See You at the George C. Marshall Award Gala on April 12!

The 2024 George C. Marshall Award Gala is just around the corner! We look forward to hosting guests for a fabulous evening on Friday, April 12, 2024, at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, VA.

This year's Gala is sold out – if you are unable to join us, we hope to see you next year.

Please contact Casey Koester or Valérie Beaudoin with any last-minute questions about the Gala.

May 10-11 Ethical Leadership Conference for High School Students

Space is Limited – Apply Today!

Applications are open for the spring session (May 10 & 11) of Five-Star Character: The George C. Marshall Ethical Leadership Conference for high school juniors and seniors.

Check out this recent video on this free program, which provides students the opportunity to shape their approach to leadership and decision-making drawing on the life of one of the most remarkable and influential leaders in American history – and $1,000 post-secondary education scholarship opportunities!

Many Happy Returns: The Marshall Plan Turns 76

On April 3, 1948, President Truman signed the Economic Recovery Act of 1948 into law. The legislation, which history knows as the Marshall Plan, was initially proposed by Secretary of State General George C. Marshall in 1947.

The United States was deeply concerned that poverty in Europe, which had been devastated by World War II, would destabilize the continent indefinitely and strengthen the appeal of fascism and communism.

By the time the plan had been fully administered in 1951, more than $13 billion had been distributed to the 17 participating countries. (more than $150 billion in 2024 dollars). The effort laid the foundation for the emergence of stable, free and prosperous European nations with strong diplomatic and economic ties to the United States – a mutually beneficial strategy that has paid enormous dividends for over three quarters of a century.  

It is widely considered to be the most successful foreign aid program of the 20th century.

April 3 Book Club: Born in Blackness

Zoom Discussion of “Born in Blackness: Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World, 1471 to the Second World War”

Join us on Wednesday, April 3 from Noon-1p.m. ET for a Zoom discussion of Born in Blackness by Howard W. French.

In a sweeping narrative spanning more than six centuries, Born in Blackness reframes the story of medieval and emerging Africa, demonstrating how the economic ascendancy of Europe, the anchoring of democracy in the West and the fulfillment of so-called Enlightenment ideals were influenced by Europe’s dehumanizing engagement with the “dark” continent. French points out, for example, that the first impetus for the Age of Discovery was not—as we are so often told, even today—Europe’s yearning for ties with Asia, but rather its centuries-old desire to forge a trade in gold with thriving Black societies in the heart of West Africa.

April 18 Foreign Policy Forum with Michael Griffin

Space, the Final Frontier for U.S. National Security?

Marshall Center Executive Director Featured on 7 News DC's Women's History Month Series

Valérie Beaudoin Discusses Dodona Manor, Ethical Leadership Programs

Our own Executive Director Valérie Beaudoin was recently featured on 7 News DC's Women's History Month series.

Check out Valérie's interview, in which she discusses her career path, women in the technology industry, Dodona Manor and the Marshall Center's Ethical Leadership programs.

Great job, Valérie! 

In Bloom: Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival

Dodona Garden & Grounds Tours April 20-21

The Marshall Center is excited to participate in Leesburg’s Flower & Garden Festival on April 20-21. We hope you will join us for a journey through lush landscapes with $5 off our docent-led Garden Tour at Dodona Manor. Delve into the rich history and timeless beauty of the Marshall family’s cherished gardens, where their passion for gardening still blooms. Our knowledgeable docents will no doubt inspire today’s garden enthusiasts!

Looking to pitch in? Join Dodona Manor garden volunteer Tom Watson for drop-in gardening on the grounds on the first and third Saturdays of each month from 9 to 11 a.m.