"America's system will not operate itself. It takes leadership, sacrifice, dedication, from the ground up, from the street level up." - Senator John C. Stennis
News & Announcements
News about Stennis Center
2009 USS STENNIS FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS ANNOUNCED
Erin Walker and Aimee Gray, both of Bremerton, Washington, are the 2009 recipients of the USS STENNIS Family Scholarship. John C. Stennis Center for Public Service awards the scholarships on an annual basis to children and spouses of crewmembers of the USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74) aircraft carrier. Recipients of the award are students planning to dedicate themselves to a life of public service.
Currently a student at Chapman University, Walker is majoring in the field of psychology. She is actively involved in the USS John C. Stennis Family Readiness Group and Officer Spouse Group. After graduation, Walker plans to pursue a master's degree and enter the field of counseling. Her career ambition is to work intimately with military families and currently gains valuable experience as a volunteer with the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society.
Walker is the wife of Lieutenant Nicholas Walker of Bremerton, Washington. LT Walker currently serves on the USS Stennis in the Aircraft Integrated Maintenance Operations (AIMO) IM4 division.
A leader at Klahowya Secondary School, Gray served as cheerleading captain, National Honor Society public relations officer, and Pep Club treasurer. In addition to her 4.0 GPA, she received many academic awards including the AP Scholar Award, Rotary Student of the Month, and five academic letters. This fall, Gray will continue her education at the University of Evansville in Indiana where she will pursue a secondary education degree in science.
Gray is the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Warren Gray of Bremerton, Washington. MCPO Gray currently serves in the USS Stennis' Combat Systems department as a Master Chief Petty Officer.
2009 STENNIS STUDENT CONGRESS HELD IN BIRMINGHAM & 2009 HAROLD KELLER WINNER ANNOUNCED
On June 15th -19th, the Stennis Center sponsored the John C. Stennis National Student Congress as part of the National Forensic League's (NFL) National Speech Tournament in Birmingham, Alabama. During the week, the country's top high school debaters assembled to compete for the honor of the nation's best.
Since 2007, the Stennis Center has awarded the Harold Keller Public Service Leadership Award during the national tournament. The award honors an individual who has successfully applied lessons learned through Student Congress to become an effective leader in public service. The recipient at the 2009 NFL Tournament was Joshua Segall, an attorney in Montgomery, Alabama, and the Democratic nominee for Alabama's 3rd congressional seat in 2008.
FRESHMAN SENATORS MEET WITH ADMIRAL MIKE MULLEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE OF JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
On June 8th, eight freshman United States Senators and Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff gathered in the United State Capitol for a dinner discussion sponsored by the Stennis Center. Led by U.S. Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the event provided an opportunity for freshman Senators and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to get to know each other through an informal discussion focused on the military. This program is part of the Stennis Center's ongoing work to bring together civilian and military leaders to develop relationships and understanding that will strengthen national security leadership. Freshman Senators participating in the program were: Senator Mark Begich of Alaska, Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, Senator Roland Burris of Illinois, Senator Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Senator Ted Kaufman of Delaware, Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Senator Mark Udall of Colorado and Senator Tom Udall of New Mexico.
USS ENTERPRISE LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNERS TRAVEL TO D.C.
On June 22 & 23, 2009, last year's USS ENTERPRISE leadership award winners and their guests toured Washington, D.C., where they meet with Members of Congress and congressional staff and other civilian leaders. The trip is a part of the Stennis Center's continuing effort to strengthen understanding and relationships between civilian leaders and the military. They are pictured with Admiral James L. Holloway III, former CO of the ENTERPRISE and former Chief of Naval Operations, who is also the namesake of one of the aircraft carrier's leadership awards.
Click here to read more about the Stennis Center's Leadership Award Program with eight of the Navy's aircraft carriers.
TRUMAN SCHOLARS MEET ON CAPITOL HILL
Forty-four Harry S. Truman Scholars selected in 2008 gathered on June 19, 2009 in the new Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C. for "Truman Scholars Day on Capitol Hill." The young leaders met with Judy Schneider, a specialist on the Congress at the Congressional Research Service, and Donald Ritchie, Associate Historian in the Senate Historical Office. They also met with former Truman Scholars, Bob Holste and Peg McGlinch, who have served in high ranking staff positions on Capitol Hill. Finally, the Truman Scholars were paired with Stennis Fellows, who escorted them to personal and committee offices of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate. The purpose of the program is to provide Truman Scholars with intimate exposure to Congress and those who make Congress work as an institution of American democracy. View a slideshow of the 2009 Truman Scholars Day on Capitol Hill.
2009 STENNIS PROGRAM FOR CONGRESSIONAL INTERNS BEGINS
On June 15th, the Stennis Center's Congressional Intern program held its first session at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center. The program is designed to provide congressional summer interns with a unique opportunity to gain a better understanding of the operation of the Congress and an appreciation for the institutional role it plays in our democracy. The first session featured a discussion of the roles and responsibilities of personal, committee and leadership offices. In addition, they learned how the offices interact with each other as well as the differences between House and Senate offices. Our panelists included Rochelle Dornatt, Chief of Staff to Rep. Sam Farr, Jo-Marie St. Martin, General Counsel and Director of Legislative Operations for House Minority Leader John Boehner, and Mike Evans, former Chief Counsel for the Senate Finance Committee and former General Counsel for the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
USS BUSH OFFICERS ARE PRESENTED AWARDS BY PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH
USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) recognized the outstanding leadership of Lt. Jamaal Lofton and Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist (AW/SW/FMF) Dennis Taylor on May 27. Lofton was presented with the 2009 George H.W. Bush Leadership Award while Taylor received the 2009 Senior Chief Storekeeper Charles G. Zwierzynski Leadership Award.
As a special honor, the award was presented to Lofton and Taylor by the ship's namesake, former President George H.W. Bush and his daughter Doro Bush Koch, the ship's sponsor. Bush and his daughter were visiting the ship to observe flight operations.
The Stennis Center for Public Service Leadership partners with eight aircraft carriers to recognize some of the men and women who demonstrate outstanding public service leadership.
The leadership awards program on each of the carriers is recognized as an opportunity to honor individuals who are representative of the leadership throughout the ships that is necessary to successfully perform the complex missions of aircraft carriers. The Stennis Center takes pride in being able to present the awards on behalf of American civilians as an expression of gratitude for the essential service provided by the men and women in military uniform.