The Fund for American Studies [TFAS]

SOURCE:  Wikipedia, captured 2020-07-21  |  additionally, sourced from The Fund for American Studies [TFAS]

  • Established: 1967
  • President: Roger Ream
  • Chairman: Randal C. Teague
  • Location: Washington, D.C.
  • Assets (2014): $22,530,711
  • Website: TFAS.org
  • Fund for American Studies: SourceWatch.org


  • Louis DeJoy affiliations:


    The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1967, the organization's mission is "to change the world by developing leaders for a free society."

    History

    In 1967, Charles Edison took the first steps toward establishing the institution that is known today as The Fund for American Studies. Edison was a former governor of New Jersey, Secretary of the Navy, and son of inventor Thomas Alva Edison.

    Concerned about an eroding confidence in the American system of government, Edison recruited Walter H. Judd, David R. Jones, Marvin Liebman, and William F. Buckley Jr. to build a program that would educate college students about American government, politics, and economics.

    On February 6, 1967, the group incorporated the Charles Edison Youth Fund. In 1969, Edison died suddenly. To honor him and carry on his mission, the organization was renamed the Charles Edison Memorial Youth Fund. In 1985, the organization was renamed again to its present-day title, The Fund for American Studies. In the summer of 1970, the Edison Fund organized the inaugural Institute on Comparative Political and Economic Systems. Fifty-seven students attended the first Institute.

    Organizational timeline

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    Programs

    The Fund for American Studies sponsors 11 collegiate academic programs. Nine Institutes are held each summer in Washington, D.C., the Czech Republic, and Hong Kong. A tenth Institute is held during the fall and spring semesters in Washington, D.C., and an eleventh Institute is held in Santiago, Chile, in January. The institutes combine lectures, coursework, internships, evening lectures, and site briefings at key institutions of national government.

    In addition to its summer and semester Institutes, TFAS sponsors other educational programs and conferences for professors and students throughout the year.

    Engalitcheff Institute on Comparative Political and Economic Systems (ICPES)

    Since it was established in 1970, over 4,000 students have attended ICPES. This Institute is intended primarily for students interested in careers in government, international affairs, public policy and academia. Students study the American political system and market economics and hold internships with places of political and economic interest such as Capitol Hill, federal agencies, think tanks, political groups, or international affairs organizations.

    The Institute was named in 1994 in honor of entrepreneur John Engalitcheff.

    Institute on Political Journalism (IPJ)

    IPJ was established in 1985 to educate future journalists about ethical reporting and covering issues involving economic concepts.

    The competitive program accepts a limited number of undergraduate journalism students to attend the Institute each summer. Program participants attend classes in economics and ethics and intern with major news organizations. The students also attend events at the National Press Club and regular briefings at principal news sites such as Congress, the U.S. State Department and the Federal Reserve Board.

    Institute on Business and Government Affairs (IBGA)

    Established in 1990, IBGA explores the practical and theoretical questions surrounding the dynamic business-government relationship. Students examine the economic and political issues that shape how business and government interact as well as the importance of representing the interests of business before Congress. Accepted students earn course credit, intern with corporate governmental affairs office and trade associations and attend panel discussions with leaders in the profession.

    The Institute was established in 1990 and was named in honor of Bryce Harlow until 2006 when it was renamed the Institute on Business and Government Affairs.

    Institute on Philanthropy and Voluntary Service (IPVS)

    IPVS was established in 1999 as an academic and internship program for college students involved in volunteer activities and interested in a professional career in the nonprofit sector. The program curriculum includes service projects, an internship matched to the student's interest and course credit.

    Institute on Economics and International Affairs (IEIA)

    Approximately 60 undergraduate leaders attend the Institute on Economics and International Affairs (IEIA) in order to gain real-world experience in the nation's capital interning on Capitol Hill, federal agencies, think tanks, foreign policy groups, embassies, or international affairs organizations. Academic study is focused on current foreign policy issues, political trends and the economics of the free market.

