track TFAS newsletter
Spring 2011
Chairman Randal C. Teague
Fall Capital Semester students head to the U.S. Capitol for their commencement ceremony.
CAPITAL SEMESTER: Fall Class Graduates; Spring Students Arrive in D.C. In December, 49 Capital Semester students from 28 schools and 10 countries bid farewell to Washington, D.C. and joined the ranks of TFAS alumni. The students interned at government agencies, think tanks, public policy groups, congressional offices, law firms, nonprofits, trade associations, corporate government affairs offices and media outlets. “I was constantly kept on my toes,” said fall semester student Steven DeFalco, a political science major at Flagler University. “Whether I was opening mail for my senator or researching the impact of chemical dispersants in the Gulf of Mexico, my internship gave me direction and insight, which I will certainly utilize upon graduation.”
President Roger R. Ream
From the Chairman & President
Now is a critical time in history. There are upheavals in the Arab world. In the United States, leaders on the city, state and federal levels are finally working to get a handle on our fiscal problems.
And, our alumni are in the thick of it ... of all of it. Our 11,000 plus alumni are working in various positions of government, journalism, public policy, business and in the nonprofit sector. They are in the middle of debates, working to secure the economic future of the United States. Internationally, our alumni are part of demonstrations across the Middle East, demanding freedom and an end to tyranny. We hear from alumni on a daily basis about their important roles – on the front lines, protesting; in the media, bringing information to households around the world as journalists and photojournalists; and as NGO leaders, sparking change. The Fund for American Studies is truly making a difference in the battle of ideas, and our alumni are the proof. Thank you for being a part of the alumni network.
The group attended site briefings and tours at the U.S. Capitol, Library of Congress and Pentagon and at a variety of news headquarters. Continued on page 3
TFAS Takes its Message to Latin America
Left to right: ILA students take in the views of Santiago, Chile. | Professor Brad Thompson teaches ILA students about the moral basis of capitalism.
The Fund for American Studies’ youngest program, the Institute for Leadership in the Americas (ILA), held its third annual program from January 10-21 in Santiago, Chile. Forty-eight students from 11 countries participated in the program held at a new partner institution, the University of the Andes. Based in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, the school boasts one of the most modern campuses in Latin America. In their first week of classes, ILA students learned about the moral basis of capitalism with Professor Brad Thompson, head of the Center for the Study of Capitalism at Clemson University. Professors Juan Pablo Couyoumdjian of Universidad de Desarrollo (Development) and Juan Ignacio Brito of the University of the Andes led the second week of courses, giving ILA students insight into Chile’s successful democracy and free-market system. Chile’s economy has been a regional leader for over a decade and serves as the perfect model for ILA students to study. “The ILA formula – one week establishing the philosophical basis of a marketbased economy and the rule of law,
followed by a week of empirical study of comparative economic systems in the region – has proven extremely successful,” said the Institute’s director Jon Perdue. “Many ILA students have reported that the program was the first time that they had ever been exposed to these ideas.” ILA student Domingo Bracho was one of 17 students from Venezuela who attended the program. “I believe that I speak for all of the Venezuelan students that took part in ILA when I say that my return to Venezuela was characterized by a strong desire to fight for freedom in my country now more than ever. I can say that the program has renewed our
“
energy and our hope for the political and economic situation in our country.” While in Santiago students toured the Diplomatic Academy, the Foreign Ministry and the U.S. Embassy. They were also recognized and given an ovation by lawmakers on the floor of the chamber of deputies at the Chilean Congress in the port city of Valparaiso. Special guest José Piñera, the brother of President Sebastian Piñera and architect of Chile’s self-directed pension system, gave a private lecture to the students on the implementation of the pension system, which has been applied in many Latin American countries.
I believe that I speak for all of the Venezuelan students that took part in ILA when I say that my return to Venezuela was characterized by a strong desire to fight for freedom in my country now more than ever.”
Capital Semester cont. The students also received 12 credit hours from Georgetown University for their coursework, studying the U.S. Constitution under Professor John Samples, director of the Center for Representative Government at the Cato Institute, and economics and public policy with Professor Brian Blase, policy analyst at The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Health Policy Studies. The students also participated in internship seminars focusing on public policy or political journalism.
share. “In January I was able to attend the State of the Union address. I sat on the first row of the press gallery directly behind the president. It was an indescribable experience being in the House chamber, sitting among some of the best journalists in the world and reporting on the most important leaders in our country.” It’s not every day that a D.C. intern is permitted to attend such a historic event, but students participating in the Capital Semester program are getting the most out of their time in the nation’s capital.
