The Rose Review
ROSE REVIEW – SPRING 2017 | 1
Director’s Report Andrew E. Busch, PhD As the 2017-18 academic year draws to a close, we can take stock of accomplishments since the October 2017 Board of Governors meeting. In that time, the Rose Institute has: - Sponsored a speaker series that included Professors Joel Kotkin and Michael Zuckert; former California Assembly Speaker John Pérez; former ACLU chair Nadine Strossen; Deborah Gonzalez from the Public Policy Institute of California; and Scott Mauvais. Kotkin spoke on emigration from California and how difficult it is becoming for young families to live in in this state, while Pérez touted the state’s fiscal turnaround since the Great Recession, Strossen spoke on free speech issues. Gonzalez discussed the issues involved in trying to analyze policy in the Golden State; while Mauvais discussed the role of technology in local government. Our final speaker this semester is David Lesher from CalMatters. - Released the 2016-2017 edition of the Kosmont-Rose Institute Cost of Doing Business Survey. Work is progressing nicely on the 2017 edition. - Released white papers on the tribal judicial system, outside spending in competitive California Assembly races, redistricting in California, time served for various criminal offenses in California, the effect of Proposition 47 (reducing penalties for some crimes), and a white paper on proposals for single-payer health care in California. - Began collecting responses for a 2018 version of a survey of county election officials west of the Missouri River.
Spring 2018 2 - Student Managers' Report 3 - Speakers Series 4 - Project Updates 6 - Senior Farewells 9 - Inland Empire Vision Conference 10 - Off-Campus Reflections 13 - New BOG Members 12 - Alumni Spotlight 16 - Marian Miner Cook
- Began a collaboration with the Institute for Local Government to produce a series of videos explaining local government terms and issues. The first four videos are now complete, and we are planning to produce three to four more per semester going forward. - In coordination with the Lowe Institute, sponsored Inland Empire Vision 2018, a conference featuring discussions about the economics, politics, and public policy in the Inland Empire. Held at Roberts Pavilion on the CMC campus, Inland Empire Vision 2018 included a regional economic forecast, a policy overview by former San Bernardino CEO Greg Devereaux, a panel on the $15 minimum wage, and a collaborative strategic exercise using a program called “Sli.do” that allowed audience members to participate in the discussion. All participants received the Inland Empire Outlook and Forecast Book. Students also displayed five posters that presented Rose Institute research projects. - Not least, we selected a new student management team for the Rose Institute. Nicholas Fedorochko and Alec Lopata will serve as Student Manager and Associate Student Manager respectively. Great thanks go to Melissa Muller and Ellen Lempres for their excellent work over the last year. Congratulations to all of our graduating seniors! Good luck in your next stage of life!
Student Managers' Report
Photo credit: Wesley Edwards '18
Nick Fedorochko ’19, Student Manager
Alec Lopata ’19, Associate Student Manager
A
s we both have rounded out the transition into Student Management following spring break, we have come to appreciate even more all of the hard work that the Rose Institute’s senior staff and student researchers invest in producing quality research and bringing quality speakers to campus. The Rose has both continued to develop and refine long standing existing research projects, like the Kosmont-Rose Cost of Doing Business Survey, Redistricting in America, and California Almanac. New projects have also been developing, such as Competitive Districts, Tribal Courts, and Prop 64, among many others. A forum for speakers renowned by students at Claremont McKenna, the Rose has had a jam packed schedule, inviting or sponsoring six Athenaeum speakers: Joel Kotkin, John Perez, Michael Zuckert, Nadine Strossen, Scott Mauvais, and Dave Lesher. Some of these talks had record attendance and many inspired thoughtful debate on campus and at the Rose Institute in particular. The Rose-Lowe Inland Empire Vision 2018 conference was conducted seamlessly, and the Rose Institute owes particular gratitude to senior staff for assembling such an excellent event. The event had well over 200 attendees, making it one of the most popular Rose-Lowe conferences on campus. We both returned to CMC