We hope you enjoy these top news stories about TFAS activities, alumni and events this week. Please visit us on social media for additional up-to-the-moment TFAS news and information and sign up to receive weekly updates.
TFAS alumni, staff and faculty continue to make headlines. Read news, analysis and updates by visiting this week’s “Quick Links.”
TFAS Alumna Shares Message of Perseverance in the Face of Challenges as Students Reflect on TFAS Virtual Summer
TFAS students celebrated “A Summer Like No Other” during the 2020 TFAS Virtual Summer closing ceremony on July 30. Students heard remarks from their TFAS classmates, faculty and staff, as well as a keynote address from alumna Jennifer Hale ’99, who shared the importance of being prepared in the face of life’s most difficult challenges.
A participant of the TFAS Journalism + Communications program track in 1999, Hale shared how her TFAS internship helped propel her career as a sideline reporter for FOX Sports in ways she never thought possible.
“When I look back at my summer two decades ago now, I realize that I use my TFAS experiences in ways I never thought I would,” Hale said. “The lessons I learned, the people I met, the things I saw, and the ideas I was exposed to during my summer in D.C. and being part of the TFAS program have been so impactful and I have carried them with me my entire career.”
Following Hale’s remarks, students shared testimonies on the lasting impact of the virtual program. TFAS Leadership Scholar Noelle Boyd ’20 said the program challenged her to expand her thinking in new ways.
“I think back on the many impressionable guest lectures through TFAS and my professors that I was exposed to this summer, from Mr. Doug Brandow, Mr. Jonatan Vseviov and Ms. Rachel Farrell, and the wonderful professional and personal development talks with Dr. Jayme Lemke and Mrs. Karith Foster,” Boyd recalled. “My mind and the way that I think about some of the world’s most pressing issues, both here at home and in light of America’s presence abroad, as well as my own place in them, has forever been challenged, expanded and shaped for the things that I will face ahead.”
Read more closing ceremony highlights and student testimonies at TFAS.org/VirtualSummerClosing.
Firsthand Accounts of Life Under Socialism Reach Students in U.S. and Abroad
Less than one year since its launch, TFAS’s “Venezuela: My Story … Your Future” project has exposed the truth about socialism to more than 2,000 college students worldwide.
From Maine to Florida, to New York to California, and many places in between, Venezuelan asylum seekers Andrés Guilarte and Jorge Galicia made presentations about how the socialist government in Venezuela crippled the economy, caused widespread starvation, blanketed the nation in blackouts and silenced and jailed those who dared to speak out and criticize the government.
Combined, the two young activists made presentations to 44 different campus groups in 20 states since September 2019. In the spring of 2020, the covid-19 pandemic and university closures prevented the activists from traveling and hosting in-person programs on college campuses. However, without the barrier of travel, TFAS was able to expand its audience and offer programming for more students in the U.S. and abroad. Guilarte and Galicia have since addressed several student groups in five countries abroad, in both Spanish and English.
Read about the international impact of the program as it embarks on its second year at TFAS.org/VenezuelaStory.
Applications Now Open for TFAS Santiago 2021, Early Deadline August 15
Applications for TFAS Santiago 2021 are now open! Young leaders from across Latin America and the United States are encouraged to apply for this two-week long academic program by the early deadline on August 15, 2020. In partnership with Universidad de los Andes (UANDES), TFAS Santiago offers a unique opportunity for students to learn about the political and economic necessities of a free society while exploring the vibrant metropolis of Santiago, Chile.
Through two course components, students will engage in a philosophical examination of government and economics in order to shed light on the political and economic necessities of a free society. In addition to the program’s academic courses, participants will also have many opportunities to see the sights and sounds that make Chile such a special place, including a city-wide tour, cultural presentations, an authentic Chilean barbecue, and a trip to the coastal city of Valparaiso.
TFAS Santiago alumna Francesca McCallister ’18, ’20 believes that the program exposed her to a unique variety of cultures, ideas and experiences.
