THE BRENT SCOWCROFT AWARD FELLOWSHIP To nurture and train a new generation of foreign policy leaders committed to bipartisan dialogue and a strong American purpose in the world
Over two decades after the end of the Cold War and the fall of the Soviet Union, the relationship between the United States and Russia is again at a crossroads. Russian actions to annex Crimea and destabilize Ukraine have triggered global outrage and sanctions by the United States and European Union, and there is much debate regarding the Putin government’s future motivations in the region. The U.S.-Soviet relationship was the primary focus of the Aspen Strategy Group when it was founded in 1984, so it is fitting that we return to the U.S.-Russia relationship on the occasion of our 30th anniversary.
Lt. General Brent Scowcroft, one of the original founders of ASG along with Joe Nye and Bill Perry, has spent much of his career deeply involved with this relationship. While in the Air Force, he was a Professor of Russian History at West Point and held various posts in government, including as the National Security Advisor to both Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush where he helped manage the resolution of the Cold War. General Scowcroft’s expertise and experience are invaluable contributions as the ASG returns to its roots.
In recognition of General Scowcroft’s commitment to public service and his dedication to the Aspen Strategy Group over the years, the ASG launched the Brent Scowcroft Fellowship Award program. Now in its eleventh year, the fellowship has benefited over forty fellows. The program is designed to prepare a new generation of foreign policy practitioners to take a leading role in our increasingly complex world. This summer’s recipients of the award— Peter Walker Kaplan and Brandon Kist—are profiled on the following pages. We also reached out to all of the past Scowcroft Fellows for updates and have included their responses.
This summer’s Brent Scowcroft Award Fellows are supported by the John Anson Kittredge Educational Fund. This support is provided, in part, as a tribute to the memory of the Fund's former chair, and longtime participant in the Aspen Strategy Group, Ernest May. More information on the fund can be found at: http://kittredgefund.org.
CURRENT BRENT SCOWCROFT AWARD FELLOWS
“I am a big believer in practical experience. It is one thing to talk about something and another thing to see it and do it firsthand. The Brent Scowcroft Award Fellowship has been invaluable because it has provided me a behind-the-scenes look at the thoughts and actions of people who have been and are “in the arena.” In few other places would I have had the opportunity to interact with and observe such varied groups of leaders in such candid settings. What I have been struck by most is the sense of purpose displayed by those I have met. Even after lifetimes of service and accomplishment, they are still actively engaged in confronting the pressing challenges facing our nation and our world. If I do run for political office someday, their example will be foremost in my mind.”
BRANDON KIST
Brandon Kist joined the Aspen Strategy Group as a Brent Scowcroft Award Fellow in May 2014 to assist with the Aspen Ministers Forum and ASG Summer Workshop. Prior to joining ASG, he worked with Professor Philip Zelikow at the University of Virginia to design and administer The Modern World: Global History since 1760, the first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) offered by UVa on the Coursera platform, as well as helped to support several other UVa MOOC efforts. He also researched foreign policy topics for Professor Zelikow’s future book on American foreign policy history and aided in the process of creating an undergraduate major in Global Studies.
From July 2013 to June 2014, Brandon served as a part-time consultant to the Markle Foundation’s Initiative for America’s Economic Future in a Networked World. In this role, Brandon served as the rapporteur for all three meetings of the Initiative’s Working Group on Opportunities for Individuals and was the primary drafter of the summary report produced by this working group. He also contributed background research on the evolution of the American Dream and the current state of online and adaptive learning initiatives nationwide.
Brandon received a BA in Government, with a minor in History, from the University of Virginia in 2012. His coursework focused on American government and foreign policy, in addition to substantial coursework in 19th and 20th century American and world history. During his time as a student at UVa, Brandon was involved as a tour guide for the University Guide Service, a counselor for the Honor Committee, a research intern for Professor Larry Sabato’s Center for Politics, and a Summer Orientation Leader. He was also an Echols Scholar and, in his fourth year, was selected by his peers to be a Lawn Resident.
Brandon is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio and is a fan of both the Cincinnati Reds and Cincinnati Bengals. He plays tennis, baseball, and basketball, and he enjoys exploring new cities on foot, reading, and learning how to cook. Brandon plans to return to Cincinnati at the conclusion of his Scowcroft Fellowship in order to run his father’s company and possibly get involved in local politics. He aspires to one day run for political office.