    Capital Semester (CS)

    Capital Semester is a 15-week academic and internship program offered each fall and spring in Washington, D.C. Participants of the program are enrolled as full-time students, placed with an internship in their area of interest and housed in furnished apartments on Capitol Hill. Students also attend briefings at the White House, State Department, and Capitol Hill as well as guest lectures from government officials and policy makers. In 2007 CS added a political journalism component for students interested in print or broadcast journalism, politics or public relations.

    Legal Studies Institute (LSI)

    LSI was established in the summer of 2007. The ten-week program combines legal clerkships, academic coursework for credit, networking opportunities, and career development activities. Participants of the program interact with leaders of the legal profession and visit points of judicial and executive interest in Washington, D.C.

    International programs

    American Institute on Political and Economic Systems (AIPES), Prague, Czech Republic

    AIPES was established in 1993 to educate young leaders from central and Eastern Europe about free-market economics and constitutional democracy. Participants of the program attend classes, engage in a parliamentary simulation and listen to guest speakers.

    Asia Institute for Political Economy (AIPE), Hong Kong

    Established in 2002, AIPE promotes discussions of political economy among young leaders from across Asia. Participants attend courses on American studies and debate issues of economics, global trade, and economic developments with guest lecturers. The Institute is administered each summer in partnership with the University of Hong Kong.

    Awards

    The Fund for American Studies sponsors several awards programs throughout the year to honor those who help advance the values of freedom, democracy and a free-market economy around the world.

    Alumni awards

    The alumni awards recognize the distinguished accomplishments of TFAS alumni and commend their dedication and service to TFAS. They include the Alumni Achievement Award, the Kevin Burket Alumni Service Award, the Young Alumni Award and the Chapter of the Year Award.

    The Congressional Scholarship Award (CSAD)

    The Congressional Scholarship Award is given annually to a U.S. senator at a dinner that raises money for students to attend the Institute on Business and Government Affairs.

    The David R. Jones Awards

    TFAS awards the David R. Jones Leadership in Philanthropy Award annually to recognize individuals who promote American traditions of philanthropy, free enterprise and individual responsibility. In addition, the Lifetime Service Award is given annually to honor recipients who have made significant contributions to the advancement of the ideas of freedom and service.

    Journalism awards

    Each year, the Institute on Political Journalism presents two awards to professional journalists, the Clark Mollenhoff Award for Excellence in Investigative Reporting and the Award for Excellence in Economic Reporting. The Thomas L. Phillips Collegiate Journalism Award recognizes excellence in work published in collegiate publications.

    The Walter Judd Freedom Award

    The Walter Judd Freedom Award is presented annually by the Center for International Relations and TFAS to recognize individuals who have advanced the cause of freedom in the United States and abroad.


    The Fund for American Studies [TFAS]

    SOURCE:  TFAS.org, captured 2020-07-21  |  Additionally, sourced from Wikipedia

    History

    Ideas are powerful, but they're also perishable. While they can change lives, they need to be defended and passed on to each new generation. The Fund for American Studies champions a core set of principles -- freedom, individual responsibility and free markets -- which we believe define the essence of the American political tradition. We strive to have a profound effect on the lives of our students by passing on the ideas that offer the greatest opportunity for personal fulfillment and human accomplishment.

