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.”

Johan Norberg Shares “Lessons From Sweden” In Annual Neal B. Freeman Lecture

Is Sweden a socialist country? And is it being portrayed accurately by supporters of democratic socialism in the United States? Swedish author Johan Norberg joined nearly 200 TFAS students for a webinar on Tuesday, June 23, to answer these questions and share his “Lessons From Sweden” on the failed socialist policies in his home nation.

Norberg served as the 2020 TFAS Virtual Summer Neal B. Freeman Lecture featured speaker, addressing students across all program tracks.

A senior fellow at the Cato Institute and author of several books, Norberg shared remarks with students from his home in Stockholm, Sweden, providing a firsthand look at life during the coronavirus pandemic in the only country that did not close its economy.

“Sweden did not close borders, businesses, schools, public transportation, gyms or bars,” Norberg said. “This is the place where we had politicians who said that it would be an insufferable dismantling of civil liberties and it would be too costly for people, for the economy and for public health in the long-run to shutdown.”

Learn more about the exclusive TFAS lecture and watch Norberg’s full address at TFAS.org/Norberg20.

TFAS Leaderships Scholarship Program Provides Exclusive Opportunities for Emerging Leaders

TFAS is pleased to welcome 20 talented young leaders to the third annual cohort of TFAS Leadership Scholars.

Hailing from 13 states across the U.S., the scholars were awarded full tuition scholarships to attend TFAS programming and upper-level courses through George Mason University.

George and Sally Mayer Fellow for Economic Education and TFAS Academic Director Dr. Anne Bradley served as the scholars’ first exclusive guest lecturer with a presentation on how “Creativity Will Overcome COVID-19.”

She addressed the ways the human entrepreneurial spirit can provide creative solutions to everyday problems, including meeting needs during the current crisis. During her discussion, she provided examples of how Americans are stepping up and innovating to help those in need.

Raymond Horchos ’20, a rising senior at DeSalles University, said the lecture reminded him of the importance of being aware of new opportunities and the ways they can best serve communities.

“Dr. Bradley gave an excellent discussion on the power of creative individuals in overcoming impediments of COVID-19,” he said. “The main thing I learned is to be aware… If you keep your eyes open and are humble enough to listen, the opportunities will be transparent.”

Learn more about the program and meet the 2020 TFAS Leadership Scholars at TFAS.org/LSP20.

Economics Lesson of the Week: “The Job Jungle”

TFAS continues to provide resources to help teachers and parents carry on the important task of educating our nation’s future leaders. Each week, we feature a different lesson from our high school programming division – the Foundation for Teaching Economics (FTE).

This week’s lesson is “The Job Jungle,” A Labor Market Game. This activity allows students to experience a labor market firsthand and ultimately discover how wages are determined. A video, handouts and teacher guide explain the set up and goals for the activity. Students will explore labor supply and demand, why profit-maximizing employers will not offer more than the value of a worker’s marginal product, and the opportunity cost a worker faces when considering whether to accept a wage offer.

TFAS offers a plethora of online lesson plans, readings, handouts, video demonstrations and hands-on activity guides to teach the “economic way of thinking” in engaging and relatable ways. Visit TFAS.org/FTELessons for a one-stop guide to our available resources.

Post of the Week

TFAS alumni Amanda Munger ’10, PPF ’17, and Jean Schindler ’06, co-hosted a Networking Professional Development Seminar for TFAS Virtual Summer students this week. Following the meeting, Munger shared her takeaways for building virtual connections in a post on LinkedIn.

QUICK LINKS

Kari Travis ’12 discusses the creative strategies of North Carolina bars and nightclubs to stay in business amid the coronavirus crisis in the Carolina Journal.

Ian Marcus Corbin, Novak ’13, shares how the COVID-19 outbreak has revealed the impact of multi-generational living on America’s elderly in a piece for the Institute for Family Studies.

Peter Suderman, Novak ’10, opines for Reason on the lack of oversight in federal coronavirus relief spending.

Naomi Schaefer Riley, Novak ’01, discusses the importance of reopening America’s schools in a piece for City Journal.

 Mark Grabowski ’97 discusses the lack of objectivity in journalism today in a piece for the Washington Examiner.

Mollie Hemingway, Novak ’04, opines for The Federalist on the recent statue removals across the U.S.

Curt Mills, Novak ’18, discusses Virginia politics and the presidential election in an interview with City Journal.

Laura Vanderkam ’99, Novak ’06, shares tips on starting a blog in an episode of her “Best of Both Worlds” podcast.

TFAS Academic Director Dr. Anne Bradley reviews Antony Davies’ and James R. Harrigan’s new book called “Cooperation and Coercion: How Busybodies Became Busybullies and What That Means for Economics and Politics” on Law & Liberty.

Mark Hemingway, Novak ’02, discusses the war on free speech in American journalism in RealClearPolitics.

Eerik Oja ’09 was interviewed by Tech.eu about his company’s efforts to help underbanked clientele in South Africa get access to vehicle financing.

Jennifer Kabbany, Novak ’02, writes for the College Fix on President Trump’s call for enacting school choice.

Robby Soave, Novak ’17, opines for Reason on a web of “fake news” accusations involving Google, NBC and The Federalist.

Ryan Lovelace, Novak ’17, reports on voter suppression in the U.S. in an article for the Washington Times.

Sarah Sicard ’13 writes for Military Times on how Juneteenth marks a momentous day for the military.

Oriana Pawlyk ’10 reports for Military.com on the Air Force’s first top enlisted female leader.

TFAS Regent Emeritus Lee Edwards discusses America’s current divisive state in an op-ed for the Daily Signal.

Jennifer Kabbany, Novak ’02, discusses the presence of a new type of “Red Guard” on college campuses in a piece for the College Fix.

Ryan Lovelace, Novak ’17, reports for Washington Times on the Senate confirmation of Justin R. Walker to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Chris White, Novak ’13, writes for the National Catholic Register on the recent Supreme Court decision to uphold the DACA program.

TFAS professor Brad Thompson opines for American Greatness on the expectations of father-son relationships in pursuing the “American Dream.”

Travis Nembhard, Law ’11, has received the “On the Rise-Top 40 Young Lawyers” award from the American Bar Association.

TFAS student Sarah Wilkerson ’20 published a story on U.S. trade disputes as a part of her summer internship with The Well News.

Erin Mundahl, Novak ’16, writes for Western Wire on congressional debates over energy industry reforms.