On February 23, Margaret Hsu (KS '93) hosted more than 30 Scholars in the Washington, DC area at the Tabard Inn for a Truman Scholar Meet-and-Greet. See photographs below:

Dear Scholars,

Last May, the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation sponsored the first-ever Truman Scholars National Conference, which was organized by the Truman Scholars Association (TSA). As you well know, the Foundation has been building human capital for social innovation and national service since its inception in 1976 as the federal government’s living memorial to our 33rd president. And TSA has been broadening and deepening the interconnections among Truman Scholars for more than a decade. It seems only natural that the two organizations would work in partnership to further our mutual goals.

The Foundation and TSA continue identifying ways to capitalize on the tremendous energy created by the National Conference and to further strengthen the Truman Scholar community.

This month marks the official launch of two new communication tools we have developed together - the "Truman Scholars Blog" and the "Truman Scholar News" e-mail newsletter. We hope that these will help you to keep informed of what other Truman Scholars are doing and communicate with one another. As these are new initiatives, we are eager to receive feedback from Scholars about what they find most useful and how we may improve efforts to enhance communication.

In addition to online interaction, TSA has begun to organize a series of meet-and-greet events in coordination with my trips to cities around the country for Truman Scholar finalist interviews. Last week, Margaret Hsu (KS '93) hosted more than 30 Scholars in the Washington, DC area at the Tabard Inn for a kick-off event. We hope you will check the schedule of Meet-and-Greets, as well as Finalist Dinners, and join us if you are able. (Click here for more information.)

These events will culminate in May, as we celebrate the induction of a new class of Scholars. All Scholars are invited to attend the Truman Scholars Reunion Weekend to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Truman Scholars Leadership Week in Missouri from May 27 to May 30, 2010. The events will be hosted at William Jewell College in Liberty and at the Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence, Mo. We are excited to announce that Jeffrey Toobin (NY ’80), noted legal analyst (CNN, The New Yorker) and author of The Nine, will serve as our keynote speaker. (Click here for more information.)

As I interact with Scholars around the country and receive updates via e-mail, I am reminded what an impressive community this is. As I have said many times: Whoever you are and wherever you are on your path in public service, the Truman Foundation is proud of you. And I am proud to be a member of your community.

I hope to see many of you soon at a meet-and-greet event in your community, or in Missouri this May.

Sincerely,

Frederick Slabach (MS '77)

Executive Secretary

Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation

Each month, a Truman Scholar who has established himself or herself in public service will be profiled in a feature article or Q&A piece written by a more recent Truman Scholar. For the first piece in this series, Margot Rogers (VA ’86), Chief of Staff to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, was interviewed by Bryce McKibben (WA ’08), Staff, U.S. House Education and Labor Committee.

Prior to joining the administration, Rogers worked for more than 15 years for foundations and non-profit organizations on issues of education policy and practice. Most recently, she served as the special assistant to the director of education at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where she managed and co-led the development of the foundation's five-year education strategy. Rogers is a member of the District of Columbia Bar, holds a J.D. from the University Of Virginia School Of Law, a master's degree in American history from the University of Virginia, and a bachelor's degree in history from Emory University. Rogers lives in Arlington, Va., with her husband and two sons.

Bryce McKibben met Rogers at the beginning of the 2009 Truman Summer Institute. At the time, she was just getting settled into her new position working for Secretary Duncan. During the opening week of Summer Institute, she welcomed all of the scholars to the Department's headquarters for a forum on education and public service. Ms. Rogers was also crucial in placing McKibben in his summer internship, and it was while working for the Under Secretary at the Department of Education that he was exposed to the administration's aggressive agenda for reshaping American higher education. He since joined the staff of the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee.

Interview with

Margot Rogers (VA ‘86), Chief of Staff to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

By Bryce McKibben (WA ’08), Staff Assistant, U.S. House Education and Labor Committee

McKibben: Ms. Rogers, when you submitted your application for the Scholarship as a Emory University sophomore in 1986, what did you expect your career to look like?

