Southwest Michigan native Alice Kinney (MPP '27) was awarded the 2026 Robert R. Robinson Memorial Scholarship from the Michigan Townships Association (MTA). Named for the longtime township advocate and former MTA executive director, the annual scholarship supports individuals preparing for careers in public service.
Kinney is building toward a career in local government leadership focused on climate preparedness, rural economic development and community-centered governance.
"I desire to support communities in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula as they look to the future while preserving their defining sense of place," she told the Michigan Townships Association. "Receiving the Robinson Scholarship from MTA will meaningfully support my continued preparation for a career dedicated to strengthening Michigan communities through thoughtful, locally driven public service."
Kinney was chosen for her commitment to Michigan communities. "MTA created this scholarship to honor the legacy of longtime township advocate and past MTA Executive Director Robert Robinson by fostering future local leaders," said Joan David, Scholarship Committee chair and Newfield Township (Oceana Co.) supervisor, who also serves as MTA District 11 director. "Alice has demonstrated a strong commitment to both her education and to working toward a career serving Michigan's residents. We wish the very best in her future endeavors in public service."
As a graduate student policy consultant at the Ford School's Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy, she partnered with Wayne County local governments, downtown development authorities and other entities to assess both the social and economic impacts of power outages and work toward climate resilience. In summer 2026, she completed a 10-week policy internship as a Catalyst Leadership Circle Fellow with the U-M Graham Sustainability Institute.
Before enrolling at the Ford School, Kinney earned a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education from Western Michigan University. She then spent more than two years in the Peace Corps, serving in Nicaragua and Ecuador as an English educator facilitator and English teacher trainer. In those roles she coordinated and delivered training programs for English teachers working in underserved communities.
Upon her return, she joined the U.S. Department of Education, where she spent five years working as a grants analyst and as an education program specialist. She managed grants to support rural education achievement and assisted initiatives designed to improve employment, independence and community integration for individuals with disabilities.
Kinney was also recently awarded the CEW+ Hillary Murt and Bruce Friedman Scholarship for her commitment to education policy.
Excerpted from the Michigan Townships Association.