Item Posted: May 28, 2010

L-R: Mayor Michael Nutter, Gen. Colin Powell (ret.),
and James Baker III. Photo credit: Lauren Hansen-Flaschen.

EF Chairman Colin Powell Leads Annual Meeting Day and Awards Ceremonies

Seventeen 2010 Multi Nation Fellows, two China Party School Fellows and six USA Fellows have now joined the EF alumni network after last week’s official certificate presentation. EF Chairman General Colin Powell, USA (Ret.) presided over a number of events during the day, including the annual Board meeting, lunch with Trustees and special guests, a seminar with Fellows, and the evening’s annual award dinner. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter also made a special appearance.

At dinner, General Powell presented the Distinguished Alumnus Award to Sister Mary Scullion, '02, USA. In his remarks, Gen. Powell praised her efforts, “For three decades you have advocated tirelessly and vocally for the homeless in Philadelphia and across the nation…you have provided life-changing service to thousands of men, women and children in need not just of temporary shelter, but broad social support. Project H.O.M.E…has been a transformational institution with an impact that is felt in cities across the nation. It has drawn the attention and support of mayors, governors, federal cabinet officers, corporations, philanthropists, religious leaders and even rock stars. This remarkable achievement grew from your deep personal concern for the people of your community, your passion for social justice, and your boundless energy."

L-R: Philadelphia Fellows Jim Eisenhower, Diane Melley, Dan Castro, Tim Boyle, Sister Mary Scullion, Cynthia Figueroa, Loree Jones, and Pedro Ramos. Photo credit: Lauren Hansen-Flaschen.

General Powell also presented the 2010 Eisenhower Medal for Leadership and Service to James Baker III, former Secretary of State, Senior Partner, Baker Botts; and Honorary Chairman, James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University. Of Baker, Powell remarked, "As a private citizen, you repeatedly answered the call to service as co-leader of blue-ribbon bipartisan panels which examined both domestic and foreign policy issues, such as U.S. electoral system and the future of Iraq. Your substantial achievements and personal sacrifice for the common good are a model for Eisenhower Fellows throughout the world. You have worked tirelessly and successfully to further Dwight Eisenhower’s vision of a world where cooperation replaces confrontation and understanding replaces ignorance.

Wolf highlighted the bond the fellowship creates, “We have a new group of Eisenhower Fellows who will make that invisible metamorphosis from new Fellows to alumni Fellows. Over the past seven weeks, the Multi-Nation and China Party School Fellows have shared with each other a lifetime of stories, and experiences…and when they leave here tonight they now will remain linked together for a life-time –
as Eisenhower Fellows.”

He also recognized the other alumni Fellows present and referenced the internship program being launched with Project H.O.M.E. teens as a tribute to Sister Mary Scullion. Wolf said, “[W]hat’s special about this group, too, is that…they’re here helping others in the city [Philadelphia] to stand on their own. I call on you to make this an annual effort, not just a one-time offering, so that we develop a cadre of young people in Philadelphia who are associated with EF.”

Also speaking at dinner were Soo Hwang Teo, '10, Malaysia and Clint Zweifel, '09, USA. Each spoke on their fellowship experiences and the impact that EF has had on their lives. Teo talked about her mission to battle cancer and how the fellowship forced her to think outside the box and give her some new perspectives. Zweifel highlighted the generosity and warm welcome of Fellows in Spain that he will long remember.

Item Posted: May 28, 2010

Pakistan Fellow Organizes Blog Awards and UnConference 2010

Nokia presents Pakistan’s Inaugural Blog Awards and UnConference today at the Reagent Plaza in Karachi, organized by CIO Pakistan and Google Pakistan. Driven by a passion to showcase the bright minds who endorse the brand Pakistan in the today’s tech-savvy and integrated world, the Pakistan Blog Awards are showcasing more than 200 blogs across 33 categories and have had more than 10,000 unique votes cast in support of the showcase. The Awards and UnConference are being co-sponsored by DELL, Cannon, Supernet and CommTel Soft, and supported by Dawn News, City FM89, Digispace, Demotix.com, RadioOne FM91, Caf Headlion and OPEN Silicon Valley.

