Good Company at the Union League Reception

To celebrate its fiftieth anniversary, CFP hosted a dinner reception for visiting and local alumni at the Union League of Philadelphia on August 29^th. The reception featured remarks by a selection of Fellows from each of the program's five decades and was moderated by Advisory Committee Chair Norm Ornstein (1969–1970). Ralph Widner (1957–1958), Joan Claybrook (1965–1970), Tom Mann (1969–1970), Marilyn Thompson (1981–1982), Paul Herrnson (1989–1990), and Thad Kousser (2002–2003) each shared reflections of their experiences that ranged from the humorous to the nostalgic. To underscore the fellowship's contributions to congressional studies, editors Paul Herrnson and Colton Campbell (1998–1999) presented their new book, War Stories from Capitol Hill. The volume, published by Prentice Hall, features chapters authored by fellowship alumni and is dedicated “To the Congressional Fellowship Program, which for more than fifty years has provided academics with the opportunity to leave the ‘ivory tower’ for ten months.”

As a conclusion to the formal festivities, longtime CFP friend and supporter Dave Broder of the Washington Post was named an honorary Congressional Fellow. He was presented with a plaque reading:

Although nearly 100 alumni were present at the reception, one highlight was the attendance of two members of the first class, Mavis and Ben Reeves (1953–1954), who married at the end of their fellowship.

Additional anniversary events at the Philadelphia Annual Meeting featured two alumni roundtables contrasting academic and applied perspectives on Congress. The first panel, “From Congress to the Classroom: Five Decades of the Congressional Fellowship Program in Academia,” traced differing perspectives on the institution over the past 50 years. Raymond E. Wolfinger, University of California, Berkeley (1959–1960) and Ben Highton, University of California, Davis (1999–2000) moderated the discussion. Participants included: David Mayhew, Yale University (1967–1968); David Rohde, Michigan State University (1972–1973); Forrest Maltzman, George Washington University (1994–1995); Lisa Garcia Bedolla, University of California, Irvine (1998–1999); and Frances Lee, Case Western Reserve University (2002–2003).

The second roundtable, “The APSA Congressional Fellowship Program: Shaping Public Policy, the Media and Academia for Fifty Years,” was moderated by James A. Thurber, American University (1958–1959). The discussion featured alumni from the more applied side of politics who examined the fellowship's impact on a broader American audience through their own experiences on the Hill. Participants included Joan Claybrook, president, Public Citizen (1965–1966); Norman J. Ornstein, resident scholar, American Enterprise Institute (1969–1970); Thomas E. Mann, Averill Harriman Chair, The Brookings Institution (1969–1970); Marilyn Thompson, assistant managing editor, Special Projects, Washington Post (1981–1982); and Ronald D. Elving, senior Washington editor, National Public Radio (1984–1985). Both panels were filmed, one of them courtesy of C-SPAN, so that future Fellows can benefit from the counsel of their predecessors.

Keeping in Touch: Alumni Receptions and Projects

Rumor on the Hill was that the 2002–2003 Closing Reception, held in the Mansfield Room of the U.S. Capitol was one of the best in recent memory. Senior Hill staffers reported being especially refreshed by the absence of “politicking.” More than 40 congressional offices hosted Fellows this year; among the Members who attended the reception were Senators Richard Lugar (R-IN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jim Jeffords (I-VT), Arlen Specter (R-PA), and Harry Reid (D-NV), and Representatives John Spratt (D-SC), Joseph Crowley (DNY), Jim Cooper (D-TN), Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), and Jim McDermott (D-WA). Former Speaker of the House Thomas S. Foley also made an appearance to pay respects to the Program and to visit with his press secretary of seven years, CFP Director Jeff Biggs. He arrived in time to see the Fellows present Biggs with a plaque which, appropriately, featured his very own words:

The sentiment was an apt one as more than 250 fellowship alumni, congressional colleagues, and program sponsors congratulated the Fellows on a successful year.

The recent gatherings of former Fellows, many of whom had not seen each other since their fellowships, demonstrate the timeliness of the CFP Alumni Directory project. The new directory improves on the 1997 edition by including recent classes of Fellows and by featuring updated contact information, particularly emails. More importantly, however, it lists congressional office assignments held by each Fellow. This resource will prove invaluable for those who seek to establish networks or simply satisfy their curiosity. Although the Alumni Directory was originally intended for distribution at the 2003 Annual Meeting, the paper version has been put on hold as CFP staff consider the advantages of expansion into a searchable online database. This database would be limited to alumni and offer access via a secure password-entry system.

Another important anniversary project is the completion of a written history of the Program, A Congress of Fellows: Fifty Years of the American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship Program, by Director Jeff Biggs. The 200-page chronicle not only provides background on the fellowship, including little-known anecdotes and rare photos, but also lists each Fellow by fellowship year, name, and category. Biggs embarked upon the project out of a respect for the fellowship, of which he is an alumnus (1984–1985). As the introduction modestly states, “a program with such an impact on individual lives deserves a bit of history.” To obtain a copy of A Congress of Fellows, please contact the staff at cfp@apsanet.org.

A related project, the creation of alumni listservs based on fellowship years, already allows some classes to keep in touch via email. Such listservs also make it less likely that former Fellows will drop off the Program's radar screen. That said, we would still appreciate updates from Fellows who suspect their contact information is out of date. You may update your profile on the website, http://www.apsanet.org/about/cfp/update.cfm. Alternately, you may send your name, fellowship year, work and home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and office assignments to either cfp@apsanet.org or to APSA Congressional Fellowship Program, 1527 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036.