Leading experts, including Economist Michael Cox, formerly of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, and former Rep. Thomas Davis (Va.), spoke to the class on current events. As always, when one program comes to a close, a new class quickly moves in. On January 12, a group of 32 students hailing from five countries and five continents arrived in Washington for the spring semester program. Early on in the semester students met Academy Award-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss, who spoke to them on the importance of civic education and the American story.
Lasting
Current Capital Semester student Heather Caygle of the University of Alabama has spent her semester interning with The Houston Chronicle, but has her own newsworthy story to
Leaders
(l.-r.) Spring semester students Gabriella Ferrari of New Mexico State University and Healther Caygle of the University of Alabama visit Hearst Newspapers’ D.C. office.
MAKE A
IMPACT FUTURE
ON
OF AMERICA
Receive high fixed payments with a charitable gift annuity.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY ? • Depending on your age, the payout rates offered by a charitable gift annuity can be as high as 9.5% – much higher than returns offered by some interest-bearing accounts and stock investments. • Charitable gift annuities provide a safe, income-producing investment alternative in this uncertain economic environment. • You receive an immediate income tax deduction for a portion of your gift. • Your partially tax-free annuity payments are guaranteed for life, backed by a reserve and the assets of The Fund for American Studies. • You can have the satisfaction of making a significant gift that benefits you now and The Fund for American Studies later.
For a confidential, no-obligation illustration of benefits based on your age(s), call The Fund for American Studies’ Legacy Society office at 800-741-6964, and ask for Ed Turner at extension 238. For more information visit www.TFAS.org/legacy.
2011 TFAS Leadership Fellows Paulette Acevedo (P 07) Congressional Research Service Adam Berkland (E 08) Congressional Oversight Panel Robin Brand (J 02) The Advisory Board Company Erin Breen (J 03) CRA, Inc.
(l.-r.) Past and present TFAS Leadership Fellows Liz Stevulak (E 07), Cecily Hastings (E 05), Lindsey Hurlbut (B 06) and Betsy Bryant (B 05) catch up with one another at a reception at TFAS Headquarters.
Kyle Cormney (E 07) C2 Group Sean Flynn (E 06) Federal Reserve Board Joaquin Gallardo (ILA 09) Access National Bank Patty Gentry (P 04) Share Our Strength Borko Handjiski (A 02) World Bank Sean Harriton (E 08) U.S. Department of Justice Cecily Hastings (E 05) Center for Strategic and International Studies Julie Herward (B 07) U.S. Department of Energy Jennie Johnson (P 05, I 06) Fundraising Consultant Patrick Johnson (E 06) Booz Allen Hamilton Jameson Lamie (A 08) 89th Airlift Wing, Andrews Air Force Base Amanda Pope (CSF 08) SNR Denton Andrew Powaleny (J 08) House Energy and Commerce Committee Kevin Seifert (E 06) Rep. Paul Ryan (Wis.) Elizabeth Stevulak (E 07) David A. Clarke School of Law University of the District of Columbia Pamela Thorburn (P 06) Stateside Associates
TFAS Leadership Fellows On February 15, TFAS celebrated the accomplishments of 16 graduates of its 2010 TFAS Leadership Fellows program and welcomed the new class of 2011. This year-long networking and educational program is designed to develop young leaders with a shared commitment to helping improve public policy. Launched in 2007, the Leadership Fellows program is comprised of alumni under 35 years old who work for government agencies, the U.S. Congress, trade associations and nonprofit organizations. Throughout the year, participants take part in networking, educational and professional development events designed to expand their knowledge of public policy and economics issues. Highlights of the 2010 fellowship year included a winter retreat to Gettysburg, Pa., where the fellows engaged in discussion sessions with TFAS Charles G. Koch Senior Fellow James Otteson. Other events in Washington included an economics lecture by former TFAS professor George Viksnins and a panel on protecting wealth through insurance, real estate and investments.
Thanks to the generous support of BB&T, 2010 fellows took part in a three-part discussion of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged with Professor Eric Daniels of Clemson University’s Institute for the Study of Capitalism. One goal of the fellows program is to allow participants to develop strong connections with other alumni working in public policy. To achieve this end, current and past fellows classes meet regularly for social and networking events. To date, 68 alumni have completed the TFAS Leadership Fellows program with 20 alumni in the current class. “I firmly believe that the Leadership Fellows program is the pinnacle of the many opportunities that TFAS provides,” said 2010 fellow Bryan Wood (B 06), during his reflection remarks at the graduation ceremony. “I’ve always been impressed with how committed TFAS is to its alumni. Outside of the multitude of intellectual and social events, TFAS is incredibly generous in making its network of students, alumni and friends available.”