Adjudication of the blogs is currently underway with judges from local and international organizations such as Columbia University, Harvard University (including John Della Volpe, ’08, USA), UNICEF, Cisco, and DELL. The UnConference will be an integrated, interactive panel addressing the perspectives on three major issues: innovation in media, the ubiquitous Web 3.0, and an engaged audience of today. Rabia Garib, ’07, Pakistan, Editor-in Chief of CIO magazine in Pakistan, said, “We have so many great writers who help the world gain access to balanced perspectives on many issues through their blogs and it is imperative that we recognize the bloggers and citizen journalists who invest their time and intellectual capital in doing so. That’s the objective that Google and us had in putting together a showcase of the Pakistani blogs.” Click here to hear Rabia’s interview with Sesh Velamoor from the Foundation for the Future and one of the judges for the Blog Awards. For more details, please visit www.ciopakistan.com/blogawards2010.

Item Posted: May 28, 2010

Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal
Launches 2010 Spring Edition

On May 11, 2010, the Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal founded by Tine Hansen-Turton, ’05, USA, and Nick Torres, ’08, USA, held a one-day forum on education to launch the publication of the spring issue. The forum, titled “Disrupting Class: What Our Education System Will Look Like When Transformation is Complete”, featured lectures from Clayton M. Christenson, Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School, co-author of the book Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns; and group work with experts in the field of education to examine current education innovations and design new ones to meet today’s challenges. The spring 2010 edition of the journal includes articles written by Jane Golden, ’03, USA, and EF Steering Committee member, Liz Dow, President of Leadership Philadelphia, focused on examining innovations in special education, mentoring, fresh food and nutrition, and government services access. To read the current edition of Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal, click here.

Item Posted: May 28, 2010

Gil Pereg, '08, Israel (left) and Iyad Masrouji, '08, Palestine (right)

Fellowship Programs Join in Conflict Resolution

Eisenhower, Kellogg and Loeb Alumni Fellows took the opportunity to autograph the “peace wall” in Belfast, Northern Ireland while on a site visit as part of the Building Community Across Difference Seminar, May 4 through May 7. Participants from the three fellowship programs examined the Irish model of conflict resolution which resulted in the 1998 "Good Friday" peace accord.

The workshop held in Dublin and Belfast provided ideas and tentative plans for moving forward to sustain or begin building community in different and challenging settings. Over the four-day period, bridges were built between the three fellowship programs, among all of the Fellows attending and across the generations as a group of young Irish leaders (ages 25 into their early 30’s) were included in the event. Irish Alumni Eisenhower Fellows, along with the three fellowship organizations, joined together to design and plan the program which had approximately 40 participants and presenters.

Plans for follow-up include: ongoing mentoring opportunity for young leader participants with alumni participants, capturing the highlights through slides, videos and stories on EF the website, potential follow-on event in 2011, and potential webinar on related topics.

Item Posted: May 24, 2010

EF Chairman Meets with China Fellows

Chairman of Eisenhower Fellowships (EF), General Colin L. Powell (USA, ret.) announced that in fall 2011, EF will organize its third China Single Nation Program. The program will feature an international conference in Beijing which will bring Eisenhower Fellows, sponsors, and other leaders to Beijing from approximately 50 countries. General Powell made the announcement at a meeting with Eisenhower Fellows and special guests including key members of the China Entrepreneur Club. General Powell hosted an hour long meeting with key Fellows and business leaders followed by a reception in which approximately 20 Eisenhower Fellows attended including Jiang Bo, '99, China, Secretary General of China Education Association for International Exchange and Dong Dasheng, '99, China, Deputy Auditor General, and head of the Fellows alumni group in China.

Item Posted: May 24, 2010

EF Trustee, Lutron Electronics Donates Company History to National
Museum of American History

In a special donation ceremony at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Joel Spira, EF Trustee, inventor and developer of the solid-state electronic “dimming device” and chairman and founder of Pennsylvania-based Lutron Electronics, will donate materials related to the company’s 50-year history to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. The donation includes an early version of the original solid-state (devices using transistors) Capri dimmer manufactured by Lutron in September 1964. Also part of the donation is a retail display featuring the fully functional dimmer and other Lutron dimmers and lighting-control systems that show lighting-control developments at the company over the past 50 years.

”I am pleased to donate these artifacts to the museum,” said Spira. “For the past 50 years, the solid-state dimmer has made homes more beautiful and offices more efficient—all while saving energy and increasing lamp life. It is an honor for me to be in the company of Edison and others in this collection. I am truly humbled.”

“American homes changed significantly during the 20th century as people adopted electricity for any number of tasks, including illumination,” said Hal Wallace, associate curator of the museum’s Electricity Collection. “Objects such as those being donated by Lutron fit in nicely with the switches and control devices we preserve that date back to Edison’s day. Studying the tools of everyday life, such as light switches, helps us to understand our ever-changing technological society.” The National Museum of American History collects, preserves and displays American heritage in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history. To learn more about the museum, check http://americanhistory.si.edu.