this semester from off-campus study (Washington, D.C. for both of us), as did the rest of the junior class. The following students were warmly welcomed back by the Rose family: Bryn Miller ‘19, Richard Wiltshire-Gordon’19, Zachary Wong’19, and Bruno Youn’19. Unfortunately, the coming of spring means the departure of our beloved seniors. Our seniors this year are a particularly talented crop, and over their time here at the Rose they have managed students and projects demonstrating maturity beyond their years. Their research has been invaluable, but most important has been the mentorship and sense of community they have fostered for the Institute and the team members they work with. We bid a fond farewell to Katherine Hill, Shaneli Jain, Brian Landeros, Ellen Lempres, Melissa Muller, Shivani Pandya, Caroline Peck, Kathryn Ridenour, and Wesley Whitaker (all class of 2017). While student management can be a daunting job, previous student management, Melissa Muller and Ellen Lempres, have rightly pointed out that it is some of the most rewarding work one can find at CMC. We are thrilled to continue the great work that Melissa and Ellen put in this past year, and implement new initiatives and reforms to keep the Rose operating at its maximum potential. ROSE REVIEW – SPRING 2018 | 2
ROSE REVIEW – SPRING 2018 | 3
Spring 2018 Speakers & Visitors
Joel Kotkin
Wednesday, February 7 Presidential Fellow in Urban Futures at Chapman University, Executive Director of the Center for Opportunity Urbanism, and Senior Advisor to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute “California Squashes its Young: How the Golden State’s Economic Policies Are Driving Out a New Generation”
John Pérez
Tuesday, February 13 Vice-Chair of the University of California Board of Regents and Former Speaker of the California State Assembly “The California Comeback”
Michael Zuckert
Tuesday, March 20 Nancy R. Dreux Professor of Political Science at University of Notre Dame “Is the Problem of Freedom of Speech Soluble?”
Nadine Strossen
Thursday, April 5 Professor of Law at the NYU School of Law and Former President of the ACLU “HATE: Why We Should Resist it With Free Speech, Not Censorship”
Scott Mauvais '90
Wednesday, April 11 Director, Microsoft Cities “Tech Innovation in Our Cities: Can Civic Institutions Keep Up?”
David Lesher
Thursday, April 26 Co-founder, Editor, and CEO of CALmatters “Media Trends: The Profitless and the Non-Profits”
Photo by Wesley Edwards ’18
ROSE REVIEW – SPRING 2018 | 4
Project Updates PROJECT UPDATES
Kosmont-Rose Cost of Doing Business Survey Last December the 2016-17 Kosmont Rose Cost of Doing Business Survey was released via PR Newswire with Kosmont Companies. The report was cited by the Los Angeles Business Journal and Business Insider Magazine. For the 2018 publication, we have updated 116 of the cities and unincorporated counties in the Survey, completed data verification, computed cost rankings, and updated comparable cities. This has allowed us to finish the two main components of the executive summary: Most & Least Expensive Cities and County Summaries. We are proofreading the supplemental portions of the executive summary, and we anticipate releasing a draft of the 2017-2018 Survey to Kosmont Companies for review by the end of May.
County Election Officials The County Election Officials Survey team is currently conducting a follow-up survey of election administrators and officials to update previous data. The project asks officials about various election and voter registration policies for each county and surveys their opinions on ballot safety vs. ballot security. Once the survey is completed, Rose research assistants will conduct data analysis of the results to better understand election practices across the Western United States. The followup survey will provide important backing to previous findings and ensure that all data is up-to-date.
Competitive Districts
California Almanac Over the last year, Project Manager Caroline Peck ’18 has updated the Southern California Almanac with new political officials from local elections, as well as keeping links, photos, and bios on the site up-to-date. Caroline has also spent the semester training Nandeeni Patel ’21 on the California Almanac's database system, and is excited to be passing on the project to her after this semester. Caroline and Nandeeni have also spent time brainstorming possible new applications for the California Almanac's information, as well as possible new additions to the site's content.