    The Founding and Early Years

    TFAS was established in 1967 in response to the political and social upheaval of the 1960s. As widespread protests of the Vietnam War and U.S. government policy erupted, confidence in the American system of government was eroding. The counterculture and many youth movements of the 1960s not only rejected the American political tradition, but also actively worked to undermine and subvert the ideas and principles on which America was built. Surveying this political and social landscape, Charles Edison, former Governor of New Jersey, Secretary of the Navy and son of the inventor Thomas Alva Edison, recognized that college students needed a balanced perspective on political and economic institutions. In 1967, Edison recruited Dr. Walter H. Judd, David R. Jones, Marvin Liebman and William F. Buckley, Jr. to help him establish the institution that is today known as The Fund for American Studies. The inaugural TFAS Institute on Comparative Political and Economic Systems hosted 56 college students during the summer of 1970 at Georgetown University. TFAS's partnership with Georgetown University was based on a shared commitment to academic integrity and a belief in the power of ideas. TFAS also organized conferences on college campuses throughout the U.S. on topics of journalism, business and economics. In 1985, TFAS created a second undergraduate program on political journalism to educate aspiring journalists about economics and journalism ethics. This program established for TFAS a foothold in journalism education that continues today. New educational programs were added over the years, but the core educational mission of the organization never wavered. Each TFAS program is designed to engage students in a spirited examination of the values of a free society. TFAS professors are chosen for their passion for teaching and for their ability to communicate ideas to students representing a diverse spectrum of thought. TFAS courses are uniquely designed by our faculty to bring the ideas of liberty to life.

    The Middle Decades

    In the early 1990s, TFAS received a multi-million dollar bequest from the estate of John Engalitcheff, a Russian immigrant-turned-entrepreneur who had a strong appreciation for the founding principles of his adopted country. The Engalitcheff bequest provided financial stability for TFAS and sparked a period of major program expansion. One of the first new initiatives in the early 1990s was providing scholarships to bring students from Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union to attend TFAS programs in Washington. As demand for these scholarships exploded, TFAS brought the program to Europe, launching a summer institute at Charles University in Prague in 1993. This unique program brings together students from former Soviet bloc countries and the United States to learn about the principles of democracy and free enterprise. TFAS added a second European program in Greece in 1996, serving students from the Balkans and Eastern Mediterranean. Later, TFAS replicated that model on other continents, establishing an Asia program in Hong Kong (2002) and a Latin America program in Santiago, Chile (2008). Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., TFAS expanded its summer programs, adding tracks in business-government relations, philanthropy and voluntary service, and international affairs. In 2003, TFAS went year-round, launching fall and spring Capital Semester programs. In 2007, TFAS expanded its reach to law students by establishing a summer law institute based on the model of its undergraduate programs.

    Recent Years

    In recent years, TFAS has grown by establishing several key partnerships with existing organizations. In 2013, the prestigious Robert Novak Journalism Fellowship Program was merged into TFAS. The program awards yearlong fellowships to young journalists pursuing writing projects that advance constitutional principles, a democratic society and a vibrant free-enterprise system. Also in 2013, TFAS established a strategic partnership with the Foundation for Teaching Economics (FTE), and in 2019, the two nonprofits formally merged, bringing FTE's programs for high school teachers and students under the TFAS umbrella of academic offerings. Through the FTE programs, TFAS introduces high school students to an economic way of thinking about national and international issues. By choosing to expand into programming for high school students and young professionals, TFAS sought to create an educational journey for its students, spanning from adolescence into adulthood. 2013 was also a pivotal year for TFAS collegiate programs, as an academic partnership was secured with George Mason University, allowing students to earn credit for their TFAS courses through the university. With its world-renowned economics department, Mason is an ideal fit for TFAS programs, which require every student to take a course in free-market economics. In 2016, TFAS entered into a partnership with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute to launch a new summer and semester program. Leadership and the American Presidency (LTAP) enables college students to examine lessons from the American presidency and develop the skills and character traits necessary to become the next generation of citizen leaders.

    The Next 50 Years

    Today, the TFAS alumni network continues to grow in size and influence. There are 42,000 alumni worldwide, and many have reached the pinnacle of professions such as journalism, academia, business and public policy. Each year, hundreds of alumni participate in TFAS-sponsored seminars and fellowships -- or serve as mentors, intern sponsors and guest speakers. As we forge ahead into the next 50 years, TFAS will seek to further engage and mobilize its alumni network, while also strengthening and expanding its educational programs for young leaders. With a renewed commitment to its mission, continued support from thousands of generous donors, wise leadership from the Board, strong management and dedicated alumni, TFAS has all the ingredients for continued success for decades to come.


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