The Bush Foundation is proud to introduce the 24 recipients of the 2017 Bush Fellowship. Each Bush Fellow will receive up to $100,000 to pursue the education and experiences they believe will help make them more effective leaders.

“The 2017 Bush Fellows are extraordinary leaders who make significant contributions to their communities. The Bush Fellowship is both a recognition of their accomplishments, and a bet on their potential to make an even bigger impact on our region,” said Bush Foundation President Jennifer Ford Reedy.

The Fellowship is distinctive in its flexibility, allowing each Fellow to create a leadership development plan that is tailored to their needs and ambition. Fellows can use the funding to pursue advanced education, networking opportunities, and leadership resources, workshops and trainings.

The Foundation received nearly 650 applications for the 2017 Bush Fellowship. Applicants described their leadership vision and how a Bush Fellowship would both help them achieve their goals and make their community better. The 2017 Bush Fellows were selected through a multi-stage process involving past Bush Fellows, Bush Foundation staff and community leaders from across the region.

More than 2,000 people have taken advantage of the Fellowship to become better leaders through a self-designed learning experience, academic program or travel and research across the country to build connections with thought leaders on topics critical to their community. The Bush Fellowship counts among its alumni celebrated Oglala Lakota painter and educator Arthur Douglas Amiotte, internationally-known artist Judith Onofrio, and former Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson.