Congressman Leach, a member of Princeton's class of 1964, has been chosen for the Woodrow Wilson Award. General Petraeus, who earned his master's in public affairs and a Ph.D. from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in 1985 and 1987, respectively, will receive the James Madison Medal.
They will be presented with their awards and deliver addresses on campus during Alumni Day activities on Saturday, Feb. 20.
The Wilson Award is bestowed annually upon an undergraduate alumnus or alumna whose career embodies the call to duty in Wilson's famous speech, "Princeton in the Nation's Service." Also a Princeton graduate, Wilson served as president of the University and as president of the United States.
The Madison Medal is named for the fourth president of the United States and the person many consider Princeton's first graduate student. Established by the Association of Princeton Graduate Alumni, it is presented each year by the University to an alumnus or alumna of the Graduate School who has had a distinguished career, advanced the cause of graduate education or achieved an outstanding record of public service.
Madison medalist
General Petraeus has gained renown both as a military leader and public intellectual. After 19 months as the top U.S. commander in Iraq, he assumed leadership of the U.S. Central Command -- which oversees American forces in East Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia -- in October 2008.
Before taking over as the top U.S. commander in Iraq, General Petraeus served as head of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, KS. He previously was the first commander of the Multinational Security Transition Command in Iraq and the NATO Training Mission in Iraq. Prior to that, he was commanding general of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in Iraq.
General Petraeus was selected last spring as the speaker at Princeton's Baccalaureate ceremony, where he urged graduating seniors to pursue public service, saying "Princeton has uniquely prepared you for such service." He was selected by President Shirley M. Tilghman after consultation with senior class leaders who recommended General Petraeus because he represents the University's informal motto of "Princeton in the nation's service and in the service of all nations."
"The Woodrow Wilson School is very proud that General. David Petraeus was selected as the 2010 recipient of the James Madison Medal," said Dean Christina Paxson. "General Petraeus is an alumnus who has served his country with distinction for more than 30 years and has exemplified the core values and informal motto of Princeton University. He is a superb example of a scholar-soldier and recognized around the world as a man of intelligence and integrity."
General Petraeus has been honored for his service with the Defense Department Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Department Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the State Department Distinguished Service Award, the NATO Meritorious Service Medal, the Gold Award of the Iraqi Order of the Date Palm and the French Légion d'Honneur.
He was recognized in 2005 by U.S. News and World Report as one of America's 25 best leaders and in 2007 by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential leaders of the year and one of four runners-up for Time's person of the year. In 2008, he was selected by Foreign Policy magazine as one of the world's top 100 public intellectuals and by Esquire magazine as one of the 75 most influential people of the 21st century. Foreign Policy also named General Petraeus one of its top global thinkers in 2009.
Prior to his tours in Iraq, General Petraeus served in Bosnia as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations of the NATO Stabilization Force and as Deputy Commander of the U.S. Joint Interagency Counterterrorism Task Force. He has held numerous leadership and staff positions since being commissioned in the Infantry upon graduation from the U.S. Military Academy in 1974. He also has served as an assistant professor of International Relations at the Academy.
Princeton University Website, Posted January 6, 2010; 02:38 p.m. - by Eric Quiñones |
