The pin collection of former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright - current President of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation - will be on display at the Smithsonian Castle through September. See below for two events open to the public.

From The Washington Post's Reliable Source Blog:

What has Madeleine Albright been wearing while her famous pin collection is touring the country? "Pity pins -- because people feel sorry for me," said the former secretary of state.

Albright's signature accessory -- some precious gems, most costume pieces -- were collected together last year for her book, "Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box," and a two-year traveling show. The exhibit of 200 pins opens Friday at the Smithsonian Castle; Albright previewed it for reporters Tuesday.

With her jewelry on the road, friends and fans have given her all sorts of replacements. "I've signed books for people wearing pins and I'd say, 'Gee, that's a really nice pin.' Then they take it off and give it to me, so I don't say that anymore." 

What happens to the collection when the tour ends? The 73-year-old, wearing a "V" for Victory and two World War II vintage pins, said she's just starting to think about the question: "The only person who's connected the dots on this is my youngest granddaughter, who said, 'Who's going to get all this stuff?' I'm trying to figure out who really would like it and how this would all work." 

Book Signing

Sunday, July 25; 2 to 4 p.m.

Secretary Albright will sign copies of her book, Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat’s Jewel Box, in the Commons (West Wing) of the Smithsonian Castle. Copies of the book may be preordered by calling the Castle store at (202) 633-0030 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Books may be picked up one week before the event. Smithsonian members will receive a discount. 

Discussion with Secretary Albright

Tuesday, Sept. 14; noon

The Smithsonian Associates will present an on-stage discussion with Secretary Albright to discuss "Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection.” A book signing will follow the event. Complete program information will be posted on The Smithsonian Associates website in July.

Read more about the collection and events.

From EdWeek:

Margot Rogers [VA '86] , chief of staff to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, is leaving her post on June 30 after 18 months in which she helped build the department’s leadership team and implement $100 billion worth of economic-stimulus programs.

Before joining Mr. Duncan’s staff at the start of the Obama administration, Ms. Rogers, an attorney, spent 15 years working for education-related nonprofit organizations and foundations, including the Seattle-based Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Mr. Duncan credits her with serving as a thoughtful sounding board, and for becoming a “one-man HR wrecking crew” as part of an effort to recruit education leaders to top posts in his department.

Taking her place in this key role at a time of broad transition for the department will be Joanne Weiss, who has been in charge of the Race to the Top Fund competitive grant program. Mr. Duncan described the department’s shift as one toward policy implementation and away from policy formation, since the department has already set policies around Race to the Top; the Investing in Innovation, or i3, Fund; and other grant programs.

What follows is an edited transcript of a 30-minute interview on June 14 with Ms. Rogers...

Read the full article.

Last month (May 27-30, 2010), more than two dozen Scholars traveled to Missouri from around the country to take part in the 2010 Truman Scholars Reunion Weekend & 20th Anniversary Celebration of Truman Scholars Leadership Week.

This Reunion was an opportunity to strengthen the Truman Scholar community, celebrate our paths to public service, and honor the legacy of President Truman.

It was especially heartening for me to see that this event attracted Scholars from the inaugural class of 1977 all the way through the most recent class of 2009. I know this was particularly special for the 2010 Truman Scholars, who had an opportunity to meet those who came before them to answer President Truman’s call to public service.

Before the Reunion, we looked forward to exploring President Truman's legacy as an inspiration for each of us to renew, refresh, and recommit ourselves to public service. It is clear from our conversations among one another during and after the Reunion Weekend that this is certainly the case. As always happens when Truman Scholars get together, we inspire one another to service.

I hope events like this inspire you – whether you attended the Reunion in Missouri, the “Satellite Reunion” in London, another event in recent months, or if you just stay connected through the listserv and social media – to connect or reconnect with the Truman community.

For starters, it has been exciting to hear from many Scholars that they are applying for the Truman Scholars Association Board of Directors, and I hope many more of you will apply before the June 21 deadline. For the many Scholars who will be in Washington, DC this summer, I will join Fred Slabach (MS ’77), Executive Secretary of the Harry. S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, at a Truman Scholar Meet-and-Greet at Old Ebbitt Grill in Washington, DC on June 29, and we hope many of you will attend.

