Institute Expands Internship Opportunities Welcome to the Institute of Politics at Harvard University Jeanne Shaheen, Director
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DECEMBER 2005 30 Years of Forums Archived New Frontier Awards Presented New Mayors Briefed George Magazine in the Forum New Survey Released U.S. Senator Barack Obama meets with 2005 IOP summer interns on the U.S. Capitol steps. Institute Expands Internship Opportunities Welcome to the Institute of Politics at Harvard University Jeanne Shaheen, Director After joining the Institute of Politics in July, I want you all to know how very appreciative I am to have this opportunity to serve as IOP Director. I am pleased to announce that the Institute will be receiving new University endowment funds this year. The funds will be used to expand our internship program, to create an initiative for development of leadership skills among undergraduate women, and to offer a scholarship to a SAC alumnus to attend the John F. Kennedy School of Government. This fall, Harvard students and IOP staff continued their work to foster politi- cal engagement on campus and in our community—below are highlights of some of our exciting programs: • After nearly thirty years of fantastic speeches and panels held in the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum, in early January we will launch a search- able video archive of Forum programs dating from 1978 which will be available on the IOP website. • At the end of November, we welcomed nearly 20 big city mayors from across the country for our Newly-Elected Mayors Program. The conference, co-hosted by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, helps new mayors take on the practical challenges of urban governance. • Our National Campaign hosted its fall conference, “Beyond Voting: College Students and Political Engagement,” focused on non-voting political engagement. Representatives from our 19 partner schools joined academic experts in discussing the latest research on civic education, campus social movements, and attitudes of students active in community service. • Our latest national survey of America’s college students finds stu- To subscribe to the dents—like other Americans—rating President George W. Bush, IOP’s email list: support for the Iraq war, and direction of the country near his- Send an email message to: toric lows. Students continue to be politically engaged and a strong [email protected] majority believe that serving as an elected official is an “honorable” In the body of the message, type: thing to do. subscribe iop <your email We work every day to stay at the forefront of political activity, research, discus- address> (without arrows) sion, and debate. To learn more about our programs and events, please visit our website—www.iop.harvard.edu. I hope to see you soon at the IOP! 1 InsTITUTE OF POLITICS New Frontier Awards Second annual awards are presented in conjunction with the Kennedy Library Foundation In late October, Caroline Kennedy presented the second annual John F. Kennedy New Frontier Awards to Lisa Madigan, Illinois Attorney General, and Kica Matos, Executive Director of JUNTA for Progressive Action, the oldest Latino community service organization in New Haven, Connecticut, at a public ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. The Kennedy Library Foundation and Harvard’s Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School of Government created the New Frontier Awards to honor Americans under the age of 40 who are changing their communities—and the country—with their commitment to public service. The two awards are pre- sented annually to two exceptional individuals whose contributions in elective office, non-elective community service or advocacy demonstrate the impact and the value of public service in the spirit of John F. Kennedy. The awards were presented before a capacity crowd in the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library’s Stephen Smith Center prior to a Kennedy Library Forum with CBS News Anchor Walter Cronkite. “Lisa Madigan and Kica Matos are an inspiration to all young Americans who share my father’s belief that one person can make a difference, and everyone should try,” said Caroline Kennedy, President of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and a member of the Senior Advisory Committee for Harvard’s Institute of Politics. “President Kennedy believed there was no higher calling than public service. Today we honor two outstanding young women who have answered the call to give something back to our country.” “President Kennedy inspired millions of young people to get involved and work to make our country a better place,” Lisa Madigan said. “I am hon- ored to receive this award and will continue to work to protect consumers, advocate for women, children and senior citizens and ensure an open and honest government that moves us closer to President Kennedy’s vision for America.” “I am deeply humbled to receive this award honoring a leader who inspired generations of citizens of the world,” said Kica Matos. “Still today there is resonance in his call to service; a call which requires of each of