Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano (NM '77) accepted the Elmer Staats Award for Public Service yesterday on May 26, 2010 at Truman Scholars Leadership Week, hosted at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo.

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Truman Scholars from 1996 to 2009 classes gathered in London on May 22, 2010 to kick off the coming Truman Scholars Reunion Weekend festivities with an overseas “satellite” get-together.  In the days preceding the official Truman Scholars Reunion in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the Truman Scholars Leadership Week (TSLW) in Missouri, Scholars studying and working throughout the United Kingdom met on the sunniest day London has seen in a while to explore the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms. 

At the Cabinet War Rooms, an historic underground complex that housed a British government command center throughout WWII, the Churchill Museum’s Director of Learning Simon Thomson discussed Prime Minister Winston Churchill's and President Harry Truman's lives and leadership styles.  As tourists walked by, we sat behind the museum glass in the Chiefs of Staffs’ Conference Room, where Churchill’s military subordinates deliberated their most critical wartime decisions.  

From Westminster, we proceeded to East London’s Old Truman Brewery, formerly the Black Eagle brewery complex and now one of London's hubs of creativity, energy, community and economic development.  Truman Scholars – and honorary Trumans alike – enjoyed soaking up the sun and paying homage to Uncle Harry less formally over lunch and drinks.

The Scholars in attendance included: Brian Babcock-Lumish (MD '01), Terry Babcock-Lumish (PA '96), Alex Dewar (OR '05), Becky McCauley (WV '06), Alex Merkovic-Orenstein (FL '09), Monica Mukerjee (MI '07), Trudy Rebert (PA '06), Andrew Sellers (CO '04), and Miles Taylor (IN '09). Many thanks to Terry (PA '96) and Brian (MD '01) Babcock-Lumish for organizing this fantastic event!

Becky McCauley (WV-06), currently a Ph.D. candidate in Geosciences and Astrobiology at The Pennsylvania State University and conveniently in Coventry for two weeks to conduct research. 

Ryan Quarles (KY '05) beat his opponent in the Republican Primary for the Kentucky House of Representatives, 62nd District. He will face incumbent Democrat Rep. Charlie Hoffman in the November election.

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With neither candidate receiving 50 percent of the vote in the Arkansas Democratic primary election for U.S. Senate, Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter (AR '81) will face incumbent U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln in a primary run-off election on June 8. 

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Ann Fields (IA '91) was recently featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

The city of Independence is celebrating the 126th birthday of President Harry Truman. Truman is one of Missouri's most famous natives and great politicians. And, Saturday's celebration shows he hasn't been forgotten.

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Registration for the upcoming Truman Scholars Reunion Weekend has been extended through May 18, or until capacity is reached, due to a special event.

The historic Harry S. Truman Home National Historic Site in Independence, Missouri, has been closed for renovations for several months. It is due to reopen during the Reunion Weekend, and the National Parks Service has graciously offered to open the home to Truman Scholars prior to the public opening. Because of the significant interest from Scholars in visiting the Truman Home, we are able to extend registration.

Interested Scholars should register as soon as possible - there are fewer than 10 spots remaining.

Ann M. (Schultz) Fields (IA ‘91) was appointed President of William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Fields has served as interim president since July 2009 and is the first female president in the institution’s history.

Richard Constable III (NJ ’93) was named Deputy Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor.

Jim Lewis (CA ’96) currently serves as Assistant City Manager and as President of the Office of Economic Development for the City of Atascadero, California.

Claire Markgraf (OR '05) and Jeremy Sueker (PA '05) are engaged. They will be living in China for the next year and welcome visitors to their luxurious pullout couch.

Rob Sand (IA '05) will graduate from the University of Iowa College of Law in May 2010. In April, the University of Iowa awarded him the Hancher-Finkbine Medallion. It is the University's highest award, given for learning, leadership, and loyalty. He also recently accepted a position as Assistant Iowa Attorney General, and will be moving to Des Moines, where he will happily host any Truman visiting or passing through Iowa.

Please submit updates about yourself and other scholars to news@trumanscholars.org.

Almost 45,000 people came to Copenhagen last December to be a part of the United Nations Climate Change negotiations. Among them were more than a few Truman Scholars. Whether as government representatives, researchers at universities, or leaders of advocacy groups, we continued a long history of international Truman public service in the fight to stop climate change.

