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Hefner Initiatives
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Hefner Initiative – Harvard
The Robert and MeiLi Hefner Foundation is the principal
donor to the James R. Schlesinger Professorship of Energy,
National Security, and Foreign Policy
By Graham Allison Director, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs;
Douglas Dillon Professor of Government; Faculty Chair, Dubai Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School
Belfer Center Director Graham Allison spearheaded the campaign to create a Harvard professorship in honor of James Schlesinger to honor his lifetime of extraordinary achievement and his service as a model public servant. Schlesinger's long list of responsibilities includes his current role as chairman of the Belfer Center International Council. Here, Allison reflects on Schlesinger the man, and on how an institution like Harvard comes to honor him. Why will there now be in perpetuity a James R. Schlesinger Professorship of Energy, National Security, and Foreign Policy at Harvard? There was no such position last year, or a decade or one hundred years ago. But there will be one hundred years hence. Why does Harvard have no Franklin Roosevelt Professorship of Government? No Theodore Roosevelt Professorship? The inconvenient truth is that the reason why—and the only reason why—is that donors gave Harvard money to establish the one, and not the others. Most students and faculty members at the University take for granted the opportunities Harvard provides. Few stop to ask why there is the greatest private library in the world (named Widener), a home for a Kennedy School of Government (named Littauer), or classrooms and conference spaces (like the Malkin Penthouse and Wiener Auditorium).
Nature did not create these structures. Harvard presidents, deans, and bureaucrats did not create these learning environments with their own resources. Specific donations of dollars from the donors for whom these buildings, professorships, and scholarships are named made possible these benefits faculty and students enjoy.
To return to the main storyline: the creation of the James R. Schlesinger Professorship of Energy, National Security, and Foreign Policy.
Read the full article
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Hefner Initiative – The Webb Schools
In January 1998 Robert A. Hefner III established – in a tribute and honor to The Webb Schools’ Dr. Raymond M. Alf, Hefner’s former teacher and mentor – two major endowments: the “Raymond M. Alf Inspirational and Unbounded Teaching Chair in Science” and the “Robert A. Hefner III ’53 Endowment for Excellence in Science.” These endowments have helped financially facilitate unbounded and creative teaching in science at Webb. Webb’s Unbounded Thinkers Symposium has been one of the most visible embodiments of the endowment. The annual event is a celebration of intellectual adventurers, with well-known speakers from a variety of disciplines.
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Robert & MeiLi Hefner Foundation’s initiative…
Under the Robert & MeiLi Hefner Foundation, MeiLi & Robert A. Hefner III established the “Hefner Initiative – The Webb Schools” Award
in partnership with The Webb Schools, Claremont, California. The two
awards are based on the following qualifications and requirements
from applicants:
* Juniors from The Webb Schools
* ACT or SAT Scores
* A solid performance at The Webb Schools (academic and citizenship)
* Resume submitted by the student
* An essay on the applicant’s view in regard to US/China relations
* A brief essay on the history of Singapore
* A waiver and release form signed by the winning students and their
parent(s) or guardian(s)
* A report with photographs to be submitted within two weeks after their
return describing their experience from the trip and with their host
students and families describing their views on how they now regard
the importance of US/China relationship
The Webb Schools committee for the “Hefner Initiative – The Webb Schools” Award reviews the applications and essays and submit the semi-finalists to Mr. & Mrs. Hefner to select the winners. The winners are known as Hefner Awardees.
The award consists of an approximate 10-day trip to China and Singapore
(air tickets and accommodation paid for by the Robert & MeiLi Hefner
Foundation) and the Hefners will announce the cities of the destinations of the award at a later date.
The Hefner Awardees are encouraged to give a slide presentation to their school, their community, and at various associations sharing their experience.
- The “Hefner Initiative – The Webb Schools” Awardees for Year
2011/2012: Roberto Gonzalez and Brandon Scolieri
- The “Hefner Initiative – The Webb Schools” Awardees for Year 2010/11: Abigail Hess and Timothy McGinley
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Hefner Initiative – OSSM
Robert & MeiLi Hefner Foundation’s initiative…
Under the Robert & MeiLi Hefner Foundation, MeiLi & Robert A. Hefner III established the “Hefner Initiative – OSSM” Award in partnership
with the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (OSSM). The two
awards are based on the following qualifications and requirements
from applicants:
* Juniors from the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics
* ACT or SAT Scores
* A solid performance at OSSM (academic and citizenship)
* Resume submitted by the student
* An essay on the applicant’s view in regard to US/China relations
* A brief essay on the history of Singapore
* A waiver and release form signed by the winning students and their
parent(s) or guardian(s)
* A report with photographs to be submitted within two weeks after their
return describing their experience from the trip and with their host
students and families describing their views on how they now regard
the importance of US/China relationship
The OSSM committee for the "Hefner Initiative – OSSM" Award reviews the applications and essays and submit the semi-finalists to Mr. & Mrs. Hefner to select the winners. The winners are known as Hefner Awardees.
The award consists of an approximate 10-day trip to China and Singapore
(air tickets and accommodation paid for by the Robert & MeiLi Hefner Foundation) and the Hefners will announce the cities of the destinations of the award at a later date.
The Hefner Awardees are encouraged to give a slide presentation to their school, their community, and at various associations sharing their experience.
- The “Hefner Initiative – OSSM” Awardees for Year 2011/12:
Phil Burnett and Alyssa Rudelis
- The “Hefner Initiative – OSSM” Awardees for Year 2010/11:
Ty Pfeiffer and Eduardo Lima
- The “Hefner Initiative – OSSM” Awardees for Year 2007/08:
Tara Sarathi and Marina Kravtsova
- The “Hefner Initiative – OSSM” Awardees for Year 2006/07:
Sebastain Gould and Alex Speir
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