Washington, D.C. - On Saturday, April 14th the Rumsfeld Foundation hosted its annual Spring Retreat for its Graduate Fellowship Program participants on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The Retreat gathered Fellowship network members from Washington, D.C. and beyond for an enjoyable day of networking and conversation. Attendees included current Fellows, former Fellows, Advisers, guest speakers and Foundation leadership.
The Retreat commenced at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum with a luncheon followed by commentary from Don Rumsfeld on the day’s speakers as well as some insights on his forthcoming book on President Gerald R. Ford, When the Center Held. Included in his remarks was a special announcement that, in tribute to President Ford's exemplary legacy as an honorable public servant, Rumsfeld’s profits from When the Center Held sales will be donated to the Rumsfeld Foundation in support of its Graduate Fellowship Program, which encourages rising leaders of outstanding intellectual ability, integrity, moral character and leadership potential.
“It’s been a good Program and I’ve been delighted to watch the progress of the people our Advisers have nominated,” said Rumsfeld. He also noted that he is pleased to donate his book profits to be able to further contribute to the Program’s future and the rising leaders it supports.
To follow, a former Fellow from the University of Chicago, Dr. Marc LiVecche, Editor of Providence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy, interviewed Admiral Edmund Giambastiani, Jr., U.S. Navy (Ret.), Former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on his insights on leadership from a lifetime of service to our nation.
Following the conversation with Admiral Giambastiani, a panel of six former and current Fellows presented on projects and organizations they are involved in and highlighted opportunities for network collaboration. Following the panel, presenters were able to connect individually with other attendees interested in their work.
Closing out the daytime sessions, Mr. David Hume Kennerly, Pulitzer Prize Winner and former Chief White House Photographer, made an engaging presentation on “The Imagery of Leadership,” bringing attendees on a journey through poignant images of leaders spanning our nation’s history, featuring a number of his prize-winning photographs.
The Retreat concluded with a reception and dinner overlooking the Miles River where Rumsfeld thanked all those in attendance and urged them to continue building their important network of engaged public-service minded professionals.
Since 2008, the Foundation has provided more than 150 Fellowships totaling over $2.5 million to more than 120 graduate scholars, all with an interst in entering public service or serving in policy-relevant fields. To learn more about the Graduate Fellowship Program and the work of the Rumsfeld Foundation, please visit our website.
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Media Contact:
Sarah Tonucci
Executive Director
Rumsfeld Foundation
(202) 944-1304
s.tonucci@dhrllc.net