The two of us came as leaders of the youth-run sustainable development policy organization SustainUS. Jennie co-leads SustainUS's Agents of Change program, which brought more than 25 U.S. youth to participate in the Copenhagen talks, and Kyle chairs the organization and served as our official Head of Delegation in Copenhagen. SustainUS has advocated for a fair and binding science-based climate treaty for several years at the UN meetings. This was not the first UN climate negotiation for either of us, but it was easily the biggest.

While deeply concerned by the outcomes in Copenhagen, we were excited to be a part of the growing international climate movement, represented by the tens of thousands who tried to participate in the talks (we made it in, but many were locked out due to overcapacity in the negotiating halls), and the more than 100,000 who marched outside in Copenhagen’s streets. We were also thrilled to help lead the development of the international youth climate movement, which brought more than 1,500 young people from over 100 countries to participate in the negotiations, and last year secured formal UN recognition as a civil society participant. SustainUS helped to facilitate the training and coordination of some of the estimated 500 U.S. youth who came, including almost 200 inside the meeting and more than 300 in the streets.

We were also thrilled to be a part of the diverse Truman presence in Copenhagen. Paul Bodnar (CA ‘98) and Clare Sierawski (PA ‘04) serve on the State Department’s climate negotiating team. Scott Moore (KY ‘07) came with Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute, and Emily McGlynn (PA ‘08), supported by SustainUS accreditation, attended as part of her work as a winner of the German government’s Transatlantic Renewable Energy Fellowship.

Many other Trumans have lent their talents to the international climate change effort, including some we probably don’t even know about (sorry!). Both Scott and Kelly Greenman (FL ‘08) were SustainUS delegates to the Bali negotiations in 2007, where the path to Copenhagen was agreed on. Michael Gale (WV ‘02), who now serves on SustainUS's Board of Directors, participated in the 2005 Montreal negotiations, essentially helping to start what would later become the international youth climate movement. Before that, Joy Hecht (MA ‘78) co-authored an influential paper in 1998 on the Kyoto Protocol and biodiversity conservation that SustainUS still references in its forest policy work today. And we learned just last month in the Class Notes section of this blog that Tom Burack (NH ‘80), Commissioner for the State of New Hampshire’s Department of Environmental Services, chaired the Climate Change Policy Task Force established by the Governor to develop a Climate Action Plan (CAP) for his state, and now chairs the NH Energy and Climate Collaborative.

Climate change didn’t end in Copenhagen. Neither, we suspect, will Truman Scholars’ efforts toward its solutions – internationally in UN climate negotiations, locally in our communities, and everywhere in between. Humbled by the legacy we’re now a part of, we look forward to seeing new Scholars apply the same passion and ingenuity toward this global struggle that made them Trumans in the first place.

Kyle Gracey (PA ‘05) is Chair of SustainUS and Master's student at the University of Chicago, and Jennifer Hatch (ME ‘09) is Agents of Change Coordinator of SustainUS and a senior at Wellesley College.

The SustainUS Copenhagen delegation - Kyle and Jennie 2nd row, 2nd and 4th from left

Preparing for a State Department meeting - Jennie and Kyle 1st row, far left and far right

It’s hard to believe that nearly a year has passed since the 2009 Truman Scholars National Conference was held in Washington, DC. In only two weeks, I’m excited to meet many of you again at our Reunion Weekend in Independence, Missouri, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Truman Scholars Leadership Week (TSLW).

I know that many of you are unable to attend the upcoming Reunion, but don’t fret! The Truman Scholars Association (TSA) is committed to bringing Scholars together, in person and otherwise. Programming this past year has included the National Conference and Reunion Weekend, as well as our In the Running Workshop for Scholars interested in elected office, and Finalist Dinners and Meet-and-Greets in cities around the country. Through these events, hundreds of Scholars have come together to connect and reconnect with each other. In addition to these in-person initiatives, TSA has also collaborated with the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation to enhance our virtual communication with Scholars through tools such as the Truman Scholars Blog and monthly email newsletter.

Of course, we can’t bring Scholars together without your help – all of these past events have relied on time, talent, and donations from fellow Scholars. Now’s the time to get involved and keep the momentum going. For instance, Terry (PA ’96) and Brian (MD ’01) Babcock-Lumish have organized a “Satellite Reunion” in London for Scholars who are unable to make it to the Reunion Weekend in Missouri. Kevin Lee (KY ‘98) has spearheaded a mentorship program for Scholars and Truman-Albright Fellows in Washington, DC. Also, Bradley Bowen (MT ‘04) and Michele Buckley (CO ’06) have been instrumental in hosting a variety of events in Seattle. Recently, TSA announced the upcoming election for our Board of Directors, to be held in July; I encourage all of you to consider applying (more details forthcoming). These are only a few examples of how each of us can play a role in strengthening the Truman Scholar Community.

