Happy 100th Birthday, Mr. President!

To celebrate President George H.W. Bush’s centennial birthday this year, a new scholarship initiative is expanding his legacy.

By Dorian Martin '06

Lead photo provided by the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum

January 9, 2024

Lauren Champion ’24 has seen firsthand the powerful impact that an arts education can have on young minds. The former Denton ISD and Grand Prairie ISD theater director marveled as a diverse group of middle school students put aside their differences to become a cohesive team working on a one-act play. And she’s witnessed second graders question why the Montagues and Capulets were being mean to each other after watching an age-appropriate production of “Romeo and Juliet.”

Wanting to play a part in helping more youngsters have these types of experiences, Champion began considering her career options. Eventually, she settled on the idea of working for a nonprofit that financially supports groups involved in arts education, child welfare, youth development, ministry and human rights.

But Champion knew she would need to learn more about nonprofits and philanthropy to successfully transition from K-12 teacher to development officer. That realization led her to Texas A&M University’s Bush School of Government and Public Service, which attracted her because of President George H.W. Bush’s commitment to public service and humility.

Yet, Champion wasn’t sure she could financially afford graduate school, and because she suffers from a chronic illness, she was concerned whether she could juggle the rigors of graduate school with working full time. Fortunately, the Argyle, Texas, resident received a scholarship that is defraying her college costs, allowing her to pursue a Master of Public Service and Administration with a focus on nonprofit management and a concentration in fundraising. “When I was notified about the scholarship, I realized the Lord had made it clear that I should take this opportunity,” she said. “The scholarship truly helped me in immense ways.”

The 41 for 41@100 scholarship campaign aims to continue President George H.W. Bush's legacy and celebrate his 100th birthday. (Photo by Gabe Chmielewski)

Thanks to a new Dean's Endowed Scholarship initiative in honor of President Bush’s 100th birthday, soon more students like Champion can experience the opportunities afforded by the Bush School and join Bush’s legacy of public servants devoted to making a difference.

Promoting Public Service

Like Champion, many qualified prospective students are weighing the cost of higher education or choosing to forego college instead of incurring debt. To that end, the Bush School has created the 41 for 41@100 scholarship campaign to raise 41 new endowed $100,000 scholarships during 2024.

The campaign coincides with the centennial of President Bush’s birth in June 2024. “I can think of no better way to honor what would’ve been Dad’s 100th birthday than through scholarship support for Bush School students,” said Neil Bush, the former president’s son and chair of the Bush School Dean's Advisory Board. “Our entire family believes the students are his living legacy. They are the best way to keep telling his story.”

This campaign also underscores the school’s commitment to continuing President Bush’s legacy by preparing the next generation of public servants. “For the last 25 years, the Bush School has taken pride in developing public servants for the state, nation and world. Historically, over 75% of our graduate students have gone into public service,” said acting Dean Frank Ashley III. “With the recent addition of undergraduate programs in political science, international studies and international affairs, as well as the public service and administration undergraduate program beginning in fall 2024, we can now triple the number of graduates to fulfill President Bush’s vision of individuals pursuing careers dedicated to serving others. These scholarships will help defray the cost for students who believe that public service is a noble calling and want to carry out that vision.”

A Principled Education

The Bush School was steeped in the concept of public service from its founding in 1997. President Bush took a hands-on approach, advocating for the inclusion of leadership and management in the curriculum and emphasizing a nonpartisan and principled approach that encouraged compromise.

That approach was evident in the slate of international and national policymakers—including German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice—who visited the school over the years. Many of these leaders not only served as keynote speakers to full auditoriums but also as guest instructors where they interacted with Bush School students.

President George H.W. Bush often visited the Bush School of Government and Public Service during his lifetime. Today, it continues to carry on his vision that public service is a noble calling. (Top left and bottom left photos by Chandler Arden; bottom right photo provided by Texas A&M Division of Marketing and Communications)

The implementation of President Bush’s educational vision for the school has led to an enviable record of recognition. The Bush School consistently receives top educational ratings, including being ranked among the top 10% of public affairs programs in 2024 by U.S. News & World Report.

Investing in Service

The former president’s wide network has also invested in the school’s programs and students, which has resulted in the school receiving recognition for its affordability. And that group of donors, which has continued to grow over the years, now includes Angela ’85 and Kerry Stein ’85.

Bush’s Birthday Bash

Friends and admirers of George H.W. Bush can also celebrate the former president’s birthday with a three-day event at Texas A&M on June 11-13, 2024. Centered around what would have been Bush’s 100th birthday on June 12, the celebration is part of 41@100: A Celebration of George H.W. Bush, a series of national programs to honor Bush’s life and extraordinary achievements hosted by the George & Barbara Bush Foundation.

As part of the centennial celebration, the Bush Foundation will officially open a new 29,000-square-foot building at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, which will feature a retired Marine One helicopter, the Union Pacific 4141 locomotive and a café.

For more information, visit georgeandbarbarabush.org/41at100.

After moving back to College Station in 2022, the couple decided to attend the Bush School’s public events to hear luminaries such as former United Kingdom Prime Minister John Major and former White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card. “We think the school’s a gem for the university and an excellent resource,” Kerry said.

However, the Steins found that they were just as impressed by the school’s students. “Many of them have been in the military or the work world, and their resumes are fantastic,” Angela said. “They all have a very clear idea of what they want to do. They’re very driven, impressive people.”

As a result, the couple is supporting the 41 for 41@100 campaign by creating a scholarship endowment that will alternately support Bush School students and students in the College of Arts and Sciences each year. They’ve also committed to a planned gift that will grow their endowment significantly after their lifetimes, supporting even more future public servants. “We decided to start a streak from 2021 on to eternity,” Kerry explained. “We truly believe that education as an institution makes society better. The biggest hurdle for students to achieve that education is cost. If we can mitigate that hurdle a bit, we’re putting our contribution to very, very good use.”

If you’re interested in joining the celebration of President Bush’s 100th birthday by supporting Bush School students through the 41 for 41@100 campaign, contact Alice Yates ’99, director of development, at the bottom of this page.

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