Photo: Huafang Li (left), Seth Meyer (center), and Chengxin Xu (right)

Three Ph.D. students at Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) have been recognized as distinguished doctoral candidates by the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA). They are being honored at the 45th Annual ARNOVA Conference in Washington, D.C., November 17-19, 2016.

Huafang Li has received a 2016 Emerging Scholars Award, which is given to doctoral students whose research has a distinctive relevance to the field of nonprofit and voluntary action. As a winner of the award, Li received $500 and complimentaryconference registration. Li earned his master of public administration from American University, and his bachelor’s degree from Zhejiang University. His research interests include charitable giving, nonprofit management, the relationship between government and nonprofits, and comparative public administration. Li’s dissertation examines online communication by nonprofits.

Seth Meyer has been selected as a 2016 Doctoral Fellow. Doctoral fellowships are awarded to doctoral candidates writing dissertations involving nonprofit organizations or philanthropy. As a doctoral fellow, Meyer received $250 and complimentary conference registration. He attended the Doctoral Fellowship Seminar held one day prior to the conference on November 16, where he presented his research and received feedback from peers and senior scholars. Meyer earned his master of science in social work from Columbia University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester. Meyer’s research interests include nonprofit management, nonprofit organizations, and Medicaid, and he is writing a dissertation on the management of multisite nonprofit organizations through the lens of organizational identification.

Chengxin Xu has received an ARNOVA Conference Scholarship and Travel Grant Award, given to scholars studying philanthropy, civil society, and nonprofit organizations, among other topics.  As a scholarship recipient, Xu received remission of conference fees and a $250 travel stipend. Xu will deliver a presentation at the conference titled: "Exploring the Impact of Government Funding on the Organizational Autonomy of Human Services Nonprofits." Xu earned his master of public administration at Rutgers SPAA and his bachelor’s degree from East China University of Political Science and Law. His research interests include nonprofit and government relationships, and the application of service learning in nonprofit and civic education.