With the release of the Competitive Districts white paper this January, the Rose Institute’s communications team measured record engagement with the project. The research has reached thousands of people, and has inspired the team to continue analyzing subsequent elections in California. Data has been collected for the 2016 election, and is being analyzed in new ways to build upon the successes of the 2014 analysis. The Competitive Districts team is hoping to leverage the abilities of some of our faculty fellows to use regression analysis on the dataset, and is also looking to grow by adding more research assistants to the team.
ROSE REVIEW – SPRING 2018 | 5
Project Updates
Tribal Courts
Primary Elections
Sophia Helland ’20 has completed a white paper entitled “A Broken Justice System: Examining the Impact of the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 and Public Law 280.” The paper is currently in the publication process. The report outlines the history of legislation surrounding justice systems on California reservations and examines how the most recent legislation, the Tribal Law and Order Act, has been implemented. Finally, it examines crime statistics from various reservations to better understand the law’s potential effects on safety. The study finds that the Tribal Law and Order Act was well-intentioned, but has not been implemented in such a way that would make the law effective.
Caroline Peck ’18 and Skip Wiltshire-Gordon ’19 have spent this semester working with Dr. Busch on his upcoming book on primary elections. Caroline and Skip have coordinated with Dr. Busch on short chapters exploring various aspects of primary elections, including primary election debates and third party candidates. Looking forward, a larger group of students will soon assist Dr. Busch in gathering data and anecdotes for an examination of each state's primary election history.
True Time Served The True Time Served Project aims to calculate a sophisticated measure of time served for major violent and property crimes across the country. The estimate will take into account jail, probation, and prison time, as well as time served in jail before sentencing. The project examines time served statistics from 2000 to 2015 to create a cross-country average for each Type I crime. A team of Rose students is currently conducting research into state reports on time served before sentencing and jail time served; once the research is complete, they will begin analyzing the data and crafting a report with their findings.
Senior Farewells Wesley Whitaker As my time at CMC comes to an end, I’ve found myself procrastinating my final projects by dreaming up counterfactuals about how I would have spent my time if I had another shot. While I might have taken slightly different classes or spent more time exploring southern California, one of the few aspects of my college experience that I would not dare touch is all of my time spent as a member of the Rose Institute. From my freshman year where I got to write about police-mounted body cameras being implemented in the Inland Empire, to currently helping Dr. Miller research the policy divide between California and Texas, I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunities the Rose has provided to expand my knowledge into areas that I am passionate about. I have also been very fortunate to enjoy the Rose’s support during two summer internships that would not have been possible without the generous funding and personal advice I received. While the professional development and research has played a large role in my college experience, it pales in comparison to the infinite number of ways the Rose community has supported me. Thank you to every one of my co-workers for making me feel valued and for being dependable friends. Many of my best nights at CMC played out in the workroom into the early morning hours where I reached a level of discussion deeper than could be found with my other peers. Specifically, I would like to acknowledge Ian O’Grady ’15, Jessica Jin ’16, and Shannon Miller ’16 for being the best mentors I could have asked for. I owe so much of my personal growth to your advice early in my college career and I honestly don’t know what I would have done or what kind of person I would have been without your encouragement. Finally, thank you to Marionette for her tireless work as the foundation of the Institute, and all of senior staff for their commitment to us as students. Katherine Hill It's hard to believe that almost four years have passed since I was first taking the Kravis elevator to interview for something called the "Rose Institute." As I am reflecting hundreds of elevator rides later, I have the Rose to thank for some of my most challenging and rewarding times. Many of my first impressions of CMC were through the lens of the Rose Institute. Whether it was through bonding with my new hire cohorts over Kosmont phone calls or being upstaged in karaoke by Marionette at the annual holiday party, I will cherish the memories I made at the Rose as many of the highlights of my college career. Finally, I would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Busch, Dr. Miller, Marionette, and Mrs. Nadon for serving as mentors over the last few years. Shaneli Jain I still remember that "prank acceptance call” I got after interviewing for the Rose, saying I might need to interview again. It was one of the best days (turns out the senior managers were kidding about the reinterview) and since then, I knew this would be my family. My fondest memories were our New Hire hiking trip and senior year- fall BOG. The Rose allowed me to grow on a personal and professional level, making lifelong relationships. Despite being away for a full year, the Rose Institute never made me feel like I was away. I would like to thank the senior staff who constantly supported me from my New Hire Healthcare project to the end of my term as Communications Manager. I won’t ever be able to thank the Rose enough for what it taught me (from leadership to chasing after passions) and what it gave me - an extended family that I will truly miss. Thank you to each and every one of you, the Rose fam was a central component of my CMC experience. I will greatly miss the hugs, tea, and the smiles when I would step foot into the workroom.