Rogers: I knew a few core things:  First, I wanted to go to law school because I was strongly interested in civil rights.  Second, I wanted to end up in the field of education in some capacity.  Third, I wanted a career primarily in the public sector.  Beyond that I had absolutely no idea what my "career" would look like, and I still don't!  I have been very lucky to have been in the right place at the right time in order to have some truly remarkable experiences.

McKibben: Your have led a distinguished career in public service, as an attorney for the Center for Law and Education, senior staff at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and now, Chief of Staff to the U.S. Secretary of Education. How have the Truman Scholarship and the Truman Scholar community supported you in your career as a public servant?

Rogers: I was a Truman Scholar in the 1980's, when there was no TSLW [Truman Scholars Leadership Week] and no Summer Institute.  Early on, while I was very grateful for the financial support - which I needed - I wasn't particularly connected to the Foundation.  But I was very lucky that I got to re-engage in the 1990's with the Truman community by serving on selection panels, as a senior scholar at TSLW, and in a variety of other small ways.  As a result, I have a group of Truman Scholar friends who are very dear to me and who are great advisers on everything from career to child-rearing.  I have also felt tremendous support from the Foundation staff over the years; recently, I particularly appreciated advice from [Truman Scholarship Foundation Executive Director] Fred Slabach (MS '77) about being a Chief of Staff in a federal agency!

McKibben: What advice do you have for recent recipients of the Truman Scholarship who are pursuing careers in public service?

Rogers: First, become a content specialist in something.  It's great to have solid generalizable skills, but over time, content knowledge matters and is marketable. Second, pick your boss as carefully as you pick your job. You want to have someone who will at best invest in you and your growth, and at least ensure that you get great work. Third, find something you love to do. Fourth, live within your means - and if you make more money than you need, save it; there's little worse than staying in a job you hate because of the proverbial golden handcuffs.

McKibben: How has the opportunity to serve in a new administration impacted you and what inspires you to public service?

Rogers: The opportunity to serve in this administration has had a profound impact on me, particularly because it isn't something I had ever even contemplated doing.  First, I have learned more than I thought possible about how government works; there are few better vantage points for seeing government in action than a Chief of Staff‘s job. Second, I have been pushed in more new ways faster than in any other job I have had.  There is an incredible amount to learn and do -- and I have loved it!  We are at a unique moment in time, when a bi-partisan approach to real reform in our nation's schools seems possible, and being a part of making that happen is a tremendous opportunity.  Finally, I work with smart, thoughtful, engaging, committed people; being reminded every day of the strength of people serving in government is a joy.

As for what inspires me to public service:  First, I come from a family in which service is highly valued.  Second,  I grew up in a small town in Southern Virginia where the public schools closed for 5 years instead of integrating.  Many students simply didn't get to attend school for 5 years, because the adults in the community were not brave. And the schools remained relatively segregated for decades.  My family made the decision to attend the public schools and not the segregated private school.  In short, my parents were not afraid to do the right thing.   As a result of these formative experiences,  I decided early on in my life that I was going to try to be brave, and I was going to work on issues related to access to a quality education.  That naturally led me to a variety of incredibly satisfying and challenging jobs, in which I hope I have had some impact.

McKibben: Do you have a favorite quote from or story about President Truman?

Rogers: My favorite thing about President Truman is not a story, but a couple of attributes.  He was incredibly brave - can you imagine the courage it took to integrate the military, as just one example?  And he did it simply because it was the right thing to do.  And yet, in the midst of very difficult decisions, he was a man of extraordinary kindness: ordering President Eisenhower's son back from the Korean war so he could witness his father's inauguration, writing love notes to his wife, keeping up with his friends.  Above all, he remained true to his values and to the greater good of the citizens he was serving.

McKibben: Thank you, Ms. Rogers.

If you would like to conduct an interview or write a feature for the Truman Scholars Blog, please contact blog@trumanscholars.org.