The upcoming Reunion Weekend is another opportunity for Scholars to take ownership of our community. During the Reunion, we have set aside time for Scholars to brainstorm ideas and ask questions about the future of the Truman Scholars Association. This process, however, will be incomplete without feedback and ideas from those of you who are unable to attend. The various initiatives mentioned above were the direct result of feedback from Scholars like you.

I challenge you to contribute to this conversation, even if you are unable to attend the Reunion. Please email us at tsa@trumanscholars.org, tweet @trumanscholars, post a comment on Facebook, or contribute to the discussion on LinkedIn with any thoughts or ideas you have for the future of TSA, which will greatly enhance our discussion at the Reunion.

I look forward to connecting with you soon – whether at the Reunion, another event, or virtually.

Sincerely,

Pooja K. Agarwal
MO ‘05
President, Truman Scholars Association

Most Americans know that President Truman was faced with the difficult decision about whether or not to use atomic power during World War II.  But what most don’t know is that after the war, Truman asked our veterans to play leadership roles in their communities as civilians.  At the end of World War II, President Truman sent a letter to all honorably discharged WWII veterans with this message:

“To you who answered the call of your country and served in its Armed Forces to bring about the total defeat of the enemy, I extend the heartfelt thanks of a grateful Nation.  As some of the Nation’s finest, you undertook the most severe task one can be called upon to perform.  Because you demonstrated the fortitude, resourcefulness, and calm judgment necessary to carry out that task, we now look to you for leadership and example in further exalting our country in peace.” 

As both a wartime President and a World War I veteran, Truman recognized the need to challenge our nation’s veterans.  

Through my own military experiences, I also saw the need to not only tell our veterans “thank you,” but also “we still need you”. After I returned from service in Iraq as a Navy SEAL, I visited with wounded Marines at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. Even though their wounds had cut their time in the military short, each Marine expressed an unwavering desire to continue serving his country.  I noticed that many people were offering things to wounded veterans, but I knew it was essential to ask something of them.  After visiting Bethesda, I used my combat pay to start The Mission Continues so that we could challenge our veterans to serve again.

The Mission Continues offers competitive fellowships to engage wounded and disabled veterans who have served since 9/11 in service here at home.  These veterans draw from leadership skills honed on the battlefield to now benefit their communities. A typical Fellowship lasts 14 weeks, during which the Fellow receives a living stipend so he or she can serve full-time at a local charitable organization.  Each Fellow provides a tangible good such as mentoring at-risk children, organizing veterans support groups, or helping the disabled enjoy the outdoors again. 

In addition to our Fellowship program we encourage veterans from all eras and citizens of all backgrounds to complete service projects in their communities.  Last month, we had our largest service campaign to date during National Volunteer Week.  Over a 9-day period, nearly 700 volunteers and supporters participated in 29 projects across the nation, dedicating 2,000 hours of service.  Veterans and citizens served side by side, preparing lunches for homeless veterans, beautifying war memorials, and serving as buddies for the Special Olympics.  

I attended a service project in honor of Lt. Daniel Riordan, who lost his life in Iraq in June 2007.  Nearly 60 volunteers, both veterans and civilians, gathered at the Soldiers Memorial in downtown St. Louis to landscape and beautify the grounds.  Dan’s family was in attendance, but so were many others – most who didn’t know Lt. Riordan but wanted to serve their community while honoring Dan at the same time.  It was incredible to see our nation’s veterans answering the call to service in their communities.

Volunteers and staff have shared similar experiences from the projects they attended throughout the country. Among the stories shared were a third grade student learning to dig a hole from an Army veteran while planting a tree on his school grounds, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans working alongside those who served in Vietnam, and wounded and disabled veterans receiving fitness training.  National Volunteer Week has come and gone, but the idea of continued service has not. 

Much as Truman challenged our veterans to be leaders in their communities, I encourage you to think about our returning veterans and the incredible service they still are able to give to our country.  We should not only tell them “thank you” for their service, but also “we still need you.”

Eric Greitens (MO '95) is Chairman and CEO of The Mission Continues and a Senior Fellow at the Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri.