25th Anniversary of AAFSW’s Secretary of State Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad

For the 25th anniversary of the Secretary of State Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad, AAFSW’s SOSA Chair (and a former SOSA winner) Lara Center and her committee obtained a grant from the Una Chapman Cox Foundation to create a series of videos. Lara arranged interviews with former SOSA winners; with Anne Kauzlarich, who was AAFSW President when the award was created; and with former Secretary of State James Baker and Susan Baker, who originally suggested the award’s creation and have remained active contributors to SOSA. Lara and AAFSW President Patricia Linderman interviewed James and Susan Baker in Houston and successfully produced three videos promoting and explaining the award. Secretary of State John Kerry also provided recorded remarks for the 2015 ceremony in honor of the anniversary. 

SOSA 25th anniversary Video

Video credit: AAFSW

Secretary John Kerry’s remarks

Video credit: AAFSW
L-R: Zack Linderman (Video Editor and animator), Keith Maitland (Documentary Filmmaker), Patricia Linderman (AAFSW President in 2015), Andy Sarjahni (Production Assistant), Secretary James Baker, Susan Baker, Lara Center (AAFSW SOSA Chair, 2015)
Lara Center (AAFSW SOSA Chair, 2015) speaking with Secretary James Baker following interview
Susan Baker, Patricia Linderman (AAFSW President 2015) and Zack Linderman
Secretary James Baker, Lara Center (AAFSW SOSA Chair, 2015) and Susan Baker
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