Home » News » Honoring Excellence: TFAS Bestows 50th Anniversary Alumni Awards

Honoring Excellence: TFAS Bestows 50th Anniversary Alumni Awards

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The strength and success of TFAS are best measured by the incredible accomplishments of our 17,000 alumni. On Tuesday, March 6, we honored three of our most outstanding examples with the TFAS 50th Anniversary Alumni Awards at the St. Regis Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Stephen F. Hayes (AIPES 94, Novak 00), editor-in-chief of The Weekly Standard, was awarded the TFAS Alumni Achievement Award; Johnathan Lozier (IBGA 08), senior manager of state issues at Stateside Associates, was recognized with the Kevin Burket Alumni Service Award; and Remley Johnson (ICPES 11), chief of staff for former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, received the Young Alumnus Award.


 

Stephen F. Hayes reminisces on his TFAS experience and its impact on his life today as he accepts the 50th Anniversary Alumni Achievement Award.

Stephen F. Hayes (AIPES 94, Novak 00)
Alumni Achievement Award Recipient

This year’s Alumni Achievement Award recipient has forged a successful career in journalism, writing extensively on national politics and international affairs and appearing in the country’s top publications. In addition to leading the helm as The Weekly Standard’s editor-in-chief, Stephen F. Hayes is a Fox News contributor and regular member of the “Fox News All-Stars,” as well as the author of two New York Times best-sellers.

“It’s no exaggeration to say I’m doing what I’m doing now directly because of the opportunities presented to me by The Fund for American Studies,” said Hayes during his acceptance remarks. “For that, I am endlessly grateful.”

It’s no exaggeration to say I’m doing what I’m doing now directly because of the opportunities presented to me by The Fund for American Studies. For that, I am endlessly grateful.” – Stephen F. Hayes (AIPES 94, Novak 00)

Hayes attended the American Institute on Political and Economic Systems (AIPES) in the Czech Republic in 1994, and later served as the director of the TFAS Institute on Political Journalism (IPJ), a role he filled for six years. During that time, Hayes took advantage of everything TFAS had to offer. “I turned my time with TFAS into my own graduate program in the conservative movement – plowing through books on the TFAS bookshelves, one after another,” he said. “It was at TFAS that I first read Hayek and Burke, Richard Weaver and Ludwig von Mises, and – of course – M. Stanton Evans’ ‘The Theme is Freedom.’”

In 2000, Hayes was awarded a TFAS Robert Novak Journalism Fellowship, allowing him to embark on a yearlong reporting project that was eventually accepted and published by The Weekly Standard. It was a freelance stepping stone that helped him get his proverbial foot in the door with the publication.

Today, Hayes’ TFAS Journey continues. Even with his busy schedule, he serves as a supporter, a member of the TFAS Board of Trustees and the IPJ Board of Visitors, and regularly speaks to TFAS students and friends.

Hayes credits TFAS for his professional successes and even has the organization to thank for introducing him to his wife of nearly 15 years, TFAS alumna Carrie Hayes (IPJ 97, AIPES 98). “Thanks to The Fund for American Studies for this incredible honor and thanks for everything TFAS has done, not just for me, but for students who have come through the program these past 50 years. I hope we can all pledge to do everything we can to help make TFAS as successful in its next 50 years as it has been in its first 50.”


Alumni Service Award recipient, Johnathan Lozier (center), celebrates his award with two individuals who have played an important role in his TFAS Journey. Picture far right is Rich Lopez, Lozier’s internship supervisor when he was a TFAS student, and far left is Jacob Medvitz (IBGA 16), one of the many TFAS students that Lozier has mentored as an internship supervisor over the past nine years.

Johnathan Lozier (IBGA 08)
Kevin Burket Alumni Service Award Recipient

Johnathan Lozier, calls TFAS “part of who I am.” Much like his award’s namesake, Jonathan has achieved considerable professional success, but still manages to commit a significant amount of his time and talent to TFAS as a dedicated volunteer, something he views as paying it forward.

“I would not have been able to have this opportunity if it had not been for generous individuals like yourselves,” said Lozier. “I am very grateful for that.”