ROSE REVIEW – SPRING 2018 | 6
Senior Farewells Kathryn Ridenour As graduation approaches, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on my college experience, including the people and places that have made it so meaningful. The Rose Institute has undoubtedly been one of the cornerstones of my undergraduate education. I am endlessly grateful for the opportunities I’ve had here to explore one of my deepest passions, campaign finance. Moreover, I’m grateful that I was able to learn and work while surrounded by my brilliant, funny, and flat out phenomenal Rose coworkers. From start to end, the people I have met here have been some of my very best friends in college and were always there for fascinating conversations, a good laugh, or support when things got a little overwhelming. Thank you to my fellow Rosies for being my people and not complaining when I monopolized the whiteboard. Finally, I want to thank senior staff for believing in me and supporting my work throughout the time that I’ve been here. I am going to sincerely miss my time at the Rose—I couldn’t have asked for a better place to spend the past three years. Caroline Peck As my time at the Rose comes to a close, I am grateful for the many ways being a "Rosie" has shaped my experiences at Claremont McKenna. Since the fall of my freshman year, the Rose Institute has provided me with substantive research experience and an invaluable support system. Dr. Busch, Dr. Miller, Mrs. Nadon, and Marionette, as well as Rose alumni and Board of Governors members, have provided guidance and insight consistently during my four years at the Rose. Each new group of Rosies that I've met has been more and more impressive, and I have no doubt that the next group is in great hands. I still remember the wisdom passed down to me over the last three years by upperclassmen like Ian O'Grady ’15, Hannah Oh ’16, Tyler Finn ’17, and Lanie Corrigan ’17, and I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to mentor Rose students myself during the last couple years. I'll miss the Rose very much, but I know that my fellow students, especially this group of Rosies graduating with me, will continue to be my friends, mentors, and cheerleaders for years to come. Brian Landeros The Rose is the one place at CMC that has always felt closest to home. There are very few, if any, student organizations that are as tightly knit as the Rose Institute. I attribute much of my success and happiness as a CMC student to the spirit of mentorship and solidarity that is touted by this community. I also want to extend a special thanks to Andrew Nam ’15 and Ian O'Grady ’15, whose constant presence in the student workroom helped me embrace these values early on. I hope that the Class of 2018 has been able to provide the same level of guidance for current underclassmen so that future Rosies can continue to cherish this vibrant community long after we graduate. Thank you to Marionette, Dr. Busch, Dr. Miller, and Mrs. Nadon for helping make this place so special. Shivani Pandya I never expected to meet all my best friends in one place. The Rose gave me the greatest community I could ever ask for, and I will truly miss seeing my people every day. Thank you Marionette — my favorite aunt — and Senior Staff for all that they do. It’s been a wonderful four years.
ROSE REVIEW – SPRING 2018 | 7
ROSE REVIEW – SPRING 2018 | 8
Senior Farewells
MELISSA MULLER, 2017-2018 Student Manager
Photo credit: Wesley Edwards ’18
I can’t believe that roughly four years ago, I was sitting in 4th Floor Kravis, carefully constructing my answer to Ian O’Grady’s (’15) question about my state representative. I had only made it that far due to significant help and encouragement from CMC students – students who I had known for less than two weeks. In so many ways I think my path to the Rose mirrored my CMC experience. Amazing students mentored me in academics and professional development, helping me better understand myself and the appropriate next step. But even more importantly, these relationships developed into genuine friendships that existed independently of the Rose or CMC’s institutional infrastructure. The Rose creates a space for learning, debate, and, unsurprisingly, community. I am so grateful for the amazing people who I have worked with at the Rose and for all of the effort that senior staff invests to make the Rose experience so meaningful. Working at the Rose has been a highlight of my time at CMC; thank you to everyone who made that possible.
