News and Insights

How to become e pluribus unum

June 1, 2023

By Michael Cooper We call ourselves the United States of America, but we’re anything but united these days. The divisions aren’t about the issues. Instead, we’re sorting ourselves by culture, education level, negative partisanship, and the choice to associate only with those whom we agree with. That’s not healthy for our democracy or sustainable. But we […]

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In the News｜Hispanic Impact Fund to Surpass $1M Given to Local Nonprofits

October 25, 2021 | Gerardo Interiano (‘17)

Class of 2017’s Gerardo Interiano gives an update on his Personal Leadership Project, the Hispanic Impact Fund, and reflects on how PLS has contributed to its recent success.

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Hispanic Heritage Month: Julissa Carielo

October 12, 2021

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we spoke with Class of 2018’s Julissa Carielo, Founder of the Maestro Entrepreneur Center and Dream On Group in San Antonio, TX, about her Mexican heritage, her personal leadership project at the Maestro Entrepreneurship Center, and how the two intersect.

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In the News: National service can heal our partisan divides

July 15, 2021 | AnnMaura Connolly (‘15) and | Rye Barcott (‘19)

Presidential Leadership Scholars AnnMaura Connolly (Class of 2015) and Rye Barcott (Class of 2019) recently wrote an op-ed featured in the Dallas Morning News. Take a look: https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2021/07/13/national-service-can-heal-our-partisan-divides/

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Immigrant Heritage Month: Sameer Vohra

June 23, 2021

My father has never fully shared his story. Speaking of his challenges and struggles would be against his native traditions and culture. However, I am still in awe of the risk that he took. Born and raised in India by impoverished Muslim parents, he dared to dream. At 23, my father left his rural village, […]

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Immigrant Heritage Month: Bing Wei

June 22, 2021 | Bing Wei (‘16)

Class of 2016’s Bing Wei shares a recent story inspired by President George W. Bush this Immigrant Heritage Month. When our PLS family gathered over Zoom last October 2020, I was depressed. My video update centered around reading my poem of describing helplessness through the imagery of Chinese cooking during the COVID lockdown. My poem, […]

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In the News: Bowser nominates Philadelphia school official to be D.C.’s superintendent of education

June 7, 2021

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser recently announced that Class of 2018’s Christina Grant will serve as the District’s state superintendent of education. Read more via the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/christina-grant-dc-schools-state-superintendent/2021/06/03/08230cb6-c48d-11eb-9a8d-f95d7724967c_story.html

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In the News: Harvard Kennedy School announces 2021 Alumni Award winners

May 25, 2021 | Jay Bhatt (‘16)

Scholar Jay Bhatt was recently honored as one of the Harvard Kennedy School’s 2021 Alumni Award winners. Read more here: https://www.hks.harvard.edu/alumni/connect/community-stories/2021-alumni-awards?utm_source=alumni-awards-announcement&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alumni-awards-2021#Bhatt

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Applications Open for Eighth Class of Presidential Leadership Scholars

May 13, 2021

A one-of-a-kind opportunity to join a network of leaders making a difference in the world, and learn from the presidential experiences of George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson Applications are now open to join the Presidential Leadership Scholars (PLS) program — a one-of-a-kind partnership among the presidential centers of George W. Bush, William […]

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Presidential Leadership Scholars Featured in Out of Many, One: Portraits of America’s Immigrants

President George W. Bush’s new book, Out of Many, One: Portraits of America’s Immigrants, features 43 four-color oil portraits of individuals who exemplify our proud history as a nation of immigrants. Nine of those portraits are of the following Presidential Leadership Scholars: Mark Haidar, Class of 2019 Sumera Haque, Class of 2019 Alfia Ilicheva, Class […]

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#ThisIsOurShot – Behind the Scenes on the Strategerist Podcast

March 30, 2021 | Sunny Jha (‘18), | Jay Bhatt (‘16) and | Loren Robinson (‘18)

Presidential Leadership Scholars Dr. Sunny Jha, Dr. Loren Robinson, and Dr. Jay Bhatt are on the front lines in their communities in the fight against COVID-19 — but thanks to vaccines that are now available, see a light at the end of the tunnel. They recently spoke to the George W. Bush Center’s Andrew Kaufmann […]

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