Periodically we ask Scholars to provide a "Status Update" and let us know what they are doing. Lauren Finzer's story about how she and her friends "walked the talk" to raise funds for Haiti relief shows that public service can be ad hoc!

From Lauren Finzer (CA '08):

This Sunday, five friends and I walked the length of Manhattan - 15 miles - to raise support for Partners in Health in Haiti. The ideas was hatched the night before, when we were sitting around the dinner table feeling sad and powerless. We wanted to do something to help, but weren't sure what we could contribute. After brainstorming extensively, we decided to fundraise by spending Sunday walking the length of Manhattan and asking people to sponsor us per mile. We set what we thought was an ambitious goal of raising $500. We never would have dreamed that we would end up raising - as a conservative estimate - more than $7,000, much of which was matched by other donors!

The walk itself was wet - it started raining at mile 6 - but eye-opening and inspiring. Throughout the stormy day we had many conversations with people of all ages, in different communities, and in multiple languages. The outpouring of support from friends and family was tremendous, as we "tweeted" and emailed about our progress throughout the day. It was one of the most rewarding days of my life.

Truman Scholars throughout the United Kingdom braved the drizzle and cold just blocks from Arthur Conan Doyle's Baker Street in London for an evening of camaraderie and conversation on November 21st, 2009.  Coordinated by Kuong Ly and hosted by Brian and Terry Babcock-Lumish, the evening provided an opportunity for Scholars to reunite with old friends and meet new ones.  Represented were Trumans from six classes spanning the nineties and the noughties.

pictured l-r (back row): David Bauer (NY-08), Sheila Korth (NE-07), Megan Brand (AZ-07), Kurt Herzer (NY-08), Ellen Feingold (Honorary Truman, WI), Alex Dewar (OR-05)
seated in chair: Scott Moore (KY-07)
seated in lap: Andrew Hammond (NJ-06)
sitting l-r: Yoonhee Ha (OH 06), Brian Babcock-Lumish (MD-01), Terry Babcock-Lumish (PA-96), Kuong Ly (MA-07), Trudy Repert (PA-06), Bre Detwiler (VA-08)

President Harry S. Truman popularized the slogan, "The Buck Stops Here," with a sign on his desk in the Oval Office. (Read history here.)

More than 60 years later, these words are still popular. President Barack Obama, referring to the failed Christmas Day bombing plot, said: "the buck stops with me."

Post your favorite Truman quotes or sayings in the comments below!

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation requests nominations and applications for the 2010 Stevens Award.

The Stevens Award was established in 1999 by the Board of Trustees of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation in honor of the late U.S. District Court Judge, Joseph E. Stevens, Jr.  Judge Stevens was from Kansas City and was the former Chairman of the Foundation Board of Trustees.

The Stevens Award is granted annually to a Truman Scholar attorney who has made significant contributions in the public sector and who has provided extraordinary service to the Foundation.  The Stevens Award is presented in a ceremony at U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. in June.

Nominations and applications should include a brief biographical sketch of the candidate and a letter outlining the candidate's contributions to the public sector and to the Foundation.

All nominations and applications for the Staats Award should be forwarded to Executive Secretary Slabach at fslabach@truman.gov by February 15, 2010.

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation requests nominations and applications for positions as Senior Scholars at TSLW 2010.

Senior Scholars are required to attend the entire Truman Scholars Leadership Week (May 24 through May 30, 2010) and make themselves available to the new Trumans in both formal and informal capacities.  Senior Scholars serve as role models for the recently selected Scholars and introduce them to new and different ways of service. Senior Scholars conduct presentations on a variety of topics during TSLW - both personal and professional. Senior Scholars work with a small group of new Trumans on a policy topic with which the Senior Scholar has some expertise, and help the Scholars to understand the complexities of issues and the contributions all political ideologies can offer to the search for solutions.

Senior Scholars should have completed a graduate school program at least one year prior to TSLW (exceptions may be made for students currently in medical residency or finishing PhD programs). Seniors should currently be working in public service and be able to commit to the entire week.  Senior Scholars can come from any discipline - as the best cohort is one that has a mix of disciplines represented.

