This scholarship honors Richard Stevens’ distinguished career in public service. He attained an undergraduate degree, MPA (’74), and JD at UNC-Chapel Hill and spent his career serving North Carolina.

Stevens served as the Wake County manager for 16 years before retiring in 2000. From 2003–2012 he represented Wake County in the North Carolina Senate before joining the law firm of Smith Anderson in Raleigh. He has received numerous awards, including the Distinguished Public Service Award from the UNC-Chapel Hill Alumni Association, the National Public Service Award from the American Society for Public Administration and the National Academy of Public Administration, and twice received the Public Leadership in Technology Award from the North Carolina Technology Association.

All students are eligible for this scholarship based on their academic background and areas of interests upon their admittance into the MPA Program.