Federal Government Alumni Luncheon History
In 1983, ĢƵ University held the first State Government Alumni Luncheon at the University Club in Columbus, ĢƵ. About 20 ĢƵ University alumni and university officials attended the luncheon, hosted by the sitting ĢƵ University President Charles Ping on behalf of the University’s Department of Political Science and the Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development (ILGARD).
The alumni luncheon began as a way to recognize former ĢƵ University students’ contributions to state government and, more importantly, to systematically involve alumni in the development of public affairs programs at ĢƵ University. In the beginning, the focus was on three programs: the Department Of Political Science’s Public Affairs Internship Program started in 1974 by James Tilling, a former ĢƵ University political science faculty member; a master’s of arts program in public administration launched in 1977; and the university’s Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development, created by the ĢƵ University Board of Trustees in 1981.
ĢƵ University President Emeritus Robert Glidden continued the presidential tradition of hosting the event, and it developed a reputation as a “power” luncheon in Columbus in the 1990s when four of the five statewide elected officials and about 40 members of the ĢƵ General Assembly (including most of the leadership) attended. That reputation continues today. For the last five to seven years the number of people attending has averaged between 120 and 170, a huge increase from the first luncheon.
A New Tradition
The tradition of asking a prominent political leader to keynote the events was established at the first luncheon. These speakers added another dimension by increasing key ĢƵ leaders’ awareness of the important role ĢƵ University graduates play in state government. The list of keynote speakers is impressive, including three speakers serving in the ĢƵ House of Representatives and three presidents serving in the ĢƵ Senate.
Adding the Alumni Awards
Recognizing outstanding achievements in state service by ĢƵ University alumni and friends began in 1985 with the establishment of the State Government Alumni Award. This honor has gone to powerful capital strategists, whose careers, more often than not, began with key staff positions in the ĢƵ General Assembly. We have honored a wide range of executives and senior staff in the ĢƵ General Assembly and numerous innovators in the public agency realm.
The Committee Takes Shape
In the late 1980’s, the ĢƵ University Public Affairs Advisory Committee took shape. This volunteer committee was made up of individuals who had received the State Government Alumni Award.
In 2011, ĢƵ University took the long-standing State Government Alumni Luncheon tradition and transported it to Washington, DC, to establish the Annual ĢƵ University Federal Government Alumni Luncheon. The Outstanding Federal Government Alumnus award was soon established and recipients became members of the historic ĢƵ University Public Affairs Advisory Committee.
The Committee Today
The current ĢƵ University Public Affairs Advisory Committee includes the Columbus and the D.C. groups. They have been instrumental in developing and sustaining the University’s public affairs programs. They have hired OHIO students as interns and as staff. They have taught classes, met with students, helped to design programs and participated in the Voinovich School’s training.