If you can’t be present at an upcoming event, there is much you can do with a few minutes of your time: please update your profile information, subscribe to our online listserve, join a TSA Regional Club, offer to mentor a younger Scholar, or help organize events much like the Reunion Weekend nationally, regionally, and virtually. For more information, please visit www.trumanscholars.org.

It is an exciting time for Truman Scholars, no matter where we live and no matter when we were selected. I hope you will take advantage of all this community has to offer!

Pooja K. Agarwal (MO ’05) is President of the TSA Board of Directors.

Noted legal analyst and bestselling author Jeffrey Toobin (NY '80) offered the keynote address on May 27, 2010 for the Truman Scholars Reunion Weekend and 20th Anniversary Celebration of Truman Scholars Leadership Week. A regular commentator on issues surrounding the Supreme Court, Toobin discussed topics ranging from history of the Court through President Obama's nomination of Elena Kagan to the bench.

After his remarks, Toobin signed copies of his bestselling book, The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court.

Robert Van Der Velde (OH ‘79), will return to the Sun Belt on July 1 to become Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the Palm Beach Gardens, Florida campus of Palm Beach State College.

Eric Greitens (MO ’95), CEO of the Mission Continues, is one of three St. Louis finalists for Major League Baseball (MLB) and People Magazine’s “All-Stars Among Us” contest. To vote for Eric, visit peopleallstars.com and click on “St. Louis Cardinals.”

Jonathan Sclarsic (MA ’02) was named Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General in the Division of Open Government, which is responsible for educating the public and enforcing laws related to government transparency in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Jeff McLean (WI ’03) has been deployed for the last 5 months in the Arabian Sea on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, flying F/A-18F Super Hornets in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He says his return home in two months will be a glorious occasion, but he’s very proud of his contribution to the war: “Flying from the aircraft carrier has been every bit of adventure and excitement that I'd hoped for, and it has been an inspiration leading and working with the sailors onboard. It was great to see everyone again at the National Conference last summer, and I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone this fall!”

Joe Wells (IN ’03) is commander of a 150-man stryker infantry company (Charger Company, 2-3 IN Battalion), which was deployed to Muqdadiyah, Iraq but will soon return to Washington State.  Wells says that local governance, security, economics, and infrastructure have improved markedly during the company’s deployment, and he remains optimistic about Iraq's future prospects.

Maya Babu (MN ’04) graduated in May with an MD with honors from Harvard Medical School and an MBA from Harvard Business School, where she received the Dean's Award.  Maya will start a neurosurgical residency at the Mayo Clinic in June. 

Mark Gaber (WI '04) graduated from Stanford Law School in June 2010.  He will spend a year as an associate at Jenner & Block, in Washington, DC, after which he will be a law clerk for Judge Judith Rogers on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Sara Ryan (PA '04) married Joe Weissfeld on March 27, 2010 in Bensalem, Pennsylvania.  Fellow Truman Scholars Sarah Sattelmeyer (GA ’04), a bridesmaid, and Melissa Boteach (MD '04) were present.

James Madden (MA ’05) graduated from MIT with a Masters in City Planning and began working for the Campaign to Protect the Affordable Housing Law, which is the vote “no” campaign on a ballot question that would repeal an important housing law in Massachusetts.

Ryan Quarles (KY ’05) won his primary on May 18th with 60% of the vote for the Kentucky House of Representatives.  His district lies in central Kentucky, in the "Bluegrass" region of the state, which includes the thoroughbred industry, Toyota's largest manufacturing plant in the U.S., and includes a vibrant agricultural community.  Ryan will be taking on a seven-term incumbent.  His website is www.RyanQuarles.com and he would appreciate any help.

Lauren Finzer (CA ’08) was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship. Beginning in August, she will spend nine months in India studying how supermarkets are affecting fruit and vegetable consumption.

Cara Valente-Compton (NM ‘10) started a new blog about the trials and tribulations of life as a 42 year old college student, mother of five, and Truman Scholar at LOBO MOM: http://undergradmom.blogspot.com.

Read the full transcript.