THE LINES ARE OPEN: Telephone Townhall Series Fosters Discussion With the Experts TFAS is now hosting bi-monthly Telephone Townhalls for its alumni and supporters. This initiative serves as a unique opportunity for supporters and alumni to interact with seasoned journalists as well as public policy makers and experts. The purpose of the conference-call sessions is to foster discussion about important issues facing the country. In 2010 the townhalls featured trustee and executive editor of The Weekly Standard Fred Barnes, senior writer of The Weekly Standard Stephen Hayes (A 94), Governor Mitch Daniels (Ind.) and former United Nations Ambassador John Bolton.
During his townhall, Hurt discussed covering the new Congress. He told listeners that he looks forward to reporting on what he describes as a group that is driven, principled and concerned with the country rather than reelection. After speaking to alumni and supporters, Hurt opened the floor for Q&A. Williams took several questions from listeners about current economic issues and discussed his new book Up from the Projects: An Autobiography. Be sure to check the “Upcoming Events” section of TFAS.org regularly for announcements on future townhall events.
In 2011, TFAS opened the lines to Charles Hurt, Washington bureau chief for the New York Post, and Walter Williams, one of America’s most famous and outspoken economists.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Stephen Hayes (A 94) Each week TFAS alumnus Stephen F. Hayes appears before millions of FOX News viewers as an “All Star Panelist” on Special Report with Bret Baier. Hayes comments on leading issues of the day, often drawing on stories he has reported for The Weekly Standard where he is a senior writer. He is also a frequent panelist on FOX News Sunday with Chris Wallace and a former analyst on CNN.
(l.-r.) Stephen Hayes (A 94) takes TFAS students Danny Spatchek (J 10) and Ariel Johnson (J 10) on a tour of FOX News where they met Bret Baier.
Earlier in his career, Hayes worked for six years at The Fund for American Studies, where he was director of the Institute on Political Journalism (IPJ). Because of his work with IPJ, Hayes decided to enter the field of journalism and enrolled in Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.
After Columbia, Hayes got hands-on political journalism experience writing for National Journal Hotline. He later reconnected with Fred Barnes, whom he had worked closely with at IPJ, and landed a job at The Weekly Standard. At the magazine, Hayes writes about international affairs, national politics and the country’s current political leadership. His coverage of the disarmament crisis in Iraq inspired him to write his first book, New York Times’ best seller The Connection: How al Qaeda’s Collaboration with Saddam Hussein Has Endangered America. Hayes later became Vice President Dick Cheney’s biographer. His unique access to Cheney resulted in a fascinating biography called Cheney: The Untold Story of America’s Most Powerful and Controversial Vice President.
ALUMNI NOTES Engalitcheff Institute on Comparative Political & Economic Systems.......................................E Institute on Business & Government Affairs.......................................................................B Institute on Political Journalism.........................................................................................J Institute on Philanthropy & Voluntary Service......................................................................P American Institute on Political & Economic Systems (Prague).................................................A International Institute for Political & Economic Studies (Greece)..............................................I Asia Institute for Political Economy (Hong Kong)..............................................................HK Capital Semester Spring...........................................................................................CSS Capital Semester Fall................................................................................................CSF European Journalism Institute (Prague).............................................................................EJI Euro-Med Journalism Institute (Greece)........................................................................EMJI Legal Studies Institute.................................................................................................LSI Institute for Leadership in the Americas (Chile)................................................................ILA Daniel Mathis (B 95) is an oil and gas attorney with the Arlington, Texas civil litigation firm of Curnutt & Hafer, L.L.P. and was selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars Edition 2010. He was also elected as the 2010-11 vice president for the Arlington Young Lawyers Association.
Kirby Wilbur (E 73) was elected State Chairman of the Washington State Republican Party.
Top to bottom: Emily Hill (P 05) is the new TFAS alumni affairs director. To read a Q&A with Hill, visit the website at www.TFAS.org/Emily. | (l.-r.) Andreas Mueller (CSS 06), John Dogero (CSS 06, I 06) and Heather Jeffreys (CSS 06) enjoy a Georgetown University men’s basketball game with D.C. alumni.
Justin Bernier (E 96) announced that he will run for Congress in Connecticut’s fifth district in 2012.
