Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission Year Ending 30 September 2017
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission Year ending 30 September 2017 64 th A nnu al R ep ort A Non-Departmental Public Body of 1 Sixty Fourth Annual Report of the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission for the year ending 30 September 2017 Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to section 2(6) of Marshall Aid Commemoration Act 1953 A Non-Departmental Public Body of March 2018 Sixty Fourth Annual Report: Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission ©Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission copyright 2018 The text of this document (this excludes, where present, the Royal Arms and all departmental or agency logos) may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium provided that it is reproduced accurately and not in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission copyright and the document title specified. Where third party material has been identified, permission from the respective copyright holder must be sought. Any enquiries related to this publication should be sent to us at [email protected]. This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications ISBN 978-1-5286-0234-1 CCS0218087184 03/18 Printed on paper containing 75% recycled fibre content minimum Printed in the UK by the APS Group on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office 4 Sixty Fourth Annual Report: Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission Contents Introduction 6 Welcome from the MACC Chair Mr Christopher Fisher 6 MACC Membership and Meetings 8 Scholars in Britain 2016/2017 10 Scholars’ Academic Subjects 11 Scholars Graduating 2017 12 EPA Marshall Scholars 12 Scholars’ Experiences 13 Marshall Events 17 Marshall Alumni, Association of Marshall Scholars 19 Selection of 2017 Marshall Scholars 21 Selection and Placement Policy 23 Marshall Sherfield Fellowships 26 Marshall Scholarship Stipends 26 Secretariat 27 Access to Information 27 Expenditure 27 Membership of the MACC and Committees 27 Ambassador’s Advisory Council and Regional Committees 28 Degree Results 31 Summary Accounts 34 5 Sixty Fourth Annual Report: Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission THE MARSHALL AID COMMEMORATION COMMISSION’S REPORT TO HER MAJESTY’S PRINCIPAL SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS. Pursuant to Section 2(6) of the Marshall Aid Commemoration Act 1953, we have the honour to submit the report of the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission for the year ending 30 September 2017. Mr Christopher Fisher WELCOME FROM MR CHRISTOPHER FISHER This affirming message has resonated around the wider Marshall community to very positive effect, and provided a most helpful It is a pleasure to introduce the Commission’s report for the year to backdrop to the 70th Anniversary events at Harvard. Well 30 September 2017. attended by Marshall alumni and others, discussions took place on a wide range of topical issues set in the context of Marshall’s Highlights of the year include the following: legacy. Notable events included the dialogue between former In December 2016 awarding 40 new scholarships, rather than the Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Foreign Secretary 32 previously planned, as a result of HMG’s decision to increase Sir Malcolm Rifkind, and the discourse and reminiscences of the Commission’s funding by one third, building up over three Supreme Court Justices Breyer and Gorsuch, both Marshall years. Scholars. In May 2017 presenting William Hague with a Marshall Medal, Looking ahead the Commission is determined that the annual awarded to him in connection with the 60th Anniversary of the award of 40 scholarships should represent a floor rather than a Scholarship Programme, at our Annual Dinner. ceiling on the number of awards to be made in future years. For this to be possible reflects not only the level of HMG’s funding, but In June 2017 holding a commemorative weekend at Harvard also the significant support which the Programme attracts from University, organised by the Association of Marshall Scholars British academic partners and others. The value of our academic (AMS), to mark the 70th Anniversary of the Commencement partnerships - principally fee-waiver places - is not reflected in our Address by George C Marshall, which was to lead to the creation of accounts but its growth was material in cushioning the decline in the Marshall Plan. the number of awards made in recent years. We remain focused on deepening and broadening these partnership arrangements. In June 2017 awarding six Marshall Medals to mark this 70th As more fully set out later in this report, I am pleased to report we Anniversary to the following distinguished individuals: secured valuable additional partnership support from September Madeleine Albright 2017 and expect this to grow further from September 2018; Matthew Barzun together this is making a difference to the number of future awards Nancy Cox which we can make. Reid Hoffman In addition to long standing funding support from an Annenberg Bill Janeway endowment, last