IMA® Scholarship Program 2026-2027 Award

Call for Submissions.

 

One applicant from the scholarship application pool will be awarded the prestigious Stuart Cameron & Margaret McLeod Memorial Scholarship. This award is sponsored by the Stuart Cameron McLeod Society (SCMS), which is an affiliate of IMA centered around active leadership and involvement to the organization. Applicants are strongly encouraged to be actively involved at the student chapter, parent chapter, and/or regional council level.

The SCMS scholarship winner will receive:

  • $6,000 through two installments of $3,000 during the fall and spring semesters.
  • Complimentary registration for IMA27 Americas Accounting & Finance Conference (held in June 2027).
  • Complimentary registration for IMA’s Student Leadership Conference (held in November 2027).
  • Travel (lodging and transportation) reimbursement totaling up to $1,000 for attending either/both conferences.
  • Opportunity to be mentored by an SCMS member.

The SCMS scholarship recipient will be expected to:

Participate at the parent chapter, regional council level, and/or global level and provide documentation to SCMS of proactive involvement (e.g. meeting minutes, photograph, letter from officer).

Provide a copy of their fall 2027 transcript showing credit hours taken.

Provide proof of registration for their spring 2028 classes.

Eligibility

Full and part-time students may apply provided they are enrolled for the entire upcoming academic year. (Student must carry at least six credits per semester).

Applicant must be an active IMA student member in good standing.

Applicants must be enrolled at an accredited institution and continuing their academic program during the upcoming academic year. To meet this requirement: 

  • U.S-based institutions: Must be accredited and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
  • International institutions: Must be officially recognized by the relevant Ministry of Education or another government-authorized quality-assurance or accreditation agency

Applicants must be pursuing a career in management accounting, financial management, or information technology.

Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (or equivalent) across all institutions attended.

Scholarship recipients are expected to complete the CMA® (Certified Management Accountant) program within 1.5 years from acceptance of the scholarship.

*Previous winners are NOT eligible for this award. 

Submission Process

*Failure to follow instructions will eliminate an application from consideration.

All documents must be submitted in English.

Complete online Scholarship application form by clicking HERE.  

               Note: Handwritten applications will not be accepted.

The Applicant will provide the following:

  • A one-page résumé, including (as appropriate) a summary of the applicant’s employment record, leadership activities, extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, and volunteer participation), and other information pertinent to the application.
  • University transcript(s) copies are accepted.  
  • One recommendation required: up to two accepted.
  • Recommendation should include applicant’s personal integrity, leadership skills, innovations, and principle strengths to name a few.
  • Applicant must answer Three 300-500 Word Essay Questions.

Applications are due by March 15th. Complete the online scholarship application for by clicking here. 

Questions about the scholarship program can be emailed to Tala Khalifeh, SCMS Scholarship Committee Chair, at khalife.tala@gmail.com.

Selection of Award Winner

All candidates will be considered equally with no bias to race, creed, or background and will be judged independently on the basis of the applicant’s ability to meet the criteria as outlined in this document. If, for some reason, a selected individual declines his/her award or becomes ineligible, an alternate candidate will be selected to receive the award.

Decisions for the awarding of scholarships are based on:

  • Academic merit
  • IMA participation
  • Quality of applicant’s presentation
  • Strength of recommendations

Disbursement/Post-Acceptance Requirements

The SCMS Scholarship winner will receive two installments of $3,000 each: one in the fall and one in the spring upon submission of the required items listed below.

The winner will also receive complimentary registration to IMA’s Student Leadership Conference (November 2027) and IMA27 Accounting & Finance Conference (June 2027) and a maximum of $1,000 toward the cost of travel and accommodation for these events.

*The winner will be expected to provide:

             1.  Copy of the recipient’s fall 2027 transcript.

             2.   Proof of registration for spring 2028 classes.

The SCMS scholarship winner is required to show proactive involvement in the local IMA parent chapter (e.g., regular attendance at chapter meetings or participation in Board meetings), council (e.g., attendance at council meetings or Leadership Training Seminar/council-sponsored educational meetings), or global level (e.g., service on a global committee.)

Deadline for submissions is March 15, 2027.

Announcement of 2027 Winner: On or before May 19th 

2026 Scholarship Award winner:

We are pleased to announce that Mr. Arthur Zhou, CMA has been selected as the 2026 winner of the Stuart Cameron and Margaret McLeod Memorial Scholarship.