Finance Department Welcomes Intern Alina Cecunjanin from Massachusetts Municipal Finance Fellowship Program

GREENFIELD – City Hall is delighted to welcome Greenfield Community College student Alina Cecunjanin, who recently began her internship with the Greenfield Finance Department, as part of the Massachusetts Municipal Finance Fellowship Program. Alina will participate in the field learning experience from the beginning of July until the end of August.

The Massachusetts Municipal Finance Fellowship Program is offered annually to 30 college students in good academic standing. Each participant receives a stipend while gaining an understanding of general concepts and practices related to municipal finance through a multi-step educational initiative.

Before beginning her field experience, Alina underwent a four-week training on municipal finance managed by the state’s Division of Local Services and supported by the Massachusetts Collectors and Treasurers Association and the Massachusetts Municipal Auditors’ and Accountants’ Association. Alina received support from a faculty professor from Greenfield Community College throughout this process.

During her municipal fellowship, under the guidance of Finance Director Diana Schindler, Alina will be working with the Chief Assessor, the Treasurer/Collector, the City Accountant and the Chief Procurement Officer to gain experience in all facets of municipal finance. The fellowship imparts education and field training on a range of finance topics, including public budgeting, municipal accounting, tax issuance and collections, data trends and forecasting, property taxes and assessment and debt/cash management.

Alina resides in Greenfield and is attending her second year at Greenfield Community College, majoring in Business Administration.

“I’m pleased to have been offered the opportunity of this fellowship through Greenfield Community College,” said Cecunjanin. “More so, I am thankful to have been placed in my hometown and working closely with all of the departments within city hall. I didn’t think municipal finance would interest me, but after a month of training with the Division of Local Services, you learn about all the practices that make up the city/town and realize that it is one of the ways to be closely involved with the community. That is what stands out to me most.”

“It’s great to explore and understand this experience now in hopes of making a positive impact on our community or another, in the future,” Cecunjanin added.

“The city of Greenfield is excited to participate in the Municipal Finance Fellowship Program offered through the Division of Local Services,” said Schindler. “Their willingness to implement this program in partnership with cities and towns shows their recognition of how imperative it is for the future of our commonwealth that we continue to attract and retain skilled employees in local government, especially in municipal finance.”