To our readers:

As you can see by this issue’s cover and story, the Kennedy School is enormously proud of its alumna Ellen Johnson Sirleaf MPA1971, who in January was sworn in as Liberia’s — as well as Africa’s — first female president. Her presidency is a chance for Liberia and its people to finally realize the dream upon which it was created almost 160 years ago.
Her presidency can also show the world what good governance looks like and what it can accomplish. The world will be watching as this brave and principled woman seeks to bring reason, compassion, and respect for all people — including women and children — to the task of running a country. We look forward to cheering her on, as this “Iron Lady” takes on this exciting challenge.

In this issue we are also pleased to report on a recent $15 million commitment made by Sharmin and Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani MPA1982 to endow activities at the Center for Business and Government, now renamed in honor of Sharmin and Bijan. This generous gift will go far in advancing one of the principal themes of my administration — that many of the challenges facing society today require collaboration by government, civil society, and business. The new Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government will be enormously important in helping us establish cross-sector initiatives to address the many problems facing society.

One such problem is the economic gap that is growing in the United States between less-educated women, who bear children early in their lives and at higher rates, and highly educated women, who postpone childbearing and have fewer children. You will read about the research my colleagues and I have conducted into why this is occurring and what it suggests for U.S. society long-term.

Issues such as these demand our attention and solutions, and, with the extraordinary leadership and talent of our students, alumni, staff, and faculty, all of us will continue to work in whatever way we can to make the world a better place.

Warmly,

David T. Ellwood
Dean
March 2006

Photo: Martha Stewart