ELLEN LEMPRES, 2017-2018 Associate Student Manager I will always remember holding my breath while listening to a voicemail from former student manager Manav Kohli ’16, informing me that I had moved on to an emergency interview round. I wracked my brain for further potential interview questions, knowing that I had already spent the entire week preparing for any possible question about state and local government that the interviewers could throw at me. Luckily, this emergency interview was not real, but, rather, it was a prank the managers were playing on my new hire class, bringing us to the Rose for a congratulatory celebration. In the next several years, the Rose helped define my experience at CMC. I spent hours in the side room with Rosies studying for exams, and I think I consumed enough Keurig coffee pods to save myself hundreds of dollars in flex. My Rose co-workers became some of my best friends, and some of my most treasured memories are in Rose contexts. I owe a whole heck of a lot to this place, these co-workers, and senior staff, and I am eternally grateful for their help in shaping my experiences at school and preparing me for my next steps out of school. Photo credit: Wesley Edwards ’18
Rose-Lowe Inland Empire Vision 2018 Conference by NIck Fedorochko ’19
Cameron Shelton, Bill Phelps, and Tom Manzo discuss CA's $15 minimum wage
On Tuesday, March 27th, the Rose Institute of State and Local Government and the Lowe Institute of Political Economy hosted the Inland Empire Vision 2018 Conference. Taking place in the newly constructed Roberts Pavilion, there were 217 attendees including representatives from local governments and businesses. An opportunity for local leaders to network and share their visions for the future of the Inland Empire, the conference also included valuable programming featuring Claremont McKenna College faculty, and local business leaders and politicians. Dr. Manfred Keil kicked off the program with an optimistic economic forecast for the coming years, before Dr. Cameron Shelton unveiled a new economic index developed uniquely for the Inland Empire by the Lowe Institute and Cadence Capital. Academic programming was followed with leaders from local business and government. Greg Deveraux, former Chief Executive Officer of San Bernardino County and incoming member of the Rose Institute’s Board of Governors, spoke about the challenges facing the Inland Empire vis-a-vis economic development. Dr. Shelton then moderated a panel discussion with Bill Phelps of Wetzel’s Pretzels and Tom Manzo of Timely
Photo credit: Inland Empire Vision
Prefinished Steel Door Frames about California's $15 minimum wage. The conference was rounded out with a collaborative polling exercise conducted by the Rose Institute in cooperation with the Kravis Leadership Institute, wherein attendees were surveyed about their outlook for the region in the coming year. Claremont McKenna College President Hiram Chodosh then delivered the closing remarks.
Photo credit: Inland Empire Vision
Keynote speaker Greg Devereaux (center) and Bill Phelps
ROSE REVIEW – SPRING 2018 | 9
Off-Campus Reflections Zachary Wong ’19
In the Fall of 2017, I participated in CMC's Washington Program and interned for the American Enterprise Institute in their Government Relations Department. It was a very informative and fulfilling experience, and I learned a lot about how policy is formed, which bills have a chance of passing, and what sort of information authors of legislation incorporate when writing new laws. Overall, it was a great experience and it has fueled my desire to study law or work in Congress in the future.
Bruno youn ’19
Photo courtesy of Nick fedorochko
Zach and Nick attended the American Enterprise Institute annual dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C.
Nick Fedorochko ’19
I spent my semester in Washington, D.C., living with two other Rose students in an apartment in Gallery Place. After a great summer interning at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s headquarters, I simply couldn’t bring myself to leave our nation’s capital. During the fall semester, I interned full time at the Brookings Institution as a research intern for the Hamilton Project, a team that works within Brookings’ Economic Studies department. At Brookings, I honed my skills for statistical analysis, while learning new software and economic analysis tools that I will take with me no matter where my career goes. I loved the coursework that the D.C. program provided me -- including a class on foreign policy and a seminar on the policy making process. While I am thrilled to be back on campus, my parents are a little upset that I returned back to the West Coast where I'm significantly more than a short Amtrak ride away.
