WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, September 27, the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) honored Scott Fleming, former Associate Vice President for Federal Relations at Georgetown University, with the AJCU Appreciation Award. Fleming recently retired from a distinguished 17-year career serving his alma mater as an administrator and dedicated advocate for students.
The award was presented during the annual meeting of the AJCU Federal Relations Network on Capitol Hill, which was attended by federal relations officers and financial aid directors from many of the nation’s Jesuit colleges and universities. Several members of the network delivered tributes to Fleming, praising his advocacy for Jesuit higher education and commitment to public service. Prior to his tenure at Georgetown, Fleming served (among other roles) as Assistant Secretary for Legislation and Congressional Affairs at the U.S. Department of Education and Chief of Staff to Representative Nita Lowey (D-WI).
In her remarks during the award presentation, AJCU’s Vice President for Federal Relations, Cynthia Littlefield, said, “We owe so much to Scott and it is fitting that we present this award to him during the annual meeting of the AJCU Federal Relations Network. We are grateful for his service and friendship to AJCU and all 28 member institutions. We thank Scott for being there for us, and wish him all the very best in his retirement.”
Phil Hale, Vice President for Government Affairs at Loyola University Chicago, said, “Scott is who I want to be when I grow up. He’s been a wonderful colleague and mentor to me, and I thank him from all of us.”
Rana Altenburg, Vice President of Public Affairs at Marquette University, remarked, “When we talk about what it means to be at Jesuit institutions, we talk about being ‘people for others,’ and Scott is such an example of that.”
A final tribute was offered by Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Ranking Member on the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce. She said, “What you don’t see on Scott’s resume is the role that he has played in helping young people chart the course for their futures. At Jesuit colleges and universities, you produce graduates who are well-rounded, but with a sense of direction and moral structure that guides you. What Scott has done is to take these values and inculcate them into young people.”
For more photos from the AJCU Appreciation Award ceremony and AJCU Federal Relations Conference, please click here.