We hope you enjoy these news stories about TFAS activities, alumni and events this week. Sign up to receive TFAS updates, and visit us on social media for additional up-to-the-moment TFAS news!
Sierra McClain Selected as 2023 Joseph Rago Memorial Fellow for Excellence in Journalism
The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) and The Wall Street Journal Editorial Page are pleased to announce Sierra McClain as the 2023 recipient of the Joseph Rago Memorial Fellowship for Excellence in Journalism.
As a Rago Fellow, McClain will work with the Opinion section of The Wall Street Journal through a nine-month internship beginning this fall. This Fellowship is named in honor of Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial writer Joseph Rago, who was a rising star at The Wall Street Journal and a key member of its editorial page team before he passed away at the age of 34 in 2017.
TFAS will formally present McClain with the 2023 Rago Fellowship at the 30th Annual TFAS Journalism Awards Dinner on Nov. 14, 2023, in New York City. During the dinner, TFAS will honor prominent leaders in journalism with the Thomas L. Phillips Career Achievement Award and the Kenneth Y. Tomlinson Award for Outstanding Journalism. TFAS will also present a new class of rising journalists with the 2023 Robert Novak Fellowship Awards.
Read more about Sierra and the Fellowship program here.
David Ray on Getting Government Out of the Way
In this week’s episode of the Liberty + Leadership Podcast, TFAS President Roger Ream ’76 and Arkansas State Representative and TFAS alumnus David Ray ’07 discuss how TFAS inspired him to run for state representative in Arkansas, his crusade to eventually eliminate Arkansas’ state income tax, the fight for school choice with Arkansas’ Education Freedom Accounts, and the personal connections made when you represent 30,000 constituents.
Anne Bradley on the Moral Foundations of Economic Freedom
In last week’s episode of the Liberty + Leadership Podcast, TFAS President Roger Ream ’76 was joined by Dr. Anne Bradley, the vice president of academic affairs at The Fund for American Studies. Roger and Anne discuss what it’s like on the front lines teaching economics to younger generations, how taking a field trip to the grocery store is a great way to learn about the market economy, and the connection between economic freedom and a moral foundation in society.
Spring 2023 Liberty + Leadership Newsletter
The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) is excited to share our Spring 2023 Liberty + Leadership Newsletter featuring the latest TFAS updates. This issue includes articles about regional and international alumni events, the 2022 Journalism Dinner, the 2023 TFAS Annual Conference, the 2023 TFAS Santiago program, a TFAS alumni love story and the celebration of Judge James Buckley’s 100th birthday.
Additional highlights include photos from the 2023 Annual Conference, upcoming events and the most recent episodes of the Liberty + Leadership Podcast with notable TFAS professors.
View the newsletter here.
TFAS Faculty, Alumni, Supporters in the News
Mike Kelly ’07 was recognized as a 40 Under 40 leader in Ingram’s Magazine. He is Johnson County Missouri’s youngest commissioner in history.
Tim Carney, Novak ’03, wrote an article about the surgeon general’s warning about the “pandemic” of loneliness for Washington Examiner.
Stephanie Slade, Novak ’16, shared her expertise on fusionism with Juliette Sellgren on The Great Antidote podcast.
Brad Polumbo, Novak ’22, wrote a piece for Washington Examiner about President Biden’s desire for a massive cryptocurrency tax, which might backfire spectacularly.
Haley Britzky ’16 wrote a piece for CNN about how 2,100 Afghan refugees are still being kept in a huge complex in the United Arab Emirates, more than 18 months after they were evacuated from Afghanistan by private groups working with the State Department.
Sydney Rockwell ’20 presented her undergraduate thesis at APEE as a finalist in their undergraduate research competition.
Elizabeth Elkin ’17 was named interim team leader for power and renewables at Bloomberg News.
Bryce Mitchell ’14 was accepted to Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.
Elise Amez-Droz, PPF ’19, wrote an article for Reason on why the “free” COVID tests are not really free.
Bill Wirtz ’17 wrote a piece for Newsmax about President Biden’s new air passenger compensation scheme.
Emily Schroen ’19 wrote an article about Japan accepting Ukrainian refugees for The Diplomat.
Jack Butler, Novak ’22, wrote a piece for The Spectator about remembering the COVID heroes and villains.
TFAS Trustee Emeritus Mitch Daniels wrote an opinion piece for The Washington Post about facts and falsehoods on U.S. poverty.
Michael Lucchese, PPF ’22, wrote a piece for Washington Examiner in which he describes how free trade is a strategic imperative for the U.S.
Jack Butler, Novak ’22, was interviewed for Acton’s podcast about the rise of new paganism, the subject of his recent article.
Post of the Week
The entire TFAS team is thrilled to see the lifelong bonds that TFAS students form with their mentors during their time with TFAS.
Bailee Dover was Mia Gonzales’ mentor during the TFAS D.C. Summer Programs in 2022. Bailee shared in a LinkedIn post that Mia graduated from college last weekend and has her dream job lined up in Japan.
We are grateful for Bailee’s support as a TFAS mentor, and we wish Mia the best of luck in her new career in Japan.
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