“I think that one of the biggest shortcomings in the world is that people fail to see learning as a life-long endeavor. Every day, each person grinds through tedium engulfed in a non-apparent world of unknown facts and unconsidered perspectives. Quotidian life hardens us to this truth; Aspen makes it available to us. Aspen provides the leaders and shapers of society the all-too-rare opportunity of making contact with other minds, of exchanging and reflecting. The Strategy Group applies this to the discipline of foreign policy and does it with constant innovation and vibrant energy. I have just begun to reflect on the difference that actually makes: the people who make waves in the world, the same ones I admire so much, are opening their minds to new ideas. I think that’s a good first step to making the world a better place.”
PETER WALKER KAPLAN
Peter Walker Kaplan is a spring and summer 2014 Brent Scowcroft Award Fellow, honored to be supporting the Aspen Ministers Forum and the Strategy Group Summer Workshop. He hails from Larchmont, NY and is a recent graduate of Middlebury College, where he achieved his B.A. in geography with concentrations in Arabic, Middle Eastern geopolitics, and GIS.
As a spatial and research analyst for the Woodrow Wilson School’s STEP in 2013, he digitized, analyzed, and created maps of changing land use patterns in South Africa in order to understand the effects of climate change on agriculture and demography. His products have informed STEP’s recent research and will be used for forthcoming reports.
Peter’s environmental background is additionally rooted in his work with Pace’s Environmental Law Clinic, where he worked under Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as an intern and Chinese translator. For the clinic, he translated correspondence for the establishment of waterkeeping programs in China’s Northwest Hubei Province and studied environmental ecology.
Peter has also worked in journalism, having joined BuzzFeed’s political team as a political reporter. As a pioneering writer for its now-established ‘World’ vertical, he was tasked with creating world news that would go viral for an American audience without a strong interest in global issues. In order to do this, he wrote social media-derived pieces monitoring sociopolitical change during the Arab Spring; among his most popular pieces were “Instagrams of the Syrian Revolution” and “How Syria’s Dictator Creates an Alternate Reality on Facebook.” For the ‘U.S.’ vertical, Peter covered everything from Rabbi Shmuley Boteach’s congressional contest with Bill Pascrell to Charles Barron’s contentious Brooklyn campaign. During his time at BuzzFeed, Peter was mentored by Ben Smith and Michael Hastings, who taught him not to bury the lede and to look for stories everywhere.
During his time at Middlebury, Peter served as an orientation leader; an environmental consultant for the town of Middlebury, VT; a member of Middlebury’s marketing and concert committees; hosted a hip-hop radio show with foci on American pop culture and the female rap industry; played rugby; co-managed a coffee shop; made great friends and studied with smart, connected faculty.
He is also a graduate of the C.V. Starr-Middlebury School Abroad in Amman, Jordan, where he studied Middle Eastern gender studies and the Arabic language. He speaks Arabic and Chinese, and has studied French. He looks forward to a career in law, sustainable development, and foreign policy, although he’ll see where life takes him. PAST RECIPIENTS OF THE BRENT SCOWCROFT AWARD FELLOWSHIP The thoughts and journeys of our former fellows
Our previous Brent Scowcroft Award Fellows have overseen programming over the course of the past decade, and have been instrumental in the establishment of some of the Aspen Strategy Group’s newest initiatives: the U.S.-Brazil Strategic Dialogue, the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, the U.S.-China Policy Dialogue, and the Aspen Ministers Forum. Having received the mentorship of ASG directors, deputy directors, and associate directors, the BSAF community is now seeded around the globe, pursuing projects from New York to Phoenix to London. We touched base with the 40-plus fellows who have received the award to see how the Fellowship affected their lives and careers.