In 2008, he received a scholarship to attend the TFAS Institute on Business and Government Affairs (IBGA) in Washington, D.C., where he interned with the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and studied the economic and political issues that shape how business and government interact. After graduating from East Central University in Oklahoma in 2009, Lozier made his way back to D.C. where he applied his leadership skills and quickly climbed the ladder of professional success.

The staff at TFAS has been such a big part of my life and a family of mine. I am very proud to receive this award and I look forward to many more years of doing anything I can to help further the mission.” – Johnathan Lozier (IBGA 08)

Today, Lozier is senior manager of state issues for Stateside Associates, where he works with clients on a wide range of state government affairs issues, leveraging his expertise on advocacy efforts, strategic planning and communications, as well as his extensive network of elected officials. Prior to joining Stateside, Lozier served as the manager of legislator outreach at Women In Government, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting female state legislators.

Despite his busy schedule, Lozier has never forgotten his TFAS roots. Over the last nine years, Lozier has served as an alumni volunteer in practically every possible capacity. For three years, he has served as a member of the TFAS Alumni Council. He is a mentor to TFAS students and an internship supervisor – often helping two or more students at a time. He frequently speaks at TFAS Alumni Roundtables and Professional Development Seminars and is often the first person TFAS staff seek to speak to students and impart advice.

“The staff at TFAS has been such a big part of my life and a family of mine,” said Lozier. “I am very proud to receive this award and I look forward to many more years of doing anything I can to help further the mission.”


TFAS alumna and vice president of international and alumni programs, Michelle Le, presents Remley Johnson with her 50th Anniversary Young Alumnus Award.

Remley Johnson (ICPES 11)
Young Alumnus Award Recipient

Young Alumnus Award recipient, Remley Johnson, first came to TFAS as a student in the Engalitcheff Institute on Comparative Political and Economic Systems (ICPES) during the summer of 2011. Her mother, a TFAS alumna, attended the same program some 30 years ago and encouraged her daughter to apply. “I’m so grateful that she did,” exclaimed Johnson as she accepted her award. “TFAS has given me so much – an unforgettable summer, incredible friendships and you even helped convince Mr. Rumsfeld to take a chance on hiring me, which has turned out pretty well, I think.”

As chief of staff to former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Johnson oversees projects including the launch of Rumsfeld’s Winston Churchill Solitaire App and the publication of his third book, “When the Center Held: Gerald Ford and the Rescue of the American Presidency.” She also served as an aide to Dr. Ed Feulner, senior advisor to the presidential transition for domestic policy.

TFAS has given me so much – an unforgettable summer, incredible friendships and you even helped convince Mr. Rumsfeld to take a chance on hiring me.” – Remley Johnson (ICPES 11)

Though Johnson’s professional success keeps her busy, she has always made time to give back to help further the TFAS mission as a mentor, speaker and supporter. “I appreciate every opportunity,” she said. “I’m so glad to be able to contribute in any way I can to somehow return the favor to many others to come.”


The 50th Anniversary Alumni Award recipients were nominated by their distinguished class of TFAS peers and selected by the alumni awards committee of the TFAS Alumni Council – a difficult task says TFAS Vice President Michelle Le (IPJ 95, AIPES 96). “There are 17,000 TFAS alumni, over these last 50 years, and they are in over 140 countries, doing amazing work in media, politics, business and the nonprofit sector around the world,” she said. “As you can imagine, each year, trying to only choose three people from that amazing group is quite a difficult task.”

It’s a task that will only become more difficult as TFAS embarks on the next 50 years, but one that we will eagerly take on as each next generation of alumni continues to achieve excellence.

The 50th Anniversary Alumni Award recipients were recognized during “The Next 50 Years of TFAS,” a celebratory reception of more than 100 TFAS alumni, supporters and friends at the St. Regis Hotel in Washington. D.C. The evening also announced the TFAS Liberty + Leadership 50th Anniversary Campaign, a $25 million campaign to increase the impact and reach of TFAS programs and ensure that we continue to cultivate outstanding alumni for decades to come.

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