“My experience in Santiago with TFAS and UANDES provided me with an inspiring educational and intercultural experience that I will never forget,” McCallister said. “From the engaging lectures to the cultural trips across Chile, I found myself inspired by the connections made and conversations had between a highly intellectual and accomplished group of peers from across the world.”
For more information on program dates, location, courses and professors, as well as a sample schedule, please visit TFASinternational.org/Santiago.
Post of the Week
TFAS Virtual Summer student Rachel Coers ’20 celebrates the culmination of the summer with a photo of her closing ceremony certificate.
QUICK LINKS
COVID-19 NEWS
Dr. Deganit Paikowsky ’04, the first female Israeli VP of the International Astronautical Federation, discusses how COVID-19 is impacting space exploration in an interview with Israel21c.
Alana Austin ’10 interviews the U.S. Surgeon General about the COVID-19 crisis in Florida for Gray Television Washington News Bureau.
Kylee Zempel ’17, PPF ’19, opines for The Federalist on closure of churches in America amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Trustee Peter McPherson discusses how the U.S. can protect COVID-19 vaccine research from foreign hackers in a piece for Forbes.
JOB UPDATES AND HONORS
Bryce Leech ’19, ’19 was interviewed by Praescient Analytics on what the transition to full-time employee has been like after completing his TFAS internship with the company.
David Kosztrihán ‘19 is featured in the Hungary Initiatives Foundation’s “Alumni Series” interview on his 2019 Fall Széll Kálmán Fellowship.
Scott Odenbach ’94 is running for a seat in the South Dakota House of Representatives.
TFAS alumna Anita Popovska ’07 was elected as Member of the Management Board of the largest business advocacy organization in Macedonia, the Economic Chamber of Macedonia for the 2020-2025 term.
Martin Takács ’18 discusses his 2018 Széll Kálmán Public Policy Fellowship with TFAS and his new role as an Accredited Parliamentary Assistant (APA) for MEP András Gyürk in the European Parliament in an “Alumni Series” interview with the Hungary Initiatives Foundation.
Alana Austin ‘10 is a multimedia journalist for Gray Television Washington News Bureau, covering national and state politics in Washington, D.C.
TFAS Virtual Summer student and intern with Weiner Public News Kyra Watts ’20, had an op-ed ranked ranked H1 (a top national oped) in Oped News.
MORE NEWS
Laura Vanderkam ’99, Novak ’06, writes for Forge on how to effectively manage a work schedule when working from home.
Herb Stupp ’70 reviews Larry Reed’s new book, “Was Jesus a Socialist?” in a piece for the Washington Times.
Kristin Tate, Novak ’19, is interviewed on the Joe Piscopo Show about the upcoming election.
Robby Soave, Novak ’17, is a featured panelist for a discussion on “Is Free Speech Still Alive on the American College Campus?” hosted by the Cato Institute on Sept. 10.
Oriana Pawlyk ’11 writes for Military.com on service members’ feedback on the racial injustices in the Air Force.
Tim Alberta, Novak ’19, interviews working class Americans about the 2020 election in his “Letter to Washington” from Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Frederico Bartels, PPF ’18, opines for the Daily Signal on defense budget cut proposals in both House and Senate.
Jennifer Kabbany, Novak ’02, writes for the College Fix on the death of First Amendment champion Professor Mike Adams.
TFAS Grewcock Senior Scholar Don Devine reviews Robert R. Reilly’s new book “America on Trial: A Defense of the Founding” in a piece for the Imaginative Conservative.
John McCormack, Novak ’11, opines for National Review on Sen. Tom Cotton’s response to the history of slavery in U.S.
Graham Kilmer ’14 reports for Urban Milwaukee on new racial equity legislation in Milwaukee County.
Haley Britzky ’16 reports for Task & Purpose on first-ever confirmed female commander of the Army Reserve.
Paul Crespo, Novak ’03, opines for RealClearDefense on the need for joint defense from U.S. and Canada to protect foreign attack routes through the once-frozen arctic waters.
Trustee Emeritus Neal Freeman opines for the American Conservative on the continued need for libertarians in the conservative political movement.