On June 23, more than 220 students, government affairs professionals and legislators gathered at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington for the 20th annual Congressional Scholarship Awards Dinner.
The annual event raises scholarship funds to enable students to attend Fund programs. Senator Jon Kyl (Ariz.) was the guest of honor and was joined by Senators Lamar Alexander and Pat Roberts.
Under the leadership of Dinner Chair Robbie Aiken of Pinnacle West, the event raised more than $162,000 toward IBGA scholarship funds. Aiken raised almost $50,000 himself and brought in numerous new sponsors while also adding a dozen new members to the dinner committee.
Pfizer Inc. provided underwriting support for the dinner, while other corporations and trade associations purchased tables and tickets. Pfizer was also the recipient of the 2009 Corporate Award, which was presented to their vice president of governmental affairs Anthony Principi.
IBGA students Kelly Snyder of the Air Force Academy lead the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance, Lauren Goldberg of the University of Tennessee gave the invocation and Jess Johnson of the University of Colorado at Boulder delivered a student testimonial to dinner attendees.
“The internships we are offered [at IBGA] give us first-hand experience on how corporations and citizens express their interests to our elected officials,” said Johnson. “This experience is one of a kind and it wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of the sponsors here tonight.”
Dinner Committee Member Wayne Berman of Ogilvy Government Relations, who raised $25,000, introduced the honorary co-chairs of the dinner, Senators Pat Roberts (Kan.) and Lamar Alexander (Tenn.). After the Senators each spoke about their time working with Sen. Kyl and telling their own anecdotes, TFAS Trustee Bill Hybl and Dinner Chair Robbie Aiken presented the 2009 Congressional Scholarship Award to Sen. Kyl.
The Fund for American Studies and the Institute on Business and Government Affairs provide an invaluable education for our nation’s future leaders. He continued on to say, “I know that the students who participate in this program are the beneficiaries of a unique and exceptional experience and that as alumni, they excel,” said Sen. Kyl.
A special thank you to those on the dinner committee who spent time and effort selling tables and tickets, securing Senators and attendees and attending the event: Doug Todd, Larry Harlow, Dave Hoppe, Kelly Johnston, Lonnie Taylor, Dorothy Walsh, Peter Kravitz, and Mary Toler. TFAS would also like to thank the International Speedway Corporation for their support of the dinner and for donating more than 200 matchbox cars to attendees.
The Congressional Scholarship Awards Dinner is a nonpartisan annual event, recognizing a Republican senator in odd numbered years and a Democratic senator in even numbered years.
For more information, visit www.TFAS.org/CSAD.
Alumni who attended the dinner:
Andy Christianson (IBGA 04, AIPE 05)
Patrick Devney (IBGA 06)
Caroline Dierker (IBGA 07)
Kerri DiNarda (IPJ 06)
John Dogero (CSS 06, IIPES 06)
Kayti Fan (IBGA 05)
Allison Huff (IPJ 08)
Sheila Korth (IBGA 06)
Greg McIlvaine (IBGA 01)
Cori Meyer (IPVS 06)
Rochelle Olson (IBGA 08)
Charise Pastor (IBGA 05)
David Satterfield (IBGA 05)
Toby Stock (IBGA 98)
Blake Swango (IBGA 02, AIPES 04)
Jennifer Weber (IBGA 04)
Desiree Westby (IBGA 02)
Bryan Wood (IBGA 06)