Jeffrey Daniel Stern, a public administration doctoral student in the School of Public and International Affairs in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, has been appointed a White House Fellow by President Bush.

Stern, of Cabin John Park, Md., is one of 14 individuals from across the country selected to serve as a White House Fellow. The fellows represent a diverse cross-section of professions, including medicine, law, finance, education, state government, and three branches of the military.

"We are delighted that one of our students has been accorded this distinction. Jeffrey Stern is an example of the sort of individual that the public service requires in these turbulent times. This fellowship will allow him to continue to develop his leadership capacities while also working with policy-makers at the highest level of the executive branch," said Max Stephenson, chair of the Center for Public Administration and Policy and director of the School of Public and International Affairs Institute for Policy and Governance at Virginia Tech.

Stern is a member of the Arlington County Fire Department and serves as deputy coordinator of emergency services in the Arlington County Office of Emergency Management. He has 18 years of experience as a firefighter, paramedic, instructor, special operations team leader, and officer, serving with departments in Maryland, Colorado, and Virginia through the career rank of battalion fire chief. He has written and lectured about firefighter safety, training, incident management, terrorism, and disaster response, and has served as a consultant to local, state, federal, and international government agencies on emergency services issues.

Stern has a bachelor's degree in government from the College of William & Mary in Virginia; and a master's degree from the American University School of Public Affairs in Washington, D.C., where he was appointed to Pi Alpha Alpha, the national honor society for public affairs and administration. Stern is also a graduate of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer program and is a certified emergency manager. He is involved with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Officers' Toys for Tots Foundation and the Alan Bukzin Memorial Bone Marrow Drive.

The White House Fellows Program, founded in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, offers exceptional young men and women first-hand experience working at the highest levels of the federal government. White House Fellows typically spend one year working as full-time, paid special assistants to senior White House staff, cabinet secretaries, and other top-ranking government officials. Fellows also participate in an education program consisting of roundtable discussions with leaders from the private and public sectors, and trips to study U.S. policy in action both domestically and abroad. Following the fellowship year, many fellows repay the privilege by contributing to the nation as better leaders and public servants.

The White House Fellows Program is one of the nation's most prestigious programs for leadership and public service. Selection as a White House Fellow is highly competitive and based on a record of remarkable professional achievement, evidence of leadership skills, a strong commitment to public service, and the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute successfully at the highest levels of the federal government. The program has fostered leaders in many fields, including former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, former CNN President Tom Johnson, Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange Marshall Carter, United Nations Foundation President and former U.S. Senator Timothy Wirth, and U.S. Senator Samuel Brownback.

The College of Architecture and Urban Studies is one of the largest of its type in the nation. The college is composed of two schools and the departments of landscape architecture, building construction, and art and art history. The School of Architecture + Design includes programs in architecture, industrial design and interior design. The School of Public and International Affairs includes programs in urban affairs and planning, public administration and policy, and government and international affairs. The college enrolls more than 2,000 students and offers 25 degrees taught by 160 faculty members.

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