Nominations and applications should detail the candidate's educational, professional and personal experiences that the candidate feels would be appropriate to share with the Scholars. These materials also should explain why the candidate would be a good Senior Scholar and whether the candidate has any prior experience in either a teaching or counseling environment.

Please email this information to Fred Slabach (fslabach@truman.gov) no later than February 15, 2010. We will consider nominations and applications as they arrive.

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation requests nominations and application for the Elmer Staats Award.

The Staats Award was established in 1993 by the Board of Trustees of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation in honor of Elmer Staats, the former Comptroller of the Currency and Chairman of the Truman Board of Trustees. The Staats Award is granted annually to a Truman Scholar who has made significant contributions in the public sector and who has provided extraordinary service to the Foundation.

The Award is presented at TSLW in Liberty, Missouri at the end of May.  Nominations and applications should include a brief biographical sketch of the candidate and a letter outlining the candidate's contributions to the public sector and to the Foundation.

All nominations and applications for the Staats Award should be forwarded to Executive Secretary Slabach at fslabach@truman.gov by February 15, 2010.

ABC News will announce George Stephanopoulos (OH '80) as an anchor of “Good Morning America,” to start as soon as Monday.

Read the full story here: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30387.html

Letter from A. Scott Henderson (FL '82) to The Washington Post:

I praise Elliot Gerson for his Nov. 21 op-ed, "From Oxford to Wall Street," noting the increasing number of Rhodes scholars who choose lucrative financial-sector jobs instead of lower-paying ones in other fields.

I share Mr. Gerson's concerns. As a member of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Finalist Selection Committee for 18 years, I have seen how the creeping (now skyrocketing) ascent of Wall Street salaries has siren-songed some of the brightest students away from public service. There have been notable exceptions -- Susan Rice and Janet Napolitano are both Truman scholars -- but the trend continues unabated among the country's most promising college graduates, scholarship winners or not.

Although President Ronald Reagan's demonization of government undermined the appeal of public service, nothing can compare to the riptide created by pay packages reaching far into the millions. We can only hope that Mr. Gerson's reasoned voice of caution can be heard above the unreasoned hogwash that passes for economic wisdom.

A. Scott Henderson, Greenville, S.C.

The writer is director of national and international scholarships at Furman University.

One of the many ways that Truman Scholars choose to engage in public service is through elective office. This November, the Truman Scholars Association organized a workshop specifically focused on helping Scholars who wish to pursue this path.

On Saturday, November 14, Scholars from around the country convened at the Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, DC, to attend In the Running, a workshop for Scholars who are planning or considering a run for elective office.

Panelists represented both sides of the aisle and brought expertise from areas such as polling, messaging, fundraising, and even the personal and professional lives of office holders themselves. The day-long program was designed to equip Scholars with the tools and relationships needed to mount an effective campaign, soon or in the years to come.

Panelists included many Scholars, such as Bob Holste (PA '83), Deputy Director, Government Relations for the Pew Charitable Trusts (the event's host), Jim St. George (MN '79), Managing Partner of the Voter Activation Network (VAN), and Rebecca Buckwalter-Poza (NC '09) of Progressive Media. Three current elected officeholders also shared their experiences with campaigning and serving: Georgia General Assemblywoman Stacey Abrams (MS '94), New Castle County (Delaware) Executive Chris Coons (DE '83), and Missouri State Representative Jake Zimmerman (MO '95).

More information about In the Running, including the full agenda and panelist biographies, is available online: http://www.trumanscholars.org/events/in-the-running

2005 Truman Scholar Saul Garlick, Founder of Think Impact, discusses how Generation Y approaches international development on the Skoll Foundation's Social Edge blog:

http://www.socialedge.org/discussions/business-building/generation-y2019s-global-development-strategy?utm_source=Social+Edge+Newsletter&utm_campaign=2cef19635f-Newsletter_Gen_Y_11_17_2009&utm_medium=email