Eisenhower Fellowships

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Eisenhower Fellowships

11/2005 2005 Single Region Program Launched Clockwise from top left: Ambassador Karim Kawar ’00, Jordan, addresses the Fellows at the Jordanian Embassy; the 2005 SRP Fellows and spouses with President John Wolf; Mohamed Rakhawy of Egypt, Dalia Khalil of Egypt, Iman Hammouri of Palestine, and Husam Katkhoda of Jordan during the session with the Kellogg Fellows; John Wolf with Faris Alhumaid, Saudi Arabia, at the president’s reception; Khalid Alghurair, Saudi Arabia, with (left to right) Danah Dajani of Jordan, Samer Asfour of Jordan, and Sherif Kamel of Egypt. Eighteen Eisenhower Fellows from Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, and Saudi Arabia embarked on their fellowship program in Philadelphia this month with the program’s opening seminar. Rising stars in the fields of business, technology, journalism, health, and government, the Fellows engaged in candid and thoughtful conversations about their own work, as well as about the broader issues of U.S.-Middle East relations and the defining qualities of good leadership. They also got to know something of Philadelphia, making site visits to the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. The week’s highlight was a reception and dinner which featured remarks made by Ambassador Nabil Fahmy of Egypt. Ambassador Fahmy encouraged Fellows to absorb American culture, to approach the fellowship experience with an open mind, and to understand the people they meet within their individual contexts. Fellows then departed for Washington, D.C., where they spent their first full day in the nation’s capital discussing the relationship between religion and politics in both the United States and their own countries with a distinguished group of Kellogg Fellows. Ambassador Karim Kawar of Jordan, an '00 alumni Fellow, hosted the SRP Fellows, the Kellogg Fellows, EF alumni living in the Washington, D.C. area, and guests for a welcome reception at the Jordanian embassy. Kawar stressed the value of the Fellowship program in grooming the individuals for their own and their respective country's future. From Washington the Fellows departed for various destinations, scattering in all directions around the country to confer and exchange ideas with eminent doers and thinkers in their respective fields. Please check back next month for more on the individual and collective paths the Fellows are traveling this fall.
Donal De Buitléir appointed Chair of Business Regulation Forum Donal De Buitléir ’87, Ireland, has been announced as chairman of the newly created Business Regulation Forum (BRF). The BRF, commissioned by Ireland’s Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment Micheál Martin, was described by Martin as “a key element in implementing our commitment to better regulation and to address administrative burdens which can genuinely be identified as disproportionate.” The BRF will advise the minister on regulatory issues as they impact business and competitiveness, in particular on issues and on problems arising from outdated, inefficient or disproportionate regulation, according to Martin. On De Buitléir’s chairmanship, Martin had this to say: "I am very pleased that Dr. De Buitléir has agreed to chair the Forum. His combination of business and public service backgrounds should give a unique perspective to help us achieve an optimal regulatory regime.”
Brazilian Fellows meeting The Brazilian Eisenhower Fellows met in Diamantina, Brazil, on October 14-16 to discuss the returns of the Fellowship to Brazilian society and to discuss possible future events for Fellows in South America. The meeting’s ambitious agenda included a talk for local leaders, given by Anna Bárbara Proietti ’00 and Josiano Chaves ‘05, on the mission and goals of Eisenhower Fellowships. This was followed by remarks by Eduardo D’Aguiar ’96 and Amilcar Ferrari ’73 on the role of the private and government sectors, respectively, in promoting social and economical development opportunities in Brazil, which generated lively discussion and debate of these topics by Fellows and guests. Finally, the Fellows held a session on ways to strengthen the Brazilian network and its ties to the larger worldwide network, and to welcome Ana Letichevsky ’06, the Brazilian Fellow in the upcoming MNP, to the network.
New Fellow wins seat in Argentina house Esteban Bullrich ’06, Argentina, has been elected to the National House of Representatives in Argentina to represent Buenos Aires for a term of four years.
Fellow joins Young Arab Leaders Moayad Samman ’05, Jordan, has recently been nominated and approved as a member of Young Arab Leaders, an organization dedicated to effecting positive change in Arab nations through improved opportunities for education and new means of income generation for youth. The organization is working to develop leadership among Arab youth through mentorship, internship, and scholarship programs, as well as increased forums for Arab youth to discuss important issues. The Jordanian chapter celebrated its launch last month. To read more about Young Arab Leaders, click here.
Pakistani Fellows' relief work EF has heard of several Fellows’ contributions to the relief efforts following the devastating earthquake in Pakistan last month. Dr. Abdul Bari Khan ‘04 has been working to set up a major hospital in Azad Jammu and in Kashmir. Zafar Mirza ’04 is working on relief efforts in his capacity with the World Health Organization. Salman Ansari ’99 is heading the IT and telecom coordination effort. Shahid Mahmud ’01 is working on relief efforts in Rara, District Bagh, and also setting up two relief support radio stations. To be sure, as Mahmud wrote to EF, many Fellows are actively engaged in ways about which EF headquarters has not heard. Mahmud directs anyone interested to assisting the relief work to www.pakistan-earthquake.org, which is run from his office. For general information about the disaster’s impact, visit www.risepak.com.
