George H. Olmsted

The Olmsted Scholar Program, named after George H. Olmsted, awards scholarships to highly qualified, active duty junior officers in the United States military in order to pursue language studies and overseas graduate-level education. Created in concert with the Department of Defense, the Scholar Program provides one year of foreign language training followed by two years of study at a foreign graduate school.^[1][2]

The Scholar Program was established with an initial grant from George and Carol Olmsted in 1957. In his original Statement of Donor, Olmsted noted, "Fundamental to the initial purpose of creating the scholarship program is the conviction that the greatest leaders must be educated broadly."^[3] Since its inception, the Olmsted Scholar Program has provided grants for over 600 officers, many of whom have gone on to the highest levels of leadership and responsibility in the military, government and private sector.

History[edit]

GEN John Abizaid (USA, Ret.), Olmsted Scholar Class of 1978

The Olmsted Scholar Program was founded in 1959 by the George Olmsted Foundation (later the George and Carol Olmsted Foundation). Utilizing General Olmsted's initial $80,000 grant, the Foundation's Board of Directors and the Department of Defense authorized the establishment of Scholar Program. The first six scholars were selected in October, 1959 and began their training in 1960 (See Class of 1960).^[4]

From 1960 through 1970, the program consisted of two Scholars from each service academy for a total of six annually. Beginning with the Scholar Class of 1971, the program was expanded to nine Scholars annually with the additional three being graduates of ROTC programs.

Since its inception, the Scholar Program has encouraged attendance at universities in countries throughout the world. In 1975 the first Scholar was sent behind the Iron Curtain when Col Bill McKeever (USAF, Ret.) attended the University of Belgrade. GEN John Abizaid (USA, Ret.) became the first Scholar to study in Arabic when he attended the University of Jordan in 1978. In 1981 LTC Lonnie Keene (USA, Ret.) became the first Scholar in mainland China at Beijing University, and in 1994 COL Tom Donovan became the first Scholar in Russia, attending Saint Petersburg State University.

Beginning with the Scholar Class of 2003, additional funds from General Olmsted's estate have allowed the program to expand to approximately 18 participants per year. While the actual number of Scholars in a given year depends on selection of the most highly qualified individuals, the nominal distribution is five Scholars each from the Navy, Army and Air Force and three from the Marine Corps.

To date, over 600 Scholars comprising 57 Olmsted Scholar classes have been selected. These Scholars have been assigned to more than 200 universities in 60 distinct non-English speaking countries. 40 Olmsted Scholars have become flag officers, to include 12 Army generals, 12 Navy admirals, 2 Marine Corps generals, and 14 Air Force generals.^[5][6][7]

Class of 1960[edit]

ADM Carlisle Trost(USN, Ret.), Olmsted Scholar Class of 1960

The original class of Olmsted Scholars began language training in 1959 and began their overseas graduate studies in 1960:

• 
  ADM Carlisle Trost, USN,^[8]University of Freiburg, Germany
  


• LTG Frederic Brown, USA,^[9]University of Geneva, Switzerland
  


• COL William Albright, USAF, University of Geneva, Switzerland
  


• COL Richard Hobbs, USA University of Lyon, France
  


• John Karas, USAF University of Göttingen, Germany
  


• Forrest Lockwood, USN, University of Grenoble, France
  

Required qualifications for participation[edit]

While the specific qualifications differ by service branch,^[10][11] the following general requirements for participation have been designated by the Olmsted Foundation:

• Active duty officer in the United States Military
  


• At least 3, but no more than 11, years of active duty service


• Have served primarily in an operational capacity


• Outstanding professional performance and promotion potential


• Demonstrated scholastic achievement


• Approval of respective service career planner/detailer/assignment officer


• A commitment to the foundation's goals as evidenced in a personal interview^[12]
  

Application and selection process[edit]

Specific application and selection procedures differ by service branch, but generally consist of the following:

• Candidate submits application to chain of command for approval

If Approved by Chain of Command

• Candidate's application forwarded to individual service's Olmsted Scholar board for consideration (convened in the Summer or Fall)

If Selected by Individual Service

• Candidate's application forwarded to Olmsted Foundation for consideration, interview scheduled (interviews held in the Fall or Winter)

The Olmsted Foundation's final selections are typically announced in late March. Along with overall selection, it is at this point that Scholars are told in which city and country they will study.