2003–2004 APSA Congressional Fellows

As the Congressional Fellowship Program enters into its next 50 years, it welcomes the 2003–2004 class of Fellows. The traditional group of political scientists and journalists are joined by Fellows from the executive branch, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Native American Hatfield fund, the American Sociological Association, and various international organizations. Although government sponsorship of federal participation has slackened in recent years, largely due to budgetary constraints, we are pleased to announce that qualified journalist applications are on the rise.

The inclusion of senior Fulbright scholars, supported by the State Department's Board of Foreign Scholarships and the Council for the International Exchange of Scholars, continues to be a success and has now passed the three-year “pilot project” threshold. The incoming Fulbright Fellows from Argentina, Brazil, and Egypt will begin the fellowship like their predecessors from Chile, Poland, and the Philippines by participating in the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies “Foreign Affairs Seminar.” Their international colleagues will include Fellows sponsored by the German Marshall Fund of the United States and the Asia Foundation. Also participating in the Foreign Affairs Seminar are several Federal Executive Fellows and two journalists.

Building on Success: A European Parliamentary Exchange

The APSA motto, “Networking a World of Scholars,” might have been a fitting theme for the fellowship as this year's Canadian Parliamentary Exchange included a visitor from to the Secretary General of the European Parliament. The week-long experiment with the senior staffer was so successful that we now have the prospect of an upcoming exchange with the European Parliament. Ten mid-career European Parliament senior staffers working with the Parliament, Council, and Commission would travel to Washington, D.C., while 10 APSA Fellows would visit Brussels. This year's Fellows will exchange extended correspondence, share reading lists, and participate in online discussion with their European counterparts.

The European exchange will be modeled after the trip to Canada, which remains a success after 20 years, thanks to the sponsorship of the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, and CFP alumnus Stephen Wasby (1965–1966). The European Parliament, however, will fund its own staff from a centralized training budget, leaving CFP faced with the daunting challenge of coming up with travel funds without drawing from its endowment. However, this would seem to be an exchange whose time has come. It will add an important new dimension to the fellowship and provide more Fellows with an opportunity for comparative exposure.

In addition to these enrichment opportunities, the Program continues to offer incoming Fellows a trip to the seat of government in Annapolis, MD, a visit to the district or state of the Member for whom they work, a specially-tailored Congressional Research Service seminar on House and Senate legislative procedures, and the biweekly Wilson Seminar series. In a city where honoraria get to be substantial, our nearly 100 orientation and seminar speakers volunteer their time each year for nothing more than a CFP mug. As in the past, contributions of $50 or more will land you a mug. We are especially pleased to announce a handsome new 50^th Anniversary mug.

The Congressional Fellowship Program continues to benefit from the generosity of MCI, Congressional Quarterly, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the William E. Steiger trust, and the annual contributions of program alumni.

Following is a list of the incoming class of Fellows:

Political Science Fellows

Marian Currinder, The College of Charleston

Aubrey Jewett, University of Central Florida

Paul Martin, University of Oklahoma

Eric McGhee, University of California-Berkeley

Vincent Moscardelli, University of Massachusetts-Amherst

George Serra, Center for Legislative Studies, Bridgewater State College

Journalism Fellows

Bridgette Blair, The Federal Times Ari Ben Goldberg, 10pm News, KDBC TV-4 (CBS), El Paso, TX

Mark Grabowski, Calkins Newspapers

Matthew Grimison, Daytona Beach News-Journal

Lee Ross, WMBD (CBS), Peoria, IL APSA-MCI Fellow

Rick Rockwell, School of Communications, American University German Marshall Fund Fellows

Nina Luttmer, University of Heidelberg

Miriam Hippchen, Friedrich-Wilhelms University-Bonn

Senior Fulbright Scholar Fellows

Maria Florencia Baron, Center for the Implementation of Public Policies Promoting Equity and Growth, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Leany Barreiro de Sousa Lemos, Office of Senator Ana Julia Carepa, Brasilia, Brazil Ezzat Ibrahim Mikhail Yousseff, Al Ahram Newspaper, Cairo, Egypt

Robert Wood Johnson Fellows

Pamela Bataillon, Visiting Nurse Association of the Midlands, Omaha, NE Susan Scavo Gallagher, Center for Injury and Violence Prevention, Education Development Center,Inc., Health and Human Development Programs, Newton, MA

Debra Haire-Joshu, Saint Louis University School of Public Health, Salus Center, St. Louis, MO

Vipul Mankad, Children's Miracle Network Professor and University of Kentucky, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Lexington, KY

Michael Painter, Seattle Indian Health Board, Seattle, WA

Rita Redberg, National Center of Excellence in Women's Health, University of California Medical Center, San Francisco, CA

Ellen-Marie Whelan, Johns Hopkins University, School of Nursing and Urban Health Institute, Baltimore, MD.

Asia Foundation Fellows

Cecep Effendi, Islamic University 45, Jakarta, Indonesia

Mark O. Hatfield Fellow

TBA

American Sociological Association Fellow

Maud Schaafsma, Northwestern University

Federal Executive Fellows

Eliaser Chaparro, Office of Hearings and Appeals, Social Security Administration

Raeann Shane, Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Keith Morgan, Central Intelligence Agency

Nicole Pierce, Central Intelligence Agency

Foreign Affairs Federal Executive Fellows

Faye Cobb, National Reconnaissance Office

Chris Povak, National Reconnaissance Office

Marrie Y. Schaefer, Department of State

David H. L. Van Cleve, Department of State