General

Through the help of Sorensen alumni and friends, we are helping a Virginia community center.

Thank you so much for your support thus far! Today we are delivering 495 donated items (books, magazines, games, jig saw puzzles and more) to the Harvey Hall Community Center. The Harvey Hall Community Center in Arlington, Va. is one of seven community centers in Arlington and one in Baltimore that works with more than 2,000 children and adults. Services include a wide variety of opportunities, from after-school programs to senior activities, to help improve residents lives. Harvey Hall also provides a teen tutoring and study hall, a project discovery summer camp and programs for seniors such as field trips to cultural sites and on-site luncheons that focus on health oriented topics.

We will continue to collect books the rest of this calendar year. If you have questions or would like to donate items, please contact Tracy Tanner Bond, Alumni Coordinator for Volunteer Events at (434) 982-4943.

We are pleased to announce that Sean T. O’Brien, former Executive Director of the Sorensen Institute, has been promoted to the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Montpelier Foundation. In this new position, Sean will address the needs of our growing organization as we implement our new strategic plan and build on the achievements of the last decade. President Michael C. Quinn now will focus his attention on fundraising and raising public awareness of James Madison's Montpelier and James Madison's contributions to American constitutional self-government.

Sean has served as the Executive Director of the Center for the Constitution at James Madison’s Montpelier for the past 3-1/2 years. Sean holds a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. Sean, his wife Anne and their 2 children live in Charlottesville.

Congratulations Sean!

Chris Fairchild (PLP 2008), Chairman of the Sorensen Institute's Charlottesville Regional Alumni Chapter, has been named to the Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors to fill the vacant Rivanna District seat. Elected unanimously, Fairchild will serve out the remainder of the term until December 2011.

Fairchild was nominated by Supervisor Joe Chesser. When asked why he wanted the postition, he stated, “I’m here because I care a great deal about our county.” In December 2010, the Rivanna Disctict seat was left vacant by Gene Ott. The Board of Supervisors voted yesterday, 5-0, to seat him. His first meeting will be Feb. 2 at 2:00 p.m.

Congratulations Chris!

Youth Program Coordinator
Position Announcement

The Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership is seeking applicants to be Youth Program Coordinators during the summer of 2011 for its College Leaders Program and High School Leaders Program.

Both programs are residential at the University of Virginia. The College Leaders Program runs for four weeks from May 28th to June 25th; the High School Leaders Program runs from July 9th to July 23rd.

Desirable Qualifications are: effective time management skills; a high degree of organization; the ability to work with high school and college students in a residential and classroom setting; knowledge of Virginia government and politics; significant peer leadership experience; experience working in a peer-to-peer counseling setting; strong written and oral communication skills; and excellent human relations skills. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree by the program start date.

The regular positions will run from May 24th to July 24th. During the program, Youth Program Coordinators will be required to live in residence with the students every night and work on average 6 days a week, with some vacation time between the two programs. There will be some limited work requirements for recruitment and review of applications starting in Mid-January 2011. Program Coordinators will receive room and board with the students during the programs in addition to a $3,250 stipend.

Applicants should include a current resume and relevant references, in addition to a brief letter explaining why the applicant is interested in the position. Letters of recommendation are welcome, but not required.

Please submit all materials to Ben Heath, Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership, P.O. Box 400206, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904 or by email to bmh8n@virginia.edu.

Questions can be directed to Ben Heath, Manager of Youth Programs, at bmh8n@virginia.edu or 434-243-2844. Applications must be submitted by Monday, January 3, 2011 for consideration. Applicants will be contacted to arrange an interview.

JOB DESCRIPTION - YOUTH PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Compensation: $3,250 plus room and board during the programs

A. The full time position runs from May 24th through July 24th.
B. Coordinators must be in residence at the University of Virginia at all times when students are in the dorms; with one day off each week.
C. Assist in the daily operations of the programs - supervise students during the day, be on call certain evenings to assist students, etc.
D. Travel with the programs on all field trips.
E. Advise students in preparation of their culminating project as outlined in program materials. Oversee at least one student research group.
F. Provide administrative support during the program - help with coordination of activities, contact with speakers, development of culminating project groups, evening activities, etc.
G. Coordinate social events for the students in the programs.
H. Provide reasonable assistance to the Sorensen Institute in the recruitment and selection of program participants.
I. Assist in evaluating students completing the CLP or HSLP for academic credit.
J. Other tasks necessary for the operation of the programs as requested by the Sorensen Institute's staff.

Ted Sorensen with Bob Gibson, Sorensen Board Chairman John Hager and Maggie Hager

The Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia extends our condolences, prayers and best wishes to Ruth Sorensen Singer and Adam Sorensen and their families at the loss of Ted Sorensen, Ruth's brother and Adam's uncle. Ruth Sorensen Singer is a former board member and Adam is a current member of the Sorensen Institute's Statewide Advisory Board.

