The third annual Allegheny College Prize for Civility in Public Life was awarded to the “Women of the Senate” – the 20 U.S. senators who banded together to help end the 2013 government shutdown, and in so doing helped to show the way toward a more civil climate in Washington, D.C.
We honored them at a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, February 27. U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), the ranking Republican and Democrat members of the women of the Senate, accepted the award on their colleagues’ behalf.
In addition to Senators Collins and Mikulski and President Mullen, former Pennsylvania Governor and the first U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge, a friend of and advisor to Allegheny College and a champion of civility, attended the ceremony and provided remarks.
In The News
“You can be a strong partisan, but there are times when partisanship needs to be secondary to working together to achieve outcomes,” Ridge said.
February 28, 2014 – Read More: ErieTVNews.com
“Unconstrained and unfettered and unvetted, I marched over to the Senate floor, took the microphone and challenged our colleagues to come out of their partisan corners, to stop the fighting and to start legislating in a manner worthy of the people of this country,” Collins said.
February 27, 2014 – Read More: USNews.com
“With a historic number of 20 Senate women and with a historic amount of power chairing eight committees, we have continued to create a zone of civility to get the job done. Whether it’s breaking budget gridlock, passing the farm bill or passing a bill making sure America has clean water infrastructure, we are making real change,” Mikulski said.
February 27, 2014 – Read More: Post-Gazette.com
“The 20 women in the Senate aren’t less partisan than their colleagues; they simply shy away from personal attacks and make a point of being civil in their dealings. Being nice isn’t just putting a good face on things. It actually does get things done in Washington.”
February 25, 2014 – Read More: Time.com
Full Video: Award Ceremony, February 27, 2014
NATIONAL PRESS CLUB, WASHINGTON D.C.
News Release – February 25, 2014
‘Women of the Senate’ To Be Awarded 2014 Civility Prize
February 25, 2014 – The third annual Allegheny College Prize for Civility in Public Life will be awarded Thursday to the “Women of the Senate” – the 20 U.S. senators who banded together to help end the 2013 government shutdown, and in so doing helped to show the way toward a more civil climate in Washington D.C., one that continues to provide hopefulness today.
President James H. Mullen, Jr. will award the 2014 Prize at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. at 10 a.m. Thursday, February 27. U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), the ranking Republican and Democrat members of the women of the Senate, will accept the award on their colleagues’ behalf.
Said Mullen: “The 16-day federal government shutdown last Fall, and the incivility that accompanied it, reminded us how divided we are as a nation, and how uncivil our debates had become. Just when it seemed the impasse would extend indefinitely, the Women of the Senate stepped up and said, “Enough.” They met incivility with collegial resolve – and in so doing, showed us all a better way.”
Allegheny College is one of the nation’s oldest liberal-arts colleges, with a long tradition of passionate but civil intellectual debate. Deeply troubled by the rise of incivility in U.S. politics, and its negative impacts on political participation, particularly among young people, the College created the Civility Prize in 2011 to highlight and reinforce the unheralded public figures who advance civility. The Allegheny College Prize for Civility in Public Life annually recognizes two political figures, one from the left and one from the right, who argue passionately but with civility for their beliefs. The Prize seeks to honor politicians who have demonstrated steadfast civility throughout their career or, in the case of this year’s winners, shown authentic, courageous civility at an important moment in time. The inaugural award was bestowed at the National Press Club in February 2012 to political journalists David Brooks and Mark Shields, in recognition of their longstanding record of civil commentary. In 2013, the College awarded the Prize to Senators Dianne Feinstein (D) and Lindsey Graham (R) for their efforts to exemplify civility while leading debate in some of the most contentious issues of our time.
This year, Allegheny College judged that the most fitting recipient was an entire group of Democrat and Republican lawmakers – the Women of the Senate.
The states represented by the Women of the Senate are:
Alaska: Lisa Murkowski (R)
California: Barbara Boxer (D) and Dianne Feinstein (D)
Hawaii: Mazie Hirono (D)
Louisiana: Mary Landrieu (D)
Maine: Susan Collins (R)
Maryland: Barbara Mikulski (D)
Massachusetts: Elizabeth Warren (D)
Michigan: Debbie Stabenow (D)
Minnesota: Amy Klobuchar (D)
Missouri: Claire McCaskill (D)
Nebraska: Deb Fischer (R)
New York: Kirsten Gillibrand (D)
New Hampshire: Kelly Ayotte (R) and Jeanne Shaheen (D)
North Carolina: Kay Hagan (D)
North Dakota: Heidi Heitkamp (D)
Washington: Maria Cantwell (D) and Patty Murray (D)
Wisconsin: Tammy Baldwin (D)
In addition to Senators Collins and Mikulski and President Mullen, former Pennsylvania Governor and the first U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge, a friend of and advisor to Allegheny College and a champion of civility, will attend the ceremony and provide remarks.
About Allegheny College
Allegheny College is a national liberal arts college where 2,100 students with unusual combinations of interests and talents develop highly-valued abilities to explore critical issues from multiple perspectives. A selective residential college in Meadville, Pa., Allegheny is one of 40 colleges featured in Loren Pope’s “Colleges That Change Lives” and is also featured in “Harvard Schmarvard: Getting Beyond the Ivy League to the College That Is Best for You” and Peterson’s “Competitive Colleges, 400 Colleges That Attract the Best and the Brightest,” among many other guidebooks. Allegheny is one of the nation’s oldest liberal-arts colleges and will celebrate its 200th anniversary of learning at its picturesque campus in 2015.
2014 Civility Prize Honorees
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R)
Alaska
https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/public/
@lisamurkowski
/SenLisaMurkowski
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D)
California
https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/
@SenFeinstein
/DianneFeinstein
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D)
Massachusetts
https://www.warren.senate.gov
@SenWarren
/ElizabethWarren
Senator Deb Fischer (R)
Nebraska
https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/
@SenatorFischer
/senatordebfischer
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D)
New York
https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov
@SenGillibrand
/KirstenGillibrand
Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D)
New Hampshire
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov
@SenatorShaheen
/SenatorShaheen
Senator Maria Cantwell (D)
Washington
https://www.cantwell.senate.gov
@CantwellPress
/senatorcantwell
About the Allegheny College Prize for Civility in Public Life
Allegheny College is one of the nation’s oldest liberal-arts colleges, with a long tradition of passionate but civil intellectual debate. Deeply troubled by the rise of incivility in U.S. politics, and its negative impacts on political participation, particularly among young people, the College created the Civility Prize in 2011 to highlight and reinforce the unheralded public figures who advance civility.
The Allegheny College Prize for Civility in Public Life annually recognizes two political figures, one from the left and one from the right, who argue passionately but with civility for their beliefs. The Prize seeks to honor politicians who have demonstrated steadfast civility throughout their career or, in the case of this year’s winners, shown authentic, courageous civility at an important moment in time.
The inaugural award was bestowed at the National Press Club in February 2012 to political journalists David Brooks and Mark Shields, in recognition of their longstanding record of civil commentary. In 2013, the College awarded the Prize to Senators Dianne Feinstein (D) and Lindsey Graham (R) for their efforts to exemplify civility while leading debate in some of the most contentious issues of our time.
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