Item Posted: May 24, 2010

USA Fellow Wins Award

Ran Coble, ’01, USA, (pictured left) recently accepted the award for Outstanding Policy Achievement for his organization, The N.C. Center for Public Policy Research. This prestigious national award for high-quality policy research is bestowed by the national Governmental Research Association (GRA). The Association is a group of 33 public policy organizations in 22 states. The Center won the top award, which goes to the policy group whose research leads to “tangible improvements in public policy.” The Center was honored for its three-year effort to improve North Carolina’s laws designed to prevent and reduce high school dropouts. Click here to read more about the N.C. Center for Public Policy Research. On a side note, Ran and his wife, Jane, will travel to Brazil in June. He'll interview nonprofit organization leaders in the country. Click here to read the article he wrote on the work of Ratish Nanda, ’07, India.

Item Posted: May 17, 2010

China (Taiwan) Fellow Meets With Hu Jintao

Hu Jintao (at right in photo), general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with the People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (at left in photo), '82, China (Taiwan), in Shanghai, east China, on April 29, 2010. Hu Jintao also met with Taiwan dignitaries in Shanghai, who have been here to attend the World Expo opening ceremony.

Item Posted: May 17, 2010

USA Fellow Co-Authors Book

Tine Hansen-Turton, '05, USA, co-authored a chapter in the new Springer Publications most-read book about nurse practitioners in the world (in its fifth edition and has sold well over 100,000 copies), entitled Nurse Practitioners: The Evolution and Future of Advanced Practice.

Tine worked with Frances Hughes (her colleague from New Zealand) under the Global Health section on the Evolution and Future of Nurse Practitioners in New Zealand. Tine used her Eisenhower Fellowships final report as an outline for the chapter.

Item Posted: May 17, 2010

Fellows in the News

Marti Cortez, ’10, USA, was featured, along with Senator Claire McCaskill, Vice President of Public Relations for Ameren Corporation, Karen Foss, and Founder of the Missouri Budget Project, Amy Blouin, in an article highlighting women balancing family and work in highly competitive fields. (St. Louis Beacon)

Sanjeev Sanyal, ’07, India, discusses why Indian cities must actively leverage their universities to generate growth. (Business Standard)

Carina Novarese, ’08, Uruguay, was one of the speakers at the first TEDxMontevideo session. See photos here.

Item Posted: May 10, 2010

Brazil Fellow Awarded Highest Honor

Anna Bárbara Proietti, ‘00, Brazil, recently received the Medalha de Honra da Inconfidência. This honor is conferred annually to people and institutions that have distinguished themselves for the benefit of Minas Gerais State and Brazil. It is the highest honor in the State of Minais Gerais and is granted by the Governor (currently Antonio Anastasia). Proietti received the award for her work with Fundação Hemominas, (Foundation of Hematology), for the citizens of Brazil. Fundação Hemominas provides blood to 92% of the population requiring blood and is a main center for the treatment of hemophilia and sickle cell anemia in Brazil. Their work also includes developing active research in the hematology and blood transfusion areas.

Item Posted: May 10, 2010

Malaysia Fellow Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Professor Dato Anwar Fazal, ’72, Malaysia, has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Consumers International and the Federation of Malaysians Consumers Association on the occasion of the 50 years celebration of Consumers International. Professor Fazal is the Director of the Right Livelihood College based at the Centre of Policy Research and International Studies (CenPRIS), Universiti Sains Malaysia. He was described as “the most influential figure in the history of the international consumer movement”. The award was presented by Kenyan consumer activist Samuel Ochieng, currently President of Consumers International. Professor Anwar Fazal gave a keynote lecture at the conference entitled "Consumer Power" and launched a book with same title.

Item Posted: May 10, 2010

USA Fellow Discusses Sustainability in China

Eisenhower Fellow to China (Taiwan), James Heimowitz, ’92, USA, represented Eisenhower Fellowships at the China Entrepreneur Club conference in Chengdu, China last month. He spoke on the topic of the evolution of green technology from his experience with working with clients in China as President of Hill and Knowlton, North Asia. James Heimowitz is also is a member of Eisenhower Fellowships’ US-China Nominating Committee.

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Click here to read Fellow News from April 2010; or click here to read news from prior months.

Download the January 2010 e-Newsletter