What is to be done? Past Fellows 2013 The ASG comes together this year KIMBERLY AAGAARD, International Associate, Podesta Group on its 30th anniversary year to again analyze the most pressing CHRIS CORNILLIE, Research Analyst, Government Business Council at Atlantic foreign policy and national security Media questions that face the world ALEXIS STANGARONE, Executive Assistant, Insured Retirement Institute today. As the great Russian writer, 2012 Nikolai Chernyshevsky first wrote KHALED FAYYAD, Program Coordinator, Center for Universal Education, “chto delat--Что делать?” (what Brookings Institution is to be done?) This is the central KEVIN JONES, Associate Director, Middle East Programs, The Aspen Institute premise that faces the ASG each year at the summer conference. As 2011 a BSAF at the 2009 workshop, I had CARLES CASTELLO-CATCHOT, Associate Director, Strategic Foresight Initiative, the pleasure of preparing for and Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security, Atlantic Council observing the discussion centered JENNIFER JUN, Associate Director, Aspen Strategy Group on the global economic crisis. In ALLIE KIRCHNER, Financial Analyst, Panning Capital Management our sessions, participants analyzed ANNIE MOULTON, Chief of Staff, MASS Design Group the consequences of the crisis and the possible implications on U.S. 2010 foreign policy. As America ELSA T. KHWAJA, Doctoral Student in continues to understand its role in Public Policy & Graduate Research the ever changing international scene, the role of the ASG as a non- Assistant at the the George Mason partisan and results-oriented forum University School of Policy, Government becomes all the more important. and International Affairs The past year has highlighted the 2009 need for cooperation, coordination, ALICEN BARTLE, MPL Candidate, University The Scowcroft Fellowship was a and creativity to find solutions to of Southern California & Commercial fantastic opportunity to witness challenges in an extremely diverse Property Management Intern, Rising Track 1.5 diplomacy firsthand and and volatile geopolitical Realty Partners gain a greater practical environment. With this in mind, I understanding of how foreign policy SARAH GOLKAR, MALD Candidate, The am looking forward to reading the decisions are made. It was amazing papers and policy suggestions that Fletcher School, Tufts University to hear former foreign ministers and come out of this year’s discussion 2008 international experts discuss off-the- and very grateful to have been part JULIE SONG, Research Intern, European record the complexities of the Middle of the ASG family at the 2009 Leadership Network East and North Africa. On top of the workshop. fact that I was able to travel to -Alicen Bartle, BSAF ‘09 JI SUNG YANG, Project Manager, Energy Division, Inter-American Development Morocco for the Aspen Ministers Forum, I was thrilled to work in such Bank a welcoming work environment with 2007 Jonathon and Jennifer: two of the ROB BROWN, Associate, Morgan, Lewis & best “bosses” I have had (though Bockius LLP they would never refer to themselves LACY KILRAINE, Program Analyst, US as such). Agency for International Development -Kimberly Aagaard, BSAF ‘13
Last year, when Jonathon and Past Fellows (cont’d) Jennifer emailed me to schedule 2006 an interview for the BSAF, I SARAH DELANEY, Associate, Snell & Wilmer packed my things, quit my job, BEN NEWTON, Director of Strategy, Avenues: The World School and booked a flight to D.C. on SHANNON HILLER, MPA Candidate, WWS, Princeton University three days’ notice. And I'd do it again if I could. 2005 DHRUVA JAISHANKAR, Transatlantic Fellow, Asia Program, German Marshall Fund For a young person interested RACHEL POSNER ROSS, Deputy Director for Policy and International Engagement, in international affairs, I can't Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy imagine a better opportunity to 2004 bridge the gap between theory AMY CRONE, Executive Director, Maryland Farmers Market Association and practice. Few can expect to CHRISTOPHER DENICOLA, Associate, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP take on the same amount of KELLEY CANTRELL, Training and Organizational Development Associate, responsibility in their first job in Management Systems International Washington, to learn firsthand from many of the greatest foreign policy thinkers and Aspen Strategy Group Mentors; BSAF Mentees practitioners of our time, or to In addition to the mentorship that Scowcroft Fellows receive at the have as many doors open for meetings they attend, they have the unique opportunity to receive the them. individual guidance of an Aspen Strategy Group member. Since 2010,
I am grateful to Gen. Scowcroft Scowcroft Fellows have paired with members to discuss their experiences for his leadership and service to in the field of public policy, as well as their professional development U.S. administrations both in choices. For the Scowcroft Fellow, this mentorship experience serves as a government and outside it. And forum for guidance while they seek the next phase in their professional and I am grateful to those who academic career. The Fellow can aspire to learn from the mentor’s entrusted me with the honor and privilege of having held the experiences, exchange questions, glean insights, and receive feedback on fellowship that carries his matters related to their field of interest. name. -Chris Cornillie, BSAF ‘13 Special thanks to our previous ASG mentors: Nicholas Burns, Sylvia Burwell, Kurt Campbell, Richard Danzig, Michele Flournoy, Nick Kristof, Meghan O’Sullivan, Carla Anne Robbins, Anne-Marie Slaughter, and Strobe Talbott.
I will always consider the Brent Scowcroft Award Fellowship the absolute launching point in my career, just as much from the working experience as from the The experience was profound as I found myself a fly invaluable mentorship of Jonathon on the wall in closed door meetings with of our Price. The opportunities to interact country's most distinguished states people. I think and learn from firsthand the back frequently to our conversation on China's March foremost thought leaders in foreign as I am now working to build what will be one of the affairs cannot be understated. But first schools in Beijing to admit international and PRC equally valuable was the amazing students. Effective dialogue forces people to listen to skill set I received in professionalism each other on terms that promote local as well as commitment to detail understanding - a key tenet of ASG. BSAF gave me and high quality work. the drive to pursue these opportunities for -Annie Moulton, BSAF ‘11 discourse. -Ben Newton, BSAF ‘06