Fellow advises in successful presidential campaign Nivard Cabraal ’00, Sri Lanka, has spent the last several months serving as an advisor to the Sri Lankan Prime Minister Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa in Rajapaksa’s successful presidential campaign. In the election, held November 17, Rajapaksa won just over 50% of the vote in a tight contest with opponent Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Singapore Fellows host Ambassador The Eisenhower Fellows of Singapore hosted a farewell dinner lecture for Ambassador Frank Lavin, who has been US Ambassador in Singapore since 2001 and who leaves this post to serve as Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade in the United States. Among the 180 people attending the lecture were Singapore's second Minister for Finance and Foreign Affairs Raymond Lim, several members of parliament, and EF Singapore members. In his remarks, Ambassador Lavin recognized Singapore's friendship with the USA and its many strengths. He also suggested that the society would gain from allowing and encouraging greater freedom of expression and the flow of ideas. The event was the Singaporean Fellows’ first major activity since the international conference held there earlier this year. The EF Singapore committee hopes to hold such talks annually on US relations with Singapore and Asia. The event was supported by the Fulbright Association, Harvard Club of Singapore, and Distinguished Universities Alumni League.	Ambassador Frank Lavin gives his remarks.
Fellow named to Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority Governor Edward G. Rendell announced the appointment of Jim Eisenhower '02 to the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (PICA). The PICA Board serves in an oversight and advisory capacity to the City of Philadelphia, and is responsible for reviewing and approving five-year financial plans prepared at least annually by the City. Eisenhower is employed with Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis, LLP and serves as chairman of the firm’s Government and Regulatory Affairs Practice Group, which focuses on government relations, criminal law, investigative services, ethics and election law, and complex civil litigation. Prior to becoming the 2004 Democratic candidate for attorney general of Pennsylvania, Eisenhower served as Governor Rendell’s chief criminal justice advisor during the 2002 campaign and worked for the Rendell administration as a participating member of the Governor’s Cabinet for Children and Families. He has also worked as a White House Fellow, for the U.S. Department of Justice, was a member of Mayor John Street’s Special Commission on Police Discipline, and has served as Assistant United States Attorney and Chair for the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
Irish Fellows Meeting The Irish Eisenhower Fellows held their semi-annual meeting at the University of Ulster’s Magee Campus, in Derry, Ireland, during the weekend of October 14-16. Attended by a small gathering of Irish Fellows from both the North and the South, the conference focused on building a successful Ireland in the twenty-first century. The distinguished guest speakers spoke on a variety of issues, including the challenges facing Irish cities, immigration to Ireland, reform for the policing services in Northern Ireland, and the relationship between history, culture, literature and the social, political and economic development of modern Ireland. The conference’s keynote remarks were delivered by Lord Chief Justice for Northern Ireland Sir Brian Kerr ‘99, who spoke to the group about the changes that are currently taking place in relation to the appointment of judges in Northern Ireland. The meeting was marked by the energetic exchange of views among the Fellows and the camaraderie of Fellowship.
Board Member nominated to ambassadorship Longtime trustee and Vice Chair of EF, Marilyn Ware has recently been nominated by President George W. Bush to serve as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Finland. Ware is chief executive officer of Ware Family Offices in Strasburg, Pennsylvania. She is the former chairwoman of American Water Works Company and a former editor and publisher of the Quarryville Sun Ledger.
Two Philadelphia Fellows recognized Della Clark ’02, USA, and Jane Golden ’03, USA, both Philadelphia Fellows, were recipients of the Bank of America’s first annual Neighborhood Excellence Initiative awards. Clark, who is president of the Enterprise Center, which helps develop minority businesses, was individually recognized with the Local Hero award and a $5,000 grant for the Enterprise Center. Golden’s organization, The Mural Arts Program, was recognized with the Neighborhood Builders’ award. With the award comes a grant for $200,000.	Jane Golden ’03, USA Della Clark ’02, USA
Continuing connections for USA Fellow The fellowship program of Tine Hansen-Turton ’05, USA, has continued to be fruitful for her as well as for the colleagues she met in New Zealand this year. Nine of the nurse practitioners, funders, administrators, and doctors she met during her program joined her at “Best Practices in Nurse-Managed Health Centers,” a conference help October 9 to 11 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, by the National Nursing Centers Consortium, where Hansen-Turton is executive director and CEO. One of the attendees, Elizabeth Farrell, flew back to Philadelphia with Hansen-Turton and toured health centers there. In addition to planning a national conference in New Zealand for 2007, the nursing leaders in New Zealand have just formed the New Zealand Nursing Centers Consortium and they will be an affiliate of the US organization.
Brahy hosts Fellows at TRL-TVI Kathryn Brahy ’05, Belgium, hosted John Piotti ’05, USA, and Barton Ruth ’05, USA, during their Fellowship programs for a tour of the RTL-TVI television news studio in Brussels this month. Brahy is head of the Politics Department at RTL-TVI. Piotti is a state representative of the Maine State Legislature and Ruth is owner and operator of Ruth Farms in Rising City, Nebraska. Several alumni Fellows from Belgium and the EU joined the tour, including Phillipe de Buck ’86, Gauthier Desuter ‘03, Dirk Heremans ‘80, Piet Jaspaert ’90, Mervyn Jones ‘90, Robert Stephane ‘61, and Herbert Ungerer ’84. Following the tour, the group dined together while sharing perspectives on EU—USA relations.