Over the fall semester of 2017, I was in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I attended a local university and was the only international student in the classroom. Unsurprisingly, I got a lot of questions about U.S. politics. I also learned a bit about Argentine politics as well, through a comparative politics class and a paper I wrote on environmental regulations in Argentina. Everything was in Spanish, by the way. The whole experience was more than the clichéd broadening of worldview (though that did occur). My classes broadened my policy interests beyond the confines of education policy to which I once restricted myself. I came back drinking 'mate'—the authentic kind with a metal straw and gourd.
Photo courtesy of Bruno Youn ROSE REVIEW – SPRING 2018 | 10
Off-Campus Reflections Alec lopata ’19 I spent the fall of 2017 in Washington, D.C. interning at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in the Federal Legislative Department. I had the opportunity to work closely with the Center's lobbying team, shadowing them at many important meetings and taking notes for them at various Congressional hearings. My two main focuses while I was there, first, fighting against the Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill, and then moving to fight against the Republican tax cut bill. One of my other main responsibilities was to track public statements by a wide range of members of Congress, that were then used by over 2,000 advocates across the country for grassroots lobbying of their members. I also had the opportunity to do my own research, and helped get a post published about the issues related to the tax on college endowment income included in the tax bill. It was an absolutely incredible experience, and it really felt like I got to be in 'the room where it happened'. I fell in love with Washington D.C., and hope to be able to return and work there again someday.
Photo courtesy of Alec Lopata
Bryn miller ’19 I spent the fall semester practicing my Spanish in a small city called Córdoba in the south of Spain. My study abroad provider focused on language learning and independence, so the program staff put us on a train to Córdoba in September and told us to figure pretty much everything out. After a hectic first few days, I figured out how to sublet a room in an apartment and how to register for courses at the local university. I enjoyed living with four Spanish girls my age and made many close connections with them and with other international exchange students in the city. Adjusting to academics in Spanish at a large public university was difficult, but my Spanish improved a lot over the course of the semester and I learned more than I ever thought I would about medieval Spanish history and Franco-era literature. I am looking forward to applying my improved language skills to my projects at the Rose next year!
Photo courtesy of Bryn Miller
ROSE REVIEW – SPRING 2018 | 11
Off-Campus Reflections
Skip Wiltshire-Gordon ’19 I spent the Fall 2017 semester on the Claremont McKenna College's Washington Program, serving as a Legislative Intern for Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05). While on Capitol Hill, I gained invaluable exposure to the inner-workings of Congress. I found my research experience from the Rose to be very useful for day-to-day work like reading legislation and writing policy memos. I enjoyed the program immensely, and my experience affirmed my desire to pursue a career in public policy.
Photo courtesy of Skip Wiltshire-Gordon
Photo courtesy of Bryn Miller '19
Rosies enjoyed a Clippers game on April 7 at the Staples Center: Melia Wong'19, Ben McAnally'21, Melissa Muller'18, Nick Fedorochko'19, Bryn Miller'19, Sevion DaCosta'21, Alec Lopata'19, Elena Castellanos'21, and Skip Wiltshire-Gordon'19
ROSE REVIEW – SPRING 2018 | 12
ROSE REVIEW – SPRING 2017 | 13
New Members of the BOG
Gregory C. Devereaux Greg Devereaux was the Chief Executive Officer of the County of San Bernardino until 2017. Mr. Devereaux has served in state and local government for nearly 40 years, holding various administrative leadership positions in several California communities, including city manager in the cities of Fontana from 1993 to 1997 and Ontario from 1997 to 2010. Mr. Devereaux currently serves the County of San Bernardino in an advisory capacity.
