Common Interest Program Ends on a High Note with Conference at CCNY

EF's first-ever common interest program on the challenges of urbanization successfully concluded on November 15 as the EF network gained 29 new members from the global community. The architecture of this program was different from the norm, as Fellows from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, and the U.S. were assigned to teams that visited two cities each in addition to their individual itineraries. Fellows assessed strengths and weaknesses of the cities and observed best practices to take home to their own cities. Many Fellows noted the advantages of having their USA Fellow counterparts with them, as it strengthened their bonds and proved educational from both a cultural and professional standpoint. As Spanish Fellow Martin Fernandez-Prado noted, "The group of Fellows, both foreigners as well as the Americans, this year was exceptional. The atmosphere that was created was wonderful and what I learned from them is impressive."

The CIP Fellows returned to the Philadelphia area in mid-November for their closing seminar at the Villanova Conference Center, where they shared photos and artifacts from their travels and reported on their team findings. According to outgoing Vice President for Programs John Sommer, the group's closing seminar reports "were the most substantive in my EF experience." The closing seminar also gave Fellows a chance to relax and bond before going their separate ways.

The program officially concluded at EF’s conference in New York City, “Strengthening Global Cities: An Urban Leadership Forum.” Here, Fellows joined nearly 200 other participants in panel and roundtable discussions on urban leadership. Led by EF Chairman Gen. Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.), the day featured keynote addresses from Deputy Mayor of New York Daniel Doctoroff, Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons, and General Powell himself. Powell also led a town-hall style meeting on urban lessons for the future with CIP Fellows Alicia Guajardo (Mexico), Arbind Singh (India), and Don Hobart (USA), as well as two CCNY Scholars. The day concluded with a reception and many Fellows spent their last night together "out on the town" in New York City.

Of the program, Indian Fellow Sanjeev Sanyal summarized, "The last two months have been some of the most extraordinary of my life. I am no stranger to the U.S. as I have been visiting it almost every year since the early '90s. Nonetheless, Eisenhower Fellowships gave me a perspective that was very different – the people I met, the places I saw, the friends I made – in short, America in all its glorious diversity. I go back home to Asia with a far greater appreciation of America’s strengths and even a degree of sympathy for its foibles."

South Asia Fellows to Reunite in Lahore [POSTPONED: NEW CONFERENCE DATES TBA]

Collective Potential of South Asia is the theme for a regional conference of Eisenhower Fellows, which is expected to draw 50-100 participants from Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Eisenhower Fellows from these countries met initially in 2004 in Philadelphia for EF’s first single region program on South Asia. They subsequently gathered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 2006 for a conference on South Asia into the 21st Century.

With these two successful programs and encouraged by the many friendships blossoming among the Fellows, the Pakistani alumni Fellows are organizing a solid conference with numerous topics for discussion, led by the conference committee of Shahid Mahmud, ’01; Sufia Shahid, ’03; Dr. Abdul Bari Khan, ’04; Dr. Rozina Mistry, ’04; Ayub Munir Malik, ’04; and Rabia Garib, ’07. Health, environment, ecology, disaster management, education, and skills transfer among other areas will be addressed. On-site tours of bazaars, the Lahore Fort, and Lahore Museum are also planned.

Left to Right: Frederic Mauro, Benoit Aubenas, Fernando Ballestero, Giuseppe Cassano, Etienne Drouard (kneeling), Christopher Flint, Cecile Moulard, and Claude Henrion.

Plans for Paris 2009 Conference Well Underway

The European Fellows Operating Committee has met twice this fall and will meet again January 19 to further shape plans for Energy, the Challenges for Environment and Security, an international EF conference to be held October 1-3, 2009, in Paris, France. Committee members include:

France: Hedwige Pasquet, ’00; Frederic Mauro, ’01; Cecile Moulard, ’02; Etienne Drouard, ’06; and special advisor, Claude Henrion, ’68; Czech Republic: Jana Ryslinkova, ’92; EU: Benoit Aubenas, ‘72; Germany: Rudolph Pospischil, ’98; Greece: Niki Tzavella, ’96; Ireland: Donal deBuitleir, ‘87; Italy: Giuseppe Cassano, ’67; Spain: Fernando Ballestero, ’98; U.K.: Christopher Flint, ’90; and special advisor from the U.S.: Jack Barkenbus, ’96.

The committee is considering an optional pre-conference visit to Cadarache, the site of the ITER project near Marseille in the south of France.

Speaker, American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand

Pictured in the photo at left, left to right: AMCHAM Governor Jim Yarbrough, Dr. Chadamas Thuvasethakul, Harold Vickery, Paul Wedel, Supinya Klangnarong, AMCHAM Vice President Charles Blocker, Tej Bunnag, AMCHAM Vice President Chris Knight, and Rapee Sucharitakul.

Reception Honors Indonesia Fellow

Governor Barnabus Suebu, ‘90, Indonesia, was recently honored with a reception for being chosen as one of Time magazine’s Heroes of the Environment. Hosted by U.S. Ambassador Cameron R. Hume, the event was attended by many EF alumni, including Ismid Hadad, ’90; M. Nashihin Hasan, ’90; Rusdian Lubis, ’90; Rudy J. Pesik, ’90; Natalia Soebagjo, ’90; Ninok Leksono, ’93; Yuli Ismartono, ’97; Budi Lim, ’98; Jerry Ng, ’02; and Suahasil Nazara, ’07.

Recipient, Hands of Health Award

Kathy Higgins, ‘05, USA, was recently honored at the John Rex Endowment's fourth annual Hands of Health Award Breakfast at the Marbles Kids Museum. Higgins, president of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation, was recognized for her leadership and motivation in opening doors to health care and health education for area families.

"I am grateful for this honor," said Higgins. "I cannot overstate how much I value and appreciate my selection. "

Head of Indonesia & Special Advisor for Southeast Asia at TPG

Jerry Ng, ’02, Indonesia, has joined TPG as head of Indonesia and special advisor for Southeast Asia, where his main task will be to source and manage investments primarily in the financial services sector of those areas. Ng recently served as deputy president director of PT Bank Danamon Indonesia where he worked for over four years

Ng said, “I am excited by the opportunity to work with TPG, the leading global private equity firm. I wholeheartedly share TPG’s value creation philosophy. My efforts will focus on innovative business solutions and relentless execution.”

Recipient, NAACP Political Trailblazer Award

Recipient, Victoria University of Wellington Holmes Prize for Public Policy

Bernadine Vester, ’02, New Zealand, was awarded the Victoria University of Wellington Holmes Prize for Public Policy by Prime Minister Hon Helen Clark. The prize was for research that focused on the relationship between local government and education, and proposed a model for development of the relationship between these two sectors.

Says Vester, “This work was built upon ideas originally gathered during my Fellowship in 2002, and I have worked on them since!”

Member, Blue-Ribbon Committee

Distinguished Alumni Award, George Washington University

Martin Burt, ‘94, Paraguay, has received the Distinguished Alumni Award from The George Washington University. Recipients are recognized for the lasting impact they have made on society though outstanding professional, voluntary, or philanthropic accomplishments. Burt is the founder and current CEO of Fundacion Paraguaya, an organization devoted to the development of small enterprises in Paraguay through the creation, growth, and strengthening of sustainable microfinance services.

Burt was also given the Keynote and Social Innovator Award by Brigham Young University.

Czech Fellows Cosponsor Memorial to WWII Fighter

Director, International Trade Division, North Carolina Department of Commerce

Chair, Post Graduate Studies, University of Lagos

Book Published

Pablo Bereciartua, ‘03, Argentina, recently published a book titled “Challenges for the National Innovation Systems – Innovation for a Sustainable Socioeconomic Growth.”

New Alumni Fellows Survey Results Released

The results of a recent survey of 2004-05 alumni Fellows shows strong correlation with the results of similar survey conducted with the previous year’s Fellows. Both queried alumni Fellows about the impact of Eisenhower Fellowships on their lives, both personally and professionally.

Ninety percent of the recent respondents reported that the Fellowship had a strong or very strong positive effect on their international perspective or world view, and 96% said the Fellowship had a strong or very strong positive effect on their understanding of the U.S. or host country and its institutions.

As one Fellow commented, “I used to be critical of the U.S. government and its policies, and often used to carry it to my criticism of Americans in general. After my trip to the U.S., I learn[ed] to differentiate the people of the U.S. from its government. Surely, my criticism of the U.S. has also blunted once I have understood the U.S. perspective.”

When asked if the fellowship experience contributed directly to any changes or improvements in the organizations or institutions with which the Fellow was involved, 79% said "yes.”