Program
is designed to teach practical leadership skills through an
unprecedented collection of resources and faculty from four presidential
centers
September 8, 2014 (Washington, DC) -- Today, President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush launched the
Presidential Leadership Scholars
program, a partnership between the presidential centers of William J.
Clinton, George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush and Lyndon B. Johnson. The
goal of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program is to help
participants develop the skills needed to become highly-effective
leaders. The inaugural class will begin in February 2015. Online
applications and referrals will be accepted at
www.presidentialleadershipscholars.org through October 27, 2014.
“Effective
leadership is an important skill for individuals looking to make a
positive difference in the world and change lives,” said Bruce Lindsey,
Chair of the Clinton Foundation’s Board of Directors. “The Presidential
Leadership Scholars Program is designed to foster the next generation of
leaders, whether they choose to work in government, business, or
philanthropy. The program’s unique curriculum includes an unprecedented
assembly of leaders across four presidential administrations, spanning
over 45 years.”
The program’s interactive and dynamic curriculum incorporates:
- Pre-eminent scholarship and best practices;
- Distinguished
faculty from the presidential centers’ affiliated universities: SMU,
Texas A&M, University of Texas and the Clinton School of Public
Service at the University of Arkansas, and other renowned academic
institutions, including Georgetown University;
- Leadership examples and participation from the private, public, non-profit, and military sectors; and,
- Active engagement from guest speakers across a number of presidential administrations.
The
Presidential Leadership Scholars Program will focus on a variety of
facets of leadership skills, including vision and communication,
decision-making, persuasion and influence, and coalition building. The
program will also benefit from periodic participation of former
Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. The curriculum draws from
presidential centers’ archives and other resources related to leadership
and decision-making moments from each administration.
“Leadership
is always a critical need,” said Margaret Spellings, president of the
George W. Bush Presidential Center. “I’m excited about the opportunity
that lies before us: a program that will train highly motivated people
with a track record of leadership from across all sectors and
backgrounds – private, public, non-profit, military and academia – to
apply the lessons, concepts and ideas they learn through the program to
the complex opportunities and challenges that lie before them.”
Throughout
the program, scholars are encouraged to form long-term relationships
with one another and to learn from each other’s divergent views and
backgrounds. By connecting a new class of scholars each year, the
Presidential Leadership Scholars Program also aims to build a strong and
diverse alumni network that can put the lessons of cooperation and
collaborative problem-solving to use in a variety of sectors.
The
program begins with an intensive four-day instructional program held at
Mt. Vernon, where participants will learn about leadership models in
general, and presidential leadership in particular.
In the months
following, an extended weekend class sessions will be held at each of
the participating presidential centers: the George W. Bush Presidential
Center in Dallas, Texas; the William J. Clinton Presidential Center in
Little Rock, Arkansas; the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum
in College Station, Texas; and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential
Library in Austin, Texas. Scholars will be able to maintain their full
time employment while participating in the program. Spread over six
months, the sessions encompass approximately 120 hours of instruction.
The
first class of scholars will be selected by the end of the year.
Applicants may come from the private, public, non-profit, and military
sectors and should generally have 10 years of professional experience.
Successful applicants will demonstrate a strong record of professional
and community achievement, a commitment to continued growth as a leader,
a passion for serving an even broader role in society and a
collaborative spirit that is open to new ideas and approaches.
The
four presidential centers are committed to offering this opportunity to
selected participants regardless of their financial means. To honor
this commitment, program tuition, accommodations, meals and travel to
the course sessions are funded by generous contributions from
foundations, individuals and corporations, including the Moody
Foundation, the Miles Foundation, and the W.W. Caruth, Jr. Foundation.
The Presidential Leadership Scholars program also benefits from an
Advisory Committee, made up of notable alumni from each presidential
administration, which contributes to the breadth and depth of expertise
supporting this innovative leadership program. Members of the advisory
committee are: The Honorable Joshua Bolten, Chair; The Honorable
Alexis M. Herman, Co-Chair; The Honorable James W. Cicconi; The
Honorable Carlos Gutierrez; The Honorable Tom Johnson; The Honorable
Vilma S. Martinez; General (Ret.) Stanley A. McChrystal; The Honorable
Constance Berry Newman; The Honorable Lyndon Olson; Dr. Roger B.
Porter; The Honorable Donna E. Shalala; Dr. Laura Tyson; The
Honorable Bruce Lindsey, Chairman of the Board for the Clinton
Foundation; and, The Honorable Margaret Spellings, ex-officio.
