The month of May starts a marathon of commencements across the nation as many students prepare to transition to another phase of their adult lives. May also begins the final month of the Koch Associate Program (KAP), a year-long nonprofit management training program for over 80 budding nonprofit leaders around Washington, D.C. KAP is sponsored by The Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, a major TFAS suppoter.

Both TFAS and the Koch Foundation share commitments to promoting free market economics and limited government and preparing young people for leadership. They also share talent pools. This year, the presence of TFAS alumni at the Koch Foundation is more notable than any other year.

Throughout 2008-2009, TFAS has hosted a Koch Associate, Patrice J. Lee, to manage media relations. Four other Koch Associates are part of the TFAS alumni network:

David Arnold (B 00) is a development associate for the Koch Foundation. Arnold has had a long-standing relationship with TFAS; he started as a program assistant for IBGA in 2001, later became the chapter president of the Austin, Texas alumni chapter member, has served as a member of the Alumni Council for almost five years and is a 2009 TFAS Leadership Fellow.

Amanda Berg (E 07) serves as a legislative assistant for the National Center for Policy Analysis.

Mike Horn (CSS 07) works at Americans for Prosperity as a development associate. Horn transitioned to the Associate program after spending last summer in the Koch Internship Program.

Other previous Koch Associates include Christie Fogarty (B 03) who was a 2007 Freedom Scholar and now manages membership programs at the Heritage Foundation. Wes Siler (CSS 06) was also a Koch Associate. There is also a strong TFAS representation among Koch staff.

The Koch Foundation received over 1,200 applications (double that of last year) for the class of 2009-10. Hopefully the incoming class will have just as much, if not more TFAS representation!