The Fund for American Studies

On February 6, 1967, the group incorporated the Charles Edison Youth Fund. But, in 1969, as they were discussing how to best reach the young people of that era, Governor Edison died suddenly. To honor him and carry on his mission, the organization was renamed the Charles Edison Memorial Youth Fund. In the summer of 1970, the Youth Fund partnered with Georgetown University to organize the inaugural Institute on Comparative Political and Economic Systems. Fifty-seven students attended. The Fund’s early partnership with Georgetown University was based on a shared commitment to academic integrity and a belief in the power of ideas. The relationship was established through the diligent efforts of Georgetown Professor Lev Dobriansky and a student named Robert Schadler. TFAS has been successful because its programs are based upon a solid academic foundation. Its summer programs offer eight weeks of classes for academic credit, evening guest lectures by renowned speakers and site briefings at key government institutions. Students are assigned to internships at some of Washington’s most important institutions. Semester-long programs offer the chance for students to come to Washington during the academic year and continue their education while they intern. The Fund’s international programs introduce promising foreign students to the ideas of liberty and civil society.