Ted Sorensen, the brother of the late Tom Sorensen, after whom the Sorensen Institute is named, was an inspiring author, speechwriter and adviser to President John F. Kennedy. Ted Sorensen was well known for his wit and wisdom and was a great supporter of the institute bearing his brother's name.

He visited Charlottesville to benefit the institute on Sept. 8, 2008, at a reception held at Farmington Country Club. The evening's talk is available in the Sorensen Newsroom archives in two parts.

You can learn more about Ted Sorensen's life at The New York Times, The Washington Post and the White House Press Office.

The 2008 public television documentary "Across the Aisle" will be broadcast on Thursday, Sept. 16th at 9:00pm on WCVE and WHTJ public television stations in Richmond and Charlottesville and again on Tuesday, Sept. 21st at 9:00pm on WCVE Richmond. The documentary follows the Sorensen Institute's Political Leaders Program Class of 2007 during its 10-month program across Virginia. The broadcast comes as the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership is recruiting applicants for the 2011 Political Leaders Program Class as well as the 2011 Candidate Training Program. Applications for both programs are being accepted at the Sorensen Institute's website until 5:00pm on Nov. 8th. For more information, visit www.sorenseninstitute.org.

The documentary was produced courtesy of a $100,000 gift from Albemarle County resident Fred Scott. Asked about the upcoming broadcast, Scott  said, "Combine the best of Public Television leadership and producer/directorship skills with great academic leadership and a documentary is born. John Casteen, former President of UVA, took only a few minutes to understand and approve our Charlottesville PBS station manager's idea to produce "Across The Aisle," the story of a year-long Sorensen class. Editorial restrictions? None. We have been impressed by producer Paul Roberts' work and we trust our University's reputation to him." Scott added, "For me, watching a gem of an idea...one that began in a quiet conversation on my front porch...develop into a full blown documentary that 'gets it right' about Sorensen, has been a joyous journey." 

The Sorensen Institute is proud to announce that the application process for the 2011 Political Leaders Program and the 2011 Candidate Training Program has begun! Below, you will find some helpful information concerning the two programs.

The Political Leaders Program is a leadership development program for residents of Virginia interested in becoming more active in public service. Participation in this program has become a traditional “first step” for future political leaders in the Commonwealth. Participants spend one weekend a month from March through December traveling across the state along with 30-32 other civic minded individuals. Cost of the Political Leaders Program is $2250.

The Candidate Training Program is an intensive, four-day program focused on the fundamentals of running a winning campaign for office. Participants will explore the nuts and bolts of building a strong campaign from the ground up- all within the context of ethics and principled public service. Cost of the Candidate Training Program is $750 for a double room and $900 for a single room.

The Sorensen Institute seeks participants from all political affiliations, socio-economic backgrounds andprofessions from Virginia. Scholarships and tuition assistance are available. For an easy way to apply, click the button to the right! If you have any questions, feel free to contact our office at 434-982-4943 or email our Director of Programs, April Auger at ala2w@virginia.edu.

The application deadline for the 2011 Political Leaders Program and Candidate Training Program is 5:00 pm, November 8, 2010.

Gov. Bob McDonnell will speak in Danville next Monday, Aug. 30, at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research.

McDonnell will talk and respond to questions from Virginians about his administration's plans for the future at a town hall meeting as part of the annual Southside Public Leadership Series sponsored by the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia and the Danville Register & Bee.

The 7 p.m. talk, which is free and open to the public, will be followed by a Sorensen reception at 8:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend both the town hall meeting and the reception and to participate in the question-and-answer period. The media is welcome and cordially invited to attend.

McDonnell will present a PowerPoint discussion of his plans for government reform and ABC privatization at the next to last "Virginia Speaks: A Conversation about Jobs, Government Reform and Our Future" town hall meeting.

His presentation precedes the question and answer portion of the meeting. McDonnell was sworn in as the 71st Governor of Virginia on January 16, 2010.   As the state’s chief executive, he has expressed a commitment to implement policies and initiatives to create more jobs and opportunities for all Virginians, promote economic development, and lead to greater innovation in state government.

McDonnell's event is the second of three Sorensen-sponsored programs at Danville's Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in a two-month period. The first featured Todd Haymore, Virginia's Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, who spoke to a crowd of more than 70 people at the Institute on Aug. 24. Haymore, a native of Pittsylvania County, spoke about leadership, public service  and current issues in agriculture and forestry.

The third event will be an issues forum featuring Fifth District Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Ivy, and Republican nominee Robert Hurt, who will face off in a one-on-one televised debate Oct. 21 at the Institute in Danville moderated by Sorensen and co-sponsored by the Danville Register & Bee and WSET-TV and WVIR-TV, which will broadcast the debate live from 7-8 p.m.

 McDonnell's town hall meeting at  7 p.m. on Aug. 30 is free and open to the press and public. For more information, please call Bob Gibson at 434.982.4998.

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*Update: For coverage of this event please go to GoDanRiver.com.