Clinton, Bush announce new leadership program

Former Presidents Bill Clinton, left, and George W. Bush, laugh while participating in the Presidential Leadership Scholars Program Launch, Monday, Sept. 8, 2014, at The Newseum in Washington. The two are launching a new scholars program at four presidential libraries, aiming to help academics and business leaders learn more about presidential leadership.  (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Former Presidents Bill Clinton, left, and George W. Bush, laugh while participating in the Presidential Leadership Scholars Program Launch, Monday, Sept. 8, 2014, at The Newseum in Washington. The two are launching a new scholars program at four presidential libraries, aiming to help academics and business leaders learn more about presidential leadership. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush announced Monday the creation of a leadership training program designed to draw on the experiences of four presidencies.

The Presidential Scholars Leadership program will present a series of six intensive, leadership-oriented seminar sessions over the course of six months, according to a news release from the Clinton Foundation. The series will begin with a four-day session at Mount Vernon, the historic home of George Washington near Alexandria, Va.

The program will draw on the resources of four presidential centers: the Clinton Foundation in New York; the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas; the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas; and the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas.

Although Clinton and Bush announced the program at a news conference in Washington, D.C., the two said relatively little about details, instead fielding questions focused on the contrast in personalities between the two men.

The program is not aimed at traditional college students but rather at individuals who have at least 10 years of professional experience and exhibited strong leadership qualities in their respective backgrounds, whether that be military, volunteer, public or private sectors. Clinton Foundation spokesman Arielle Beer said there were no specific education requirements for applicants.

"The program will look at scholars' achievements in their work and their current community service rather than their educational background," Beer said. "The program is looking for applicants who have worked in their communities or businesses."

Individuals can also nominate others for the program, according to the program website, www.presidentialleadershipscholars.org. Applications and nominations will be accepted through Oct. 27. The inaugural class will begin with the Mount Vernon session Feb. 24-28.

Beer said there was no specific limit to the number of participants in the inaugural class.

"Through the application process, we're looking for the right group and mix of people," she said.

Beer said there will be no academic credit awarded for completing the program, but participants' exposure to a series of speakers will be bolstered with access to scholarly materials made available at each of the presidential centers. Developing a lasting network among program alumni is also a goal of the program, she said.

According to the foundation's news release, all costs associated with participation in the program will be covered by donations from philanthropic organizations. Participants will be able to attend for free, and restricting the sessions to weekends will allow them to continue their normal work schedules, according to the release.

According to the release, faculty from university programs associated with each of the presidential centers, including the Clinton School of Public Service, will participate in the program.

James "Skip" Rutherford, dean of the Clinton School of Public Service, said he was not aware of any faculty or staff at the school who had been tapped to participate in the program, but he hoped the school would have the opportunity to contribute.

"If asked, we will help," Rutherford said. "If there's a way we can be supporting, including academic support, we certainly want to do that. It's a very innovative, bipartisan idea."

Metro on 09/09/2014

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