WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service announced virtual event on April 28, Meeting the Moment: The Next Generation of Service, in partnership with Arizona State University (ASU) and the McCain Institute to highlight the critical role of service in our country and ways to engage the next generation in military, national, and public service.
In honor of late Senator John McCain, this event will promote the notion of service above self and develop ideas to inspire more Americans to serve – especially during times of crisis. The coronavirus pandemic demonstrates the critical role of service in meeting our nation’s challenges. The event will feature remarks by ASU President Dr. Michael Crow and Commission Chair Dr. Joseph Heck; a discussion on the importance of public service with Commissioner Steven Barney, retired Lieutenant General and Special Advisor to ASU President Ben Freakley, and Arizona State Representative Aaron Lieberman; and a discussion on inspiring the next generation of service leaders with Commissioner Avril Haines, Dr. Jonathan Koppell, Dean of ASU’s Watts College of Public Service & Community Solutions, Senator Kyrsten Sinema, and others who have dedicated their careers to service.
“We are excited to work with Arizona State University and the McCain Institute on this important event to explore ways to strengthen and expand all forms service to the nation,” said Chairman Joseph Heck. “Our report, Inspired to Serve, not only embodies Senator McCain’s legacy of service, but ASU’s leadership in service and mission to bolster the social, economic, cultural and overall health of its communities.”
“ASU as venue and partner for the ‘western rollout’ of this consequential report is both a high honor and natural fit,” said Dr. Michael Crow, president of ASU. “Our Public Service Academy stands as a model effort, and an ethos of inclusion, achievement and service motivates our entire enterprise,” he added.
“For my late husband, for me and for so many Americans to serve is a noble calling. My sincere hope is that we seize momentum from this national report to make service near universal,” said Cindy McCain, Chair of the McCain Institute’s Board of Trustees.
The National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service is the first entity in history charged with conducting comprehensive and holistic review of all forms of service to the Nation. Recognizing the value in promoting a larger ethos of service in the United States, the late Senator John McCain and Senator Jack Reed championed the establishment of this bipartisan 11-member Commission. After two and a half years of extensive research, public hearings, and conversations with Americans across the country, the Commission released its final report, Inspired to Serve, to the Congress, the President, and the American public on March 25, 2020. The report contains a bold vision and comprehensive plan for the selective service process and strengthening military, national, and public service in America.
Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American Research University, creating an institution that is committed to access, excellence and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New American University, ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and ASU assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surround it.
Inspired by the leadership of Senator John McCain and his family’s legacy of public service, the McCain Institute implements programs and initiatives aimed at making a difference in people’s lives across a range of critical areas: leadership development, human rights, rule of law, national security, counterterrorism and combatting human trafficking.
