From the University of Illinois’ Institute of Government & Public Affairs:
When Jim Edgar became Illinois’ 38th governor in 1991, he inherited what was then the largest budget deficit in the state’s history. Eight years later, he left a $1.5 billion cushion for his successor. The Republican chief executive worked with Democratic legislative majorities for six of his eight years in office to erase the deficit, balance the budget and move the state forward in education and other key areas. The downstate governor worked on a bipartisan basis with representatives and senators from every corner of Illinois – including the four legislative leaders from the Chicago metropolitan area.
Now he is sharing the lessons from his distinguished career in public service with emerging leaders from public and private sectors throughout the state. Crises in state finance and other crucial areas frequently result from crises of leadership – paralysis caused by political posturing and provincialism. Edgar’s initiative focuses on the requirements and responsibilities of leadership and governing. It emphasizes the need to forthrightly address major policy issues without permitting partisan, ethnic and regional rivalries to trump statesmanship. It is designed to influence attitudes and foster mutual understanding. It holds the promise of facilitating bipartisan and cross- regional cooperation as participants – diverse in race, gender, political persuasion and geography – assume more influential roles.
As many as 40 up-and-comers are selected annually to become Edgar Fellows. They participate in an intense five-day executive leadership-training program. Among their teachers are Governor Edgar and others who have excelled in the public arena— practitioners as well as researchers and scholars. The fellows learn about leadership skills, strategies and expectations through sessions designed to inform and inspire. In addition to the workshop, the participants are afforded opportunities to continue their education through social networking and other forms of high-tech communication. They also are invited to join sessions designed to brief them on crucial policy issues. Read more here.
Nominators may nominate a candidate for the Fellows Program by briefly identifying and describing the nominee and pinpointing why the nominee merits consideration, perhaps citing activities, projects or programs in which the nominee has stood out. Nominators should also include a résumé or similar document not to exceed two pages.
Nominations can be sent to: Institute of Government and Public Affairs University of Illinois 1007 West Nevada Street Urbana, Illinois 61801 ATTENTION: Sue Grace Rominger Or email to: sgrace@uillinois.edu
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