Deborah Gonzalez ’85 Deborah (Koster) Gonzalez, CMC class of 1985, serves as the Director of Government Affairs at the Public Policy Institute of California. A longtime Capitol staffer, she spent over 25 years working in the California legislature (both in the Assembly and the Senate), serving as policy director to five different Republican leaders and representing legislative Republicans in negotiations involving state budget, as well as welfare, education, health care, prison and tax reform. She holds a law degree from the McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific, and a B.A. from Claremont McKenna College, where she majored in international relations. She is married to Rose alumnus Anthony Gonzalez ’85. Henry A. Olsen, III ’83 During his time at CMC, Henry Olsen became, arguably, the most famous research assistant in the Rose Institute's history by taking a lead role in California's 1980s redistricting wars. Following his college exploits, Mr. Olsen worked as a political consultant for a private California firm, then became a Legislative Assistant for the California State Assembly Republican Caucus. He later attended the University of Chicago Law School, where he served as Comment Editor for the University of Chicago Law Review. He received his J.D. in 1990. With a law degree in hand, he clerked for the Honorable Danny J. Boggs on the U.S. Court of Appeals for Sixth Circuit and went on to practice law at Dechert LLP in Philadelphia. Mr. Olsen is presently a Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC), a Washington, D.C.-based research organization dedicated to promoting American moral tradition in modern politics. For over 20 years, Mr. Olsen has conducted research on domestic public policies and their implications. He is most interested in long-term political trends and has written extensively on the intellectual foundation and direction of contemporary political thought. His work has been featured in a variety of major publications, such as the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, National Review, and The Weekly Standard. Mr. Olsen graduated from Claremont McKenna College in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in political science. Jessica Witt ’00 The current president of the CMC Alumni Association, Jessica (O'Hare) Witt, graduated from CMC in 2000. She dual-majored in Government and Spanish, with a sequence in Leadership. A Rose Institute alumna, Ms. Witt served as student manager, and led a group of researchers in compiling and analyzing crime, demographics, business, fiscal and political data for the San Gabriel Valley Database. Since leaving CMC, Ms. Witt has assumed a variety of roles, including Corporate Communication/ Business Development Administrator at Interliance, Deputy Chief of Staff for Orange County Supervisor Chris Norby, and Senior Associate at Townsend Public Affairs. In 2010, she began work with the County of Orange, where she served as Manager of Strategic Planning and Legislation until 2013. She is currently serving as the Deputy Chief Operating Officer for the County of Orange.
Ian O'Grady '15 awarded the Alumni Spotlight 2017 Marshall Scholarship April 11, 2018 Interview with Melissa Muller '18
Laura (May) Grisolano
Photo courtesy of Univ. of Chicago Law School website
Class year: 1986 Major: American Studies (5C) Firm: Bridge Mediation and Leadership Solutions
Thank you so much to Laura Grisolano (CMC ’86 and Rose Institute alum) for taking the time to share her experiences about her time at CMC, the Rose, and life after graduation.
What was your experience at the Rose like as a CMC student? I loved working at the Rose, and there are two projects that stand out in particular: (1) We had big new mapping equipment for the redistricting work we were completing on behalf of (if memory serves) the Republican party. The demographic maps were fascinating, and I remember thinking that this was the future – visually mapping big data to help people make decisions. It was exciting to work on this high-level concept while I was “just” a student. (2) I think the Rose also had a contract with ARCO to develop a campaign strategy game. We were beta-testing an early version of the game, which was designed to help candidates and campaign managers learn how to make strategic decisions. I think there were budget and time decisions to be made and other strategic questions. But beyond the specific projects, working at the Rose allowed me to be around other people who were interested in politics. After coming from an unengaged high school population, it was just so nice to be around people who read the newspaper and knew what was going on. We all had our own strong political opinions, but the discussion was always civil, respectful, and friendly. What was your experience in politics during your time at CMC? I worked for Arizona Governor Bruce Babbitt every summer, except one, as an intern in his office. I learned a lot about politics and state government. Governor Babbitt was an amazing, smart leader and led diametrically opposed parties to collaborate on big reform solutions. He used to lock all of the stakeholders in his conference room until they made progROSE REVIEW – SPRING 2018 | 14
