ASMC is pleased to announce a new ASMC scholarship award available for competition among those of you who are DoD and USCG members of ASMC and who do not currently hold the CDFM credential. To memorialize the service of Ms. Elsie Steffany, who passed away as a result of a tragic accident on 1 June 2018 during our National PDI, the ASMC National Executive Committee (Board) approved the establishment of the Elsie Steffany Memorial Scholarship Award to be presented annually at National PDI. The ASMC Board also approved the establishment of the Elsie Steffany Memorial Scholarship Award Committee (chaired by Mr. Keith Buchholz, VP, Defense-wide Board member).

Elsie was a GS-15 employee of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller). A member of our ASMC Washington Chapter, she was also a Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM) and participated in activities of our Redstone-Huntsville Chapter in Alabama, while on temporary assignment at Headquarters, Army Materiel Command.

Following are details developed and approved by the committee and the Board regarding the composition of the Elsie Steffany Memorial Scholarship Award, eligibility, nomination process, and timelines. 

Award Composition 
The scholarship award will cover the following costs:

  • Enrollment for two years as a candidate in the ASMC Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM) program
  • CDFM Textbook
  • Participation in one Enhanced Defense Financial Management Training Course (subject to course availability and approval of the awardee’s organization)
  • Three exams (one each for CDFM Module 1, Module 2, and Module 3)
  • Registration to attend (subject to approval of the awardee’s organization) the annual ASMC National PDI, in which the scholarship award will be presented

Eligibility

ASMC members, who do not possess the CDFM credential and are assigned to the Department of Defense or the US Coast Guard, may apply for the scholarship award.   

Scholarship Award Application Requirements

Applicants for the Elsie Steffany Memorial Scholarship Award must submit (not later than 31 December 2018) a one-page paper, consisting of two or three paragraphs, limited to a total of no more than 600 words on the page, addressing the two questions below, using single-spaced Times New Roman, 11 size font. The application must also include a cover page including the applicant’s name, organization, work email address, and ASMC chapter.

  • Why is public service in defense financial management important to you?
  • Why is professional development and the pursuit of the CDFM certificate important to you?

Scholarship Award Nomination Process.

Each ASMC chapter president may submit only one nomination to ASMC HQ, among the applications submitted at the chapter level and evaluated by the chapter. ASMC HQ is not prescribing the specific methodology for evaluation of applications submitted at chapter level; however, we recommend that either the Chapter Officers (Board) or a chapter scholarship committee review the applications and determine the individual nomination to be submitted to ASMC HQ as the chapter’s nominee for the scholarship.

The chapter will have one month to review individual nominations received by the 31 December 2018 deadline and determine the chapter’s nominee for the scholarship award. Once the chapter’s nominee is determined, the chapter president (or his or her designee) must submit the nominee’s application via the ASMC National Awards System to ASMC HQ NLT 1 February 2019. Chapters may not edit, add to, or otherwise embellish individual applications.  

Timeline

  • 15 October – 31 December 2018: Eligible applicants may submit Elsie Steffany Scholarship Award applications to the ASMC chapter POC designated by the chapter president
  • 1 – 31 January 2019: ASMC Chapters evaluate applications received
  • 31 January 2019: Deadline for submission of chapter nominee to ASMC HQ (chapters may submit their individual nomination application anytime during the period 1 January – 1 February 2019; however, once submitted, it may not be revised.)
  • 1 – 28 February 2019: Elsie Steffany Memorial Scholarship Award Committee evaluates applications and selects the award recipient
  • 5 March 2019: ASMC HQ notifies chapter presidents of Elsie Steffany Scholarship Award Recipient
  • 15 March 2019: ASMC HQ notifies ASMC membership of Elsie Steffany Scholarship Award recipient via monthly membership update
  • 15 – 31 March 2019: ASMC HQ works with award recipient and their organization to ensure recipient’s participation in PDI 2019.

Chapter presidents will soon distribute information to chapter members regarding their chapter POC for receipt of individual applications for the Elsie Steffany Memorial Scholarship Award.