us a commit- ment to stand for justice especially when the road is not yet clear.” InsTITUTE OF POLITICS 2 Forum Archive Nearly thirty years of footage from the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum set to hit the web The Institute of Politics is very proud to announce that video footage of nearly thirty years of public addresses and panel discussions held in the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum (formerly known as the ARCO Forum of Public Affairs) at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government will be available in early January in a searchable format on the Institute’s website: www.iop.harvard.edu. The new online video archive, featuring hundreds of speeches given by some of the world’s most prominent political leaders from 1978 to the present, will also offer visitors a search engine to fully explore its contents—making the library’s rich historical material accessible to students, researchers and citizens. With the advent of new technologies, the IOP has worked painstakingly over the last two years to gather and digitize all available Forums. The archive reveals the changing tide of public debate in America and throughout the world. From the Contras to the Cuban Missile Crisis, from civil rights to human rights, from the Cold War to the War on Terror, the Forum archive chronicles strategic threats at home and abroad and demonstrates how policy issues have evolved over a quarter century. This database of politics, policy, culture, and academic life will provide content and context to citizens from around the world. Since its founding in 1978, the Forum has hosted more than 2,200 events, seen by audiences totaling more than 650,000 people and millions more via cable television, teleconferencing and the Internet. The Forum has played host to Presidents, including Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, and to Nobel Peace Prize winners, including Mikhail Gorbachev, Kofi Annan, Shimon Peres, Yasser Arafat, the Dalai Lama, Wangari Maathai, Desmond Tutu, Shirin Ebadi, Lech Walesa, and Mohamed ElBaradei. The Forum has hosted heads of state from around the globe, as well as Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives, academics, community organizers and artists. Following their addresses, all speakers are required to participate in a question-and-answer session with members of the audience. Online viewers will see the Forum come alive as students, faculty and the public take part in this lively and provocative Forum tradition. Transcripts of selected recent Forums will also soon be available on the new Forum archive page. Make sure to check out the searchable archive on the Forum section of the IOP’s website: www.iop.harvard.edu/events_forum_ archive.html. 3 InsTITUTE OF POLITICS Forum Spotlight George Magazine Forum highlights a semester of great guests To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the founding of George Magazine, the IOP was proud to host a panel discussion in the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum entitled, “Not Just Politics as Usual…” Former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw moderated a discussion on the intersection of culture and politics with Roger Ailes of Fox News Channel, George Magazine contributor Paul Begala of CNN, and former Rock the Vote president Jehmu Greene. The event also included satellite appearances by former President Bill Clinton and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. George Magazine was created in 1995 by John F. Kennedy, Jr. with the goal of engaging more citizens, particularly women and young people, in the political process. By focusing on culture and politics, George made politics relevant, engaging and fun. JFK Jr. Forum Highlights: Foreign policy and international affairs: • Serbian President Boris Tadic talked about the difficulties of admin- istering a democracy after war in “Serbia, Southeast Europe, and Transatlantic Relations.” • 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Green Belt Movement Foundation founder Wangari Maathai, gave a moving address titled, “Empowering Women & Children One Tree at a Time” and shared her inspiring story. • 2005 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Mohamed ElBaradei discussed the imper- ative of addressing nuclear weapons in North Korea, Iran and the Middle East. Domestic politics: • IOP Director Jeanne Shaheen moderated a panel marking the 10th Anniversary of The Weekly Standard magazine with William Kristol, Fred Barnes, Martha Bayles and P.J. O’Rourke. • Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm shared her vision of the “Leadership Challenges in a Shifting Global Economy.” • Eagle Forum founder Phyllis Schlafly spoke about “The Rise of Grassroots Conservatism” over the last forty years. InsTITUTE OF POLITICS 4 Fall Fellows Class Fine Fall Fellows make a splash at the IOP with students and the broader community The IOP’s Fall Fellows had the Harvard campus buzzing all semester long, each Spring Fellows leading weekly not-for-credit study groups to discuss current issues in American Background and politics, the media and public policy.