Alumni Spotlight
ress. When I was getting ready to graduate, he was getting ready to run for president. So, immediately following graduation,I moved to Iowa to work for him in the Iowa caucuses. I recommend presidential politics to anyone who asks – there is no better way to learn and grow on the job. There are never enough people to do what needs to be done, and you have to dive in even when you don’t really know what you are doing. I was organizing national press conferences and campaign trips across Iowa; meeting with bankers, college students, and farm wives, and – frankly – anyone who would talk to me about why Bruce Babbitt would be a great president. I’m still great friends with the people I worked with on the campaign. After working in fundraising for a bit, you went on to law school – How did you pick the University of Chicago? The University of Chicago Law School was amazing, and a lot like CMC. The most senior professors teach the entry level classes. Faculty offices are arranged around the perimeter of the library, so the professors are super accessible and want to help you. U of C is known for its law and economics approach, which can be a more conservative approach to the law, so there was a mix of philosophies and perspectives that made the culture a lot like CMC. I often found myself as the left of moderate voice in a slightly right of moderate room. You now run your own business – Bridge Mediation and Leadership Solutions. Where are you based and what does your company do? I am based in Chicago, but provide services across the country – and now even across the globe! I am an attorney mediator and help parties in conflict resolve their dispute. My mediation practice focuses on family businesses, small businesses, non-profit organizations, higher education, families, and workplace issues. We also provide meeting facilitation and ongoing consulting services for organizations that want to dig deeper and fix broken systems. I taught conflict resolution at a local liberal arts college, and have even deeper respect for full-time academics. I also offer a variety of leadership development programs, including executive coaching programs using the insights offered by the Hogan Personality Assessments. My clients range from global tech firms, to colleges, to small business owners, and individuals trying to co-parent successfully. What advice would you give to the graduating seniors, looking back on your own career path? Take a job that you are not qualified for. This is the best time in your life to dive into water that is way over your head. Look for an organization that needs you, has important work to do, and too few resources, so you can stretch, grow, learn, succeed, and feel like you are doing something meaningful. Your first job should be something that is out of your comfort zone, but excites you. Use the alumni network early and often –alumni love helping CMC students. What, if anything, would you like to see from the Rose Institute and its alumni network? I am a big believer that our college has a unique role to play in helping this country improve the civility of its political culture, and as CMC’s political institute, I would like to think the Rose Institute could play a big role in retraining citizens to communicate productively about tough issues. I think we should be all-hands-on-deck in correcting the polarization and the character assassination rampant in politics today. Only a small percentage of our political dialogue has to do with the details of good policymaking any more, and I would love to see the Rose Institute - along with the Dreier Roundtable - play a greater role in improving our political discourse in the United States. ROSE REVIEW – SPRING 2018 | 15
Photo courtesy of CMC 's MMC Athenaeum
Marian Miner Cook (foreground) with Donald and Bernice McKenna, Jil and Jack Stark '57
Our Sincerest Gratitude Marian Miner Cook, the trustee whose gift of $1 million helped build the current Athenaeum which bears her name, passed away in December of 2016, just a few weeks before her 100th birthday. According to the Athenaeum, Ms. Cook has said that the John Brown Cook Association was the source of her interest in CMC. Ms. Cook remarked that she and her husband "had a challenging and exciting life" and "hoped the Athenaeum would help students to experience similar intellectual challenges and excitement." We would like to thank Ms. Cook and honor her memory for the generous bequest to the Rose Institute.
Student Staff
Senior Staff
Nick fedorochko ’19
Andrew E. Busch, PhD
Student Manager
Alec lopata ’19
Associate Student Manager
Rose Review Staff: Nick fedorochko ’19 Editor
Rachel Alaynick '20 Elena Castellanos ’21 Zenaida Huerta '20 Naseem Nazari '21
ROSE REVIEW – SPRING 2018 | 16
Director
The mission of the R ose Institu te is to enhance the ed uc ation of students at Cl aremont McKenna College, to pr od uce high q ualit y rese ar ch, and to pr omote public under standing on issues of state and lo c al g overnment, politics, and polic y, with an emphasis on C alifornia .
www.roseinstitute.org
Ken Miller, JD, PhD Associate Director
Bipasa Nadon, JD Assistant Director
Marionette Moore
Administrative Assistant