CMC Magazine, Summer 2006

You are, if a typical Claremont McKenna College alumnus, involved in your community and doing good things to build a better world. Since filling its first classes with GIs returning home from World War II, CMC has always sought students who are committed to making a difference, and educates alumni who make a positive impact.

Henry R. Kravis is such an alumnus. More than a decade ago, he recognized the need to formalize the College's leadership studies opportunities, and the Kravis Leadership Institute was born. Today, KLI plays a major role in the lives of our students and in the flavor of our campus, with an international reputation as one of the finest leadership studies programs in the world.

The examination of leadership has now taken another important stride with the creation of The Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership. The Kravis Prize celebrates extraordinary achievements by a visionary leader within the non-profit sector whose work and dedication provide a transformative force in our society. Henry Kravis and his wife, Marie-Josée, have committed themselves to this new program which identifies, measures, and celebrates extraordinary leadership within the non-profit sector.

Roy Prosterman is such a leader. The inaugural Kravis Prize in Leadership was presented to Roy Prosterman, founder and chairman emeritus of The Rural Development Institute, at ceremonies held May 6 in Los Angeles. The Prize carries an award of $250,000, designated for RDI. Founded 25 years ago, RDI has become an extraordinarily effective advocate for international land law and policy reform. With a small team of dedicated attorneys, RDI works with the governments of 40 developing nations, foreign aid agencies, and other partners to design and implement fundamental legal, policy, and programmatic reforms to help the world's poor.

The work of Roy Prosterman and RDI has improved the lives of more than 400 million people around the world through ownership or ownership-like rights to more than 90 million acres of land. We are honored to illuminate his life's work, and to celebrate the determination, boldness, and vision that make Roy Prosterman a pioneer in fighting for the poorest of the poor.

In this issue of CMC, we feature stories of alumni and friends who have helped their communities, both local and global. One such alumnus, Peter Thum, illustrates the power of one person's dream with this simple concept: create a brand of bottled water whose very purchase helps ensure a clean drink of water for residents of some of the world's poorest communities. Peter created Ethos Water in 2003, funneling five cents from each bottle purchased into clean water programs around the world. That little nickel is actually big change—enough for nearly one month's worth of clean water for families in Ethiopia and Bangladesh. As further testimony to the adage of "doing good and doing well," Ethos Water was purchased last year by Starbucks, which pledged $10 million to support the Ethos mission.

Each bottle of Ethos features the question, what's the power of a billion dreams? Whether securing land rights for rural farmers in India or providing clean drinking water in Africa, we celebrate the dedication of leaders like Roy Prosterman and Peter Thum, whose dreams are changing the world.

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Pamela B. Gann, President