The Aspen Institute Selects “Rising Stars” in Governance for its Rodel Fellowships in Public Leadership Program
The Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellowship Program for Public Leadership has announced members of its eighth class of Fellows—24 public officials identified by the Institute as the “rising stars” of American government. Selected after a rigorous vetting process (no applications are accepted), Aspen-Rodel Fellows represent the Institute’s recognition of outstanding bipartisan leadership at the state and local levels of government.
The Aspen-Rodel Fellowship – a 24-month program focusing on promoting bipartisan problem-solving public leadership and building relationships among the nation’s emerging political leaders – provides public leaders time to step back from the daily demands of public office to reflect on the principles and values that underline democratic governance. Three officials selected for previous Rodel classes have since been elected governors of their states, seven have been elected to Congress, and one now serves as Assistant U.S. Attorney General.
Members of the new Rodel class include:
Chicago alderman Will Burns, Texas state representative Stefani Carter, Seattle City Council president Sally Clark, Alaska state representative Mia Costello, Arizona state senator Rich Crandall, Missouri state senator Tom Dempsey, Arizona state treasurer Doug Ducey, Kentucky state auditor Adam Edelen, Colorado House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, Montana Superintendent of Public Education Denise Juneau, San Jose city councilman Sam Liccardo, and Mia Love, mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah.
Also, Maryland state delegate Heather Mizeur, Massachusetts lieutenant governor Tim Murray, Boston city councilwoman Ayanna Pressley, Oklahoma House Speaker T. W. Shannon, South Carolina state senator Vincent Sheheen, North Carolina state senator Josh Stein, Michigan House Speaker pro-tem John Walsh, Arkansas House Speaker Darrin Williams, Delaware state representative Lincoln Willis, South Carolina attorney general Alan Wilson, New York state senator Lee Zeldin, and Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Zellers.
For more information on the Aspen-Rodel Fellowship Program, visit http://as.pn/rodel or contact: Mickey Edwards Vice President, The Aspen Institute (202) 736-5823; mickey.edwards@aspeninst.org
Mission
The Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellowships in Public Leadership program seeks to enhance our democracy by identifying and bringing together the nation's most promising young political leaders to explore, through study and conversation, the underlying values and principles of western democracy, the relationship between individuals and their community, and the responsibilities of public leadership; to support and inspire political leaders committed to sustaining the vision of a political system based on thoughtful and civil bipartisan dialogue; and to help America's brightest young leaders achieve their fullest potential in public service.
About the Program
Download "Politics of the Future"
by Congressman Mickey Edwards,
Director of the Rodel Fellowship:
The Rodel Fellowship program is open by invitation only to men and women who are in publicly elected office and who are ideally between the ages of 25 and 50. Selected on an annual basis, each class consists of 24 Fellows, identified by the program's leadership as America's emerging political leaders with reputations for intellect, thoughtfulness, and a commitment to civil dialogue. The 24-month fellowship program consists of three weekend-long seminars, generally held in Aspen, Colorado, and week-long foreign trips in Asia and the Middle East.
The Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellowship program recognizes that by working to develop thoughtful, committed political leaders, it will also help to produce a more bipartisan approach to America's most important domestic issues such as health care, public education, and the environment. All of these issues transcend the usual partisan political divide and are central to fostering a better society for future generations. While the participants in this program are all elected, and therefore political, leaders, the Rodel Fellowship is not a political program but an educational and leadership training program based on the belief that by exposing participants to a variety of philosophies, viewpoints, and strategies, we will improve the quality of problem-solving in the states and in our local communities.
William D. Budinger, an Aspen Institute Trustee and president of the Rodel Foundations, is the program's chief source of inspiration: "The United States," he says, "is founded on two bedrock ideas -- freedom and democracy. It's important to make sure our political leaders understand the degree to which America's unique character rests on those two principles...It is in keeping with this vision that our goal is nothing less than to begin a reshaping of the American political dynamic."
Former Congressman Mickey Edwards is the program's Director. Edwards served in Congress for 16 years and was Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, the fourth-ranking Republican leadership position and a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees. Since leaving the Congress Edwards has taught at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, the Harvard Law School, the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, and the Georgetown University Public Policy Institute.
Participation and Funding Participation.
The Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellowships in Public Leadership is a nongovernmental, nonpartisan educational program for men and women, ideally under age 50, holding elective office at the state, local, or federal level. The Rodel Fellowship program provides an opportunity for our country’s young leaders to analyze and discuss historical texts and contemporary commentaries on topics such as democracy and leadership. Political neutrality is essential to the educational mission of the program and there is no identification with any political or party viewpoint and no endorsement of legislation. No lobbyists, staff members, or outside observers are permitted to attend fellowship programs. Fellows must be nominated to be considered for participation.
Funding. The Aspen-Rodel Fellowships in Public Leadership are funded solely by the Rodel Foundation. Funding is not accepted from lobbyists, governments, corporations, or special interests.