Universities attended[edit]

Olmsted Scholars have attended the following universities, listed by continent and country:

American University in Cairo

Africa[edit]

• 
  Egypt
  
  • American University in Cairo
  
  


• 
  Morocco
  
  
  
  • Al Akhawayn University
  
  
  • Mohammed V University
  
  
  
  


• 
  Senegal
  
  • Cheikh Anta Diop University
  
  


• 
  Tunisia
  
  • Mediterranean School of Business
  
  

Asia[edit]

Nanjing University

• 
  Azerbaijan
  
  • Azerbaijan University of Languages
  
  

University of Hong Kong

• 
  China
  
  
  
  • Fudan University
  
  
  • Guangxi Normal University
  
  
  • Nanjing University
  
  
  • Peking University
  
  
  • Qingdao University
  
  
  • Renmin University
  
  
  • Shenzhen University
  
  
  • Sun Yat-Sen University
  
  
  • Tongji University
  
  
  • Tsinghua University
  
  
  • University of Beijing
  
  
  • University of Hong Kong
  
  
  • Yunnan Nationalities University
  
  
  • Yunnan University
  
  
  • Yunnan Minzu University
  
  
  • 
    Zhejiang University
    
    

    
    

    
    University of Mumbai
    

    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  India
  
  
  
  • ITM University
  
  
  • Jadavpur University
  
  
  • Jawaharlal Nehru University
  
  
  • University of Mumbai
  
  
  
  


• 
  Indonesia
  
  • Udayana University
  
  


• 
  Israel
  
  
  
  • Tel Aviv University
  
  
  • The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  
  
  
  

Kyoto University

• 
  Japan
  
  
  
  • Chubu University
  
  
  • Doshisha University
  
  
  • Hitotsubashi University
  
  
  • Keio University
  
  
  • Kyoto University
  
  
  • Osaka University
  
  
  • Ritsumeikan University
  
  
  • University of Shizuoka
  
  
  • Sophia University
  
  
  • University of Tsukuba
  
  
  • Waseda University
  
  
  
  

• 
  Jordan
  
  • University of Jordan
  
  


• 
  Oman
  
  • Sultan Qaboos University
  
  


• 
  Singapore
  
  
  
  • Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies
  
  
  • National University of Singapore
  
  
  
  


• 
  South Korea
  
  
  
  • Seoul National University
  
  
  • Yonsei University
  
  
  
  

National Taiwan University

• 
  Taiwan
  
  
  
  • National Chengchi University
  
  
  • National Sun Yat-Sen University
  
  
  • National Taiwan University
  
  
  
  


• 
  Thailand
  
  
  
  • Chiang Mai University
  
  
  • Chulalongkorn University
  
  
  
  

Bosphorus University

• 
  Turkey
  
  
  
  • Ankara University
  
  
  • Atilim University
  
  
  • Bilgi University
  
  
  • Bogazici University
  
  
  • Bosphorus University
  
  
  • Cankaya University
  
  
  • Ege University
  
  
  • Istanbul University
  
  
  
  


• 
  Vietnam
  
  • Vietnam National University
  
  

Europe[edit]

University of Vienna

• 
  Austria
  
  
  
  • University of Innsbruck
  
  
  • Johannes Kepler University of Linz
  
  
  • University of Salzburg
  
  
  • University of Vienna
  
  
  
  


• 
  Belgium
  
  
  
  • Free University of Brussels
  
  
  • Catholic University of Louvain
  
  
  
  


• 
  Bosnia and Herzegovina
  
  • University of Sarajevo
  
  

Sofia University

• 
  Bulgaria
  
  • Sofia University
  
  


• 
  Croatia
  
  
  
  • University of Zagreb
  
  
  • Zagreb School of Economics and Management
  
  
  
  


• 
  Czech Republic
  
  
  
  • Charles University
  
  
  • Masaryk University
  
  
  
  


• 
  Denmark
  
  • University of Aarhus
  
  

University of Helsinki

• 
  Estonia
  
  • University of Tartu
  
  


• 
  Finland
  
  • University of Helsinki
  
  

University of Strasbourg

• 
  France
  
  
  
  • Institut d'études politiques de Lyon
  
  
  • Paris Institute of Political Studies
  
  
  • Paris-Sorbonne University
  
  
  • University of Bordeaux
  
  
  • University of Burgundy
  
  
  • University of Grenoble
  
  
  • University of Lyon
  
  
  • University of Montpellier
  
  
  • University of Nancy
  
  
  • University of Strasbourg
  
  
  • Sciences Po Aix
  
  
  
  

University of Bonn

• 
  Germany
  
  
  
  • Free University of Berlin
  
  
  • Humboldt University
  
  
  • Johannes Gutenberg University
  
  
  • Ruhr University
  
  
  • Technical University of Dresden
  
  
  • Technical University of Munich
  
  
  • University of Augsburg
  
  
  • University of Bonn
  
  
  • University of Cologne
  
  
  • University of Frankfurt
  
  
  • University of Freiburg
  
  
  • University of Goettingen
  
  
  • University of Hamburg
  
  
  • University of Heidelberg
  
  
  • University of Jena
  
  
  • University of Kiel
  
  
  • University of Konstanz
  
  
  • University of Leipzig
  
  
  • University of Munich
  
  
  • University of Regensburg
  
  
  • University of Stuttgart
  
  
  • University of Tuebingen
  
  
  • University of Wurzburg
  
  
  