Michael Caslin (E 78) is a principal at Sustainable Community Resource Capital in New York, focusing on creating financial solutions for sustainable and renewable energy infrastructures.
Darko Blazevski (A 97) received a full scholarship for EMBA studies at the City College, International Faculty of the University of Sheffield, Thessaloniki and is the head of R&D at the Insurance Supervision Agency in Macedonia.
Rosanne Lienhard (J 92, A 93) is the recipient of the 2011 National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development’s Teaching Excellence Award.
John Compton (E 99) is teaching political theory and public law at the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
Charles Adwan (I 00) is studying for a master’s degree at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Gideon Shimshon (I 00) is cofounder and chairman of the board at Pax Ludens, a foundation for conflict management training and research. Georgia Mavrodi (I 00) completed doctoral studies in political science at the European University Institute and is a lecturer of European Union policy studies at James Madison University’s Florence campus. Queen Nworisara-Quinn (E 00) is studying for her master’s in philosophy at the University of Cambridge. Muhammad Agha (I 01) is media group vice president at Haykal Media in Syria where he leads the business services and conferences divisions. Kurt Couchman (E 02) is working for Rep. Justin Amash (Mich.) covering taxes, health care, financial services and homeland security issues. Ákos Hegyi (A 02) is a member of the city council in Pécs City, Hungary and vice president of the Natural and Human Resource Development Committee. Megan Hoot (P 02) is chief of staff for Civic Enterprises in Washington, D.C. Diana Lehnert (J 02, EMJI 06) is an assignment editor at WNBC-TV in New York.
Travis Campbell (E 04) is an attorney with Simmonds & Narita in San Francisco.
Selma Kadic (A 06) is working at the School of Economics and Business Sarajevo and studying for a Ph.D. at the Faculty of Economics University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Josh Garber (E 04) is a research attorney for the Supreme Court of Guam. Giorgos Michalopoulos (I 05) is studying for his Ph.D in Greek history at the University of Oxford.
Alfred Nurja (A 06) is a fellow at the Arms Control Association in Washington, D.C.
David Reid (B 05) is the political action committee manager for UnitedHealth Group.
Tom Zacharski (A 06, E 07) is working at Google in Dublin.
Omar Chatah (I 06) works in investment banking at Citigroup in London.
Nur Amira Abdul Karim (HK 07) is second secretary at the Singapore Embassy in D.C.
Ti-Cheng (Meg) Chiu (HK 06) works at the International Affairs Office, Academia Sinica, Taipei. Ying Hu (HK 06, E 07) graduated with first class honors from the LL.M. program in Cambridge earlier this year and is now studying for a certificate at Hong Kong University.
Tyson Larson (A 06) won a state senate seat in District 40 in Nebraska.
Milica Popovic (I 07) is studying for her master’s in political science at the PantheonAssas Paris II University. Perihan Abdelghaly (I 08) graduated from the University of Manchester and is the CSR executive officer for the marketing and communications department at the Arab African International Bank.
AIPES and IIPES teaching assistant Sam Potolicchio (top row, second from r.) was awarded the K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award by the American Association of Colleges and Universities.
Bernhard Adamec (CSS 09) earned his master’s degree at the University of Vienna summa cum laude and will work for The Boston Consulting Group.
Kaveh Khazra (J 09) is the winner of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s 2010 Gold Circle Award for best nonfiction article for his story “Citizens Step Up.”
Segun Adeoye (EJI 09) is staff writer to the assistant online editor at Tell magazine. He was also selected for the 2011 Alfred Friendly Press Fellowship.
Yifan Xu (HK 09) is studying for her master’s in international relations at Yale University.
Chelsea Barnett (E 09) is the special projects coordinator for the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.
Karen Fowler (B 10, ILA 11) is radio host of CA$H Radio, an acronym for Call In and SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise ) Helps at Texas State University.
CRUISE EUROPE WITH The Weekly Standard & The Fund for American Studies May 12 - 22, 2011 Book today! www.TFAS.org/cruise
The FUND for AMERICAN STUDIES 1706 New Hampshire Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20009
44th Anniversary Annual Conference WASHINGTON, DC & ANNAPOLIS, MD April 14 - April 15, 2011
• Attend a congressional policy briefing on Capitol Hill with Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) and Reps. Jeff Flake (Ariz.), John Fleming (La.) and Tom Price (Ga.). • Visit Annapolis, Md. Tour the Maryland State House,
www.TFAS.org/44th
dine at the Charles Carroll House, and explore the United States Naval Academy.