The James A. Finnegan Foundation was founded in 1960 and incorporated under

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

law as a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization. It is governed by an independent Board of Directors, many of whom are Finnegan Alumni.

Founding

It was established to honor the memory of James A. Finnegan, Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth (1955–58), who died in office. Founders of the foundation included: Pittsburgh Mayor Joe Barr, Commonwealth Judge Genevieve Blatt, Democratic National Committeewoman Louise M. John, Pennsylvania Gov. David Lawrence, U.S. Ambassador Matthew H. McCloskey II, U.S. Ambassador John Rice, and Pennsylvania State Treasurer Grace M. Sloan.

Purpose

The foundation works to provide practical training in government and politics for outstanding undergraduate students by offering a number of ten-week paid internships in executive agencies located in

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg ( ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,099 as of 2020, Harrisburg is the ninth-most populous city in Pennsylvania. It is the larger of the two pr ...

each summer. In addition, Finnegan Fellows meet weekly with sitting state officials for lunch. Past luncheon guests have included the state police commissioner, secretary of public welfare, the state treasurer, and representatives of the Independent Regulatory Review Commission.

Competition

The foundation chooses 3-6 applicants annually. Finnegan Fellows are successful undergraduate students at Pennsylvania universities or Pennsylvanians attending out-of-state universities. Students must show exceptional skill academically, strong community involvement, and write a successful policy proposal on a selected topic as determined by a panel of judges. Winners receive a cash award and are invited to a spring luncheon at the Pennsylvania Governor's Residence in Harrisburg. Candidates from

Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown College (informally Etown) is a private college in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. History Founding and early years Elizabethtown College was founded in 1899 by members of the Church of the Brethren in response to an initiative by ...

have been especially successful.

Prominent alumni

*Hon. Dr. David Argall F'79 -

Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two-year terms from single member districts. It ...

Whip (2005-2008), Chair of Appropriations Committee (2001-2004);

Pennsylvania State Senate The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four-year terms, stagger ...

(2009-Present) *Eric Fillman, Esq. F'83 - Chief Integrity Officer, Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General (2017-Present) *Hon.

Jaret Gibbons Jaret A. Gibbons (born October 7, 1980) was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 10th legislative district. He was elected in 2006. Prior to elective office, Gibbons graduated from Duquesne University and the ...

F'01 -

(2007-Present) *Ken Lawrence F'95 - President, Public Affairs Strategies *Hon.

Stephen R. Reed Stephen Russell Reed (August 9, 1949 – January 25, 2020) was the longest-serving mayor of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Dubbed "Mayor-for-Life," he was re-elected to seven four-year terms, serving from 1982 to 2010. After leaving office, Reed face ...

F'70 -

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

, City of

(1982-2010) *Melanie Burke Reiser F'97 - Executive Director, Charter School Resource Center *Kathy Speaker MacNett F'68 - Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority of Harrisburg (2019-Present)

References

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External links

The James A. Finnegan Foundation Website
Educational foundations based in the United States