Foundation Names 18 Bush Fellows for 2011

(Saint Paul, MN – July 11, 2011) – Tackling issues as wide-ranging as religious extremism, neighborhood revitalization, philanthropy, social justice and sustainable food systems, the individuals selected as the first cohort of Bush Fellows under the redesigned Bush Fellowship Program are eager to begin work across the breadth of their communities to seek sustainable solutions to specific tough problems.

The 2011 Bush Fellows are:

Christine Baeumler (Saint Paul, MN) Mary Larson (Moorhead, MN)

Emily Baxter (Minneapolis, MN) May M.G. Lee-Yang (Saint Paul, MN)

Eric Bergeson (Fertile, MN) Briana MacPhee (Minneapolis, MN)

Diane Davies (Hastings, MN) Neeraj Mehta (Minneapolis, MN)

Brad Delzer (Fargo, ND) Kathy Mouacheupao (Falcon Heights, MN)

Pakou Hang (Saint Paul, MN) Patricia Ohmans (Saint Paul, MN)

Lue Her (Forest Lake, MN) Teresa Peterson (Belview, MN)

Tarabi Jama (Saint Paul, MN) Michelle Vigen (Minneapolis, MN)

Andrea Jenkins (Minneapolis, MN) Anne Hornickel Yuska (Saint Paul, MN)

(Find details about each Fellow’s project at BushFoundation.org.)

“Many communities stand at a crossroads, facing challenging demographic, social and economic realities that defy usual solutions,” said Pamela Wheelock, Bush Foundation vice president. “Since 1965, Bush Fellows have been creating great impact in their communities. These newest Bush Fellows will continue that legacy of impact as they focus on one particular tough issue in one particular community. They carry forward the mission of the Foundation—to be a catalyst for the courageous leadership necessary to find sustainable solutions to tough public problems and ensure community vitality—in a way that is very on-the-ground and, for them, very personal.”

Several of the new Bush Fellows will pursue fellowship plans that center on cultural preservation and identity for the Hmong, other New Americans who are a growing proportion of communities, and Native Americans. Two Fellows will focus their fellowships on improving educational outcomes—one working on behalf of Latino youth and the other to improve access to the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education resources that will be vital in preparing students for careers. Another issue several Fellows will address is health care access, focusing on the rural elderly, the urban poor and GLBT youth of color. Natural resources are also on the minds of this year’s Fellows, spawning projects on water management, energy efficiency and preserving greenspace.

The new Bush Fellows will pursue their projects through a variety of methods including the arts, community building, systems change and public education campaigns.

These 18 new Fellows join the ranks of more than 2,200 Bush Fellows named since 1965. The Foundation’s focus on building the capacity of individuals to solve problems in their communities sprang from founder Archibald Bush’s belief that providing opportunities for people with energy and ideas would turn into something bigger.

Applications for the next cohort of Bush Fellows will open in August. More information is available at BushFoundation.org.

About the Bush Foundation

Our mission is to be a catalyst for the courageous leadership necessary to create sustainable solutions to tough public problems and ensure community vitality. The Foundation was established in 1953 by 3M executive Archibald Bush and his wife, Edyth, and today works in communities across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geographic area. Learn more at BushFoundation.org.