year the British Schools and Universities David Miliband Foundation of the US started, in conjunction with the AMS, to fund In September 2017 welcoming the Class of 2017 Scholars, the a scholarship award in the arts. This year the AMS was able to largest such class for years. announce the successful conclusion to a $1.2 million fund raising campaign to a endow a new award of a two year scholarship to be While the vibrancy and resilience of the Marshall Scholarship made on alternate years, in which campaign Reid Hoffman played Programme remained strong, in recent years this had started to a central role. In addition more alumni are looking to support become somewhat overshadowed by the steady decline in the the colleges and universities at which they studied in providing number of awards made, falling from 44 in 2007 to 31 in 2015. partnership places, which is of great potential value. This has now been emphatically reversed, reflecting HMG’s renewed and strengthened commitment to the value of this All of these streams of support, from both new and long-standing Programme and the enduring bonds between the UK and the US benefactors, are much appreciated and enable more awards to be which it helps to engender. made than would otherwise be the case. 6 Sixty Fourth Annual Report: Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission The Marshall Scholarship Programme is a highly motivating activity The Marshall Scholarship Programme was created to recognise with which to be associated. The Scholars are as engaging and a past act of generosity and has a wonderful track record of enthusiastic as ever. They bring intellectual rigour and curiosity supporting creative talent extending over more than sixty years. I to their fields of study and look to find ways to make a positive pay tribute to alumni increasingly looking for ways to recognise difference to our society both now and into the future. They enrich the generosity which they received in the past which can make the academic and other activities in which they participate. a difference to current and future Scholars. This augurs well for the vitality and relevance of the whole Marshall community. The The Scholars’ experience of the UK principally arises through the Programme attracts strong and growing support from British universities at which they study. This is augmented, however, universities for the difference it can make from having highly by events organised or supported by the Commission together talented young American students fully participating in the with the Foreign Office and the AMS. Mark Field, the Foreign academic, social and cultural lives of their institutions and in due Office minister responsible for scholarships, hosted a welcome course as their alumni; this can only be of benefit to our common reception for Scholars in September 2017 as part of a broader future through the better understanding and appreciation of our induction programme in Washington and London. The Marshall two peoples which can thereby be created. It is a privilege to be Plus programme of activities is being revitalised by Commissioner associated with such an endeavour. Suzanne McCarthy. Our annual trip, this year to Wales, was a great success and we were made most welcome by the Welsh Government and the Cardiff University. n endeavour. While we rigorously select on merit, we are mindful of the importance of attracting highly talented young American students to become Marshall Scholars whose overall profile is broadly representative. This is a continuing challenge, in which task Christopher Fisher we benefit enormously from the support of the British Embassy Chair and Consulates in the US, from the time and engagement of Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission (MACC) many distinguished alumni and others serving on our regional January 2018 selection committees and from the readiness of alumni and others to participate in our outreach activities. The dedicated team supporting us at the ACU also make a critical contribution to the effective operation of the Programme and to the quality of our Scholars’ experience. Dr John Kirkland left the ACU in September 2017 and concurrently stood down as Executive Secretary of the Commission. We thank him for his many years of service and welcome his successor, Dr Joanna Newman, as the new Executive Secretary. Finally I would like to thank my fellow Commissioners for their time and commitment, and let me also welcome Dr Alice Prochaska, who joined the Commission on the 1st October 2017. 7 Sixty Fourth Annual Report: Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission THE MARSHALL AID COMMEMORATION MEETINGS AND MACC MEMBERSHIP COMMISSION In 2017 regular business meetings of the MACC were held on The Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission Act was 19 January, 11 April and 11 September under the chairmanship passed by the British Parliament in 1953 in order to express of Mr Christopher Fisher. The MACC’s Education, Finance, gratitude to the American people for the post-war support and Audit and Risk Management (ARM) Committees met on and assistance conceived by Secretary of State George C several occasions.