  

University of Athens

• 
  Greece
  
  
  
  • Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki
  
  
  • University of Athens
  
  
  
  


• 
  Hungary
  
  
  
  • Budapest University of Economic Sciences
  
  
  • Corvinus University
  
  
  
  


• 
  Italy
  
  
  
  • Catholic University of Milan
  
  
  • University of Bologna
  
  
  • University of Florence
  
  
  • University of Milan
  
  
  • University of Padova
  
  
  • University of Parma
  
  
  • University of Siena
  
  
  
  

University of Latvia

• 
  Latvia
  
  • University of Latvia
  
  


• 
  Lithuania
  
  • Vilnius University
  
  


• 
  Montenegro
  
  • University of Montenegro
  
  

University of Bergen

• 
  Netherlands
  
  
  
  • University of Amsterdam
  
  
  • University of Groningen
  
  
  • University of Leiden
  
  
  
  


• 
  Norway
  
  
  
  • University of Bergen
  
  
  • University of Oslo
  
  
  
  

University of Coimbra

• 
  Poland
  
  
  
  • Adam Mickiewicz University
  
  
  • Jagiellonian University
  
  
  • University of Gdansk
  
  
  • University of Warsaw
  
  
  
  


• 
  Portugal
  
  
  
  • University of Coimbra
  
  
  • Technical University of Lisbon
  
  
  
  


• 
  Romania
  
  
  
  • Bucharest University of Economic Studies
  
  
  • Babeș-Bolyai University
  
  
  • University of Bucharest
  
  
  • West University of Timisoara
  
  
  
  

Saint Petersburg State University

• 
  Russia
  
  
  
  • European University of St Petersburg
  
  
  • Moscow State University
  
  
  • Saint Petersburg State University
  
  
  • University of St Petersburg
  
  
  
  


• 
  Serbia
  
  • University of Belgrade
  
  


• 
  Slovakia
  
  • Comenius University
  
  


• 
  Slovenia
  
  • University of Ljubljana
  
  

University of Cadiz

• 
  Spain
  
  
  
  • CEU San Pablo University
  
  
  • Complutense University of Madrid
  
  
  • University of Cadiz
  
  
  • University of Deusto
  
  
  • University of Granada
  
  
  • University of Madrid
  
  
  • University of Navarra
  
  
  • University of Salamanca
  
  
  • University of Zaragoza
  
  
  • Pompeu Fabra University
  
  
  
  


• 
  Sweden
  
  
  
  • Stockholm University
  
  
  • 
    University of Uppsala
    
    

    
    

    
    University of Zurich
    

    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  Switzerland
  
  
  
  • University of Geneva
  
  
  • University of Lausanne
  
  
  • University of Neuchatel
  
  
  • University of St Gallen
  
  
  • University of Zurich
  
  
  
  


• 
  Ukraine
  
  
  
  • National Aviation University
  
  
  • National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
  
  
  • Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
  
  
  • Ukrainian Catholic University
  
  
  
  


• 
  United Kingdom
  
  • Oxford University
  
  

North America[edit]

National Autonomous University of Mexico

• 
  Costa Rica
  
  • University of Costa Rica
  
  


• 
  Mexico
  
  
  
  • El Colegio de Mexico
  
  
  • Monterrey Institute of Technology
  
  
  • National Autonomous University of Mexico
  
  
  • Universidad Iberoamericana
  
  
  • University of Guanajuato
  
  
  
  

South America[edit]

University of Brasília

• 
  Argentina
  
  
  
  • University of Belgrano
  
  
  • University of Buenos Aires
  
  
  • Cordoba University
  
  
  • University of Cuyo
  
  
  • Torcuato di Tella University
  
  
  • University of Tucuman
  
  
  
  


• 
  Brazil
  
  
  
  • University of Brasília
  
  
  • Federal University of Santa Catarina
  
  
  • Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro
  
  
  • University of São Paulo
  
  
  
  


• 
  Chile
  
  • Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
  
  


• 
  Ecuador
  
  • Pontifical Catholic University
  
  

Simón Bolívar University

• 
  Peru
  
  • Pontifical Catholic University of Peru
  
  


• 
  Uruguay
  
  • University of the Republic
  
  


• 
  Venezuela
  
  
  
  • Central University of Venezuela
  
  
  • Simón Bolívar University
  
  
  
  

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• The Olmsted Scholar Foundation Website


• Navy Olmsted Program NAVADMIN


• Marine Corps Olmsted Scholar Article


• Marine Corps Olmsted Scholar Program Information