckner, a longtime town manager who served as president of the MMA in 2017.

Gerry Whitlock served as Belchertown’s town manager for decades until his retirement in the mid 1990s. The scholarship offers a $2,000 award annually to a graduate student in the field of public administration.