Mark Shriver

Studying abroad in London was an eye-opening experience for Mark Shriver. Through travel in Europe, the Soviet Union, Egypt, and Israel that year, Mark was exposed to a multitude of new perspectives, cultures, and different political systems resulting in personal growth. On top of it all, Mark got a first-hand look at the British political system through an internship in Parliament. Coming from a family background of public service, Mark has dedicated his life’s work to advocating for children. Today, as president of Save the Children Action Network (SCAN), Mark fights to make sure that every child has a strong start in life. As the political advocacy arm of Save the Children, SCAN has two goals: to make sure every child in the U.S. has access to high-quality early learning and that no mother or child around the globe dies from a preventable death. In 2012, Mark wrote a New York Times best-selling memoir, A Good Man: Rediscovering My Father, Sargent Shriver. Mark is now finalizing a book on Pope Francis, Pilgrimage: My Search for the Real Pope Francis, scheduled to be released this fall. Read on to find out more about the book, the inspiration behind Mark’s passion for children, and why he believes study abroad is important for students today.

IES Abroad: What are some of the most influential memories from your time as a student in London?

Mark Shriver: I think it was not only the classes I took but the internship I had at Parliament, working for a Member of Parliament, and being exposed to a different form of government than what I had experienced in America. It was also the ability to travel, not only through the United Kingdom but also being able to go to Ireland and then Europe, being exposed to France and Holland and Italy. And then from there – I did my second semester junior year – I traveled after school was over to what at that point was the Soviet Union, and through Egypt and Israel. So, exposure to history, exposure to different cultures, exposure to different political systems, not just the Parliamentary system but communism in the Soviet Union and being able to go into Berlin – East Berlin and West Berlin – when it was still divided, and exposure to so many different aspects of the world was eye-opening for me as a 21-year-old kid.

There is obviously great value in the act of taking classes abroad, but when you are able to travel abroad and be exposed to the actual places where the history took place, whether it was Paris or Amsterdam, seeing real paintings in museums in Amsterdam to going to museums in Paris to exposure to the Soviet Union and the Berlin Wall, it was just fantastic for six months. None of that would have happened if I hadn’t had the Junior Year Abroad experience. My point is that I wouldn’t have been over there dealing with any of that – seen Europe, gone to classes there, or been exposed to the travel during the summertime – if I had not been on the IES Abroad program.

IES Abroad: How did you change the most during your time in London?

MS: I don’t know if I “changed,” but I think it was the exposure to all these different cultures, history, and different people that helped me grow the most while studying abroad. I didn’t have a “Saul on the Road to Damascus” experience. I just think it is exposure to different political systems. It’s exposure to different people, different lifestyles, and I think it is all part of the maturation process. It was a fascinating real life experience.

IES Abroad: Were there any lessons learned abroad that have remained a constant throughout your life?

MS: I think there are different ways of learning. When you are exposed to different people, different ideas, different experiences, you grow as an individual. You can study all you want through a book, but if you live it in a setting that is different than the college or university campus that you are used to, for four or six months or a year, that’s going to profoundly alter your education and really enhance it. And that’s what the study abroad experience was for me. I think if you are weighing whether to stay an extra semester at your university or go travel to Europe or Central or South America or Asia, the case was strong not only in 1985 when I went, but even stronger today, because the world is flatter and the world is smaller than it was when I was in college. So, am I encouraging our daughter to go when she is in her junior year? Yes. Hugely.

IES Abroad: You have dedicated your life’s work to advocating for children and the right of every child in the U.S. to have a ‘safe and vibrant childhood,’ including access to high-quality, early childhood education and to end preventable deaths of moms and kids around the world. What has compelled you to fight for children’s rights?

MS: I think it was my experience in college working in an Upward Bound program. My brother ran an Upward Bound program for kids in the Hartford and New Haven Connecticut Public Schools System, and I worked there two summers tutoring inner-city kids who were struggling in school. They were very bright, yet for one reason or another were struggling. I enjoyed that work immensely, and when I got out of college, I had a friend who worked with kids who had been arrested, juvenile delinquents, and it just seemed like there was huge opportunity to help kids and essentially start something new that could succeed. That is why I started a program called The Choice Program, and that has really taken off. That is where I have spent most of my career. We are trying to help children, and we are trying to mobilize people and resources around that issue, trying to get people to work together to make a difference in kids’ lives. It’s exciting. It’s rewarding. It makes a big difference in other people’s lives, so it is a pretty good job.

IES Abroad: What is your vision as President of Save the Children’s Action Network?

MS: There isn’t a really strong voice for kids in America. There is no NRA for kids. The AARP is for adults. There is the NRA, which is for hand-gun control or lack thereof. The question is: what organization is that strong voice for children that makes a difference in the political arena, and there isn’t one. So we are trying to be that voice to mobilize people to care about children and their needs and to put some pressure and accountability on elected officials so that they will do well by our kids.

IES Abroad: You are finalizing a new book on Pope Francis, Pilgrimage: My Search for the Real Pope Francis. Can you give us an update or tell us how the project is going?

MS: It is coming out the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (2016). It has been an incredible journey. I got to talk to dozens of Pope Francis’ colleagues and friends trying to figure out who he is, to get a better understanding of who the man is and how he thinks and acts. He is a fascinating individual who really does walk the walk. He is very humble, he is very dedicated, and he is incredibly committed to not only the concept of mercy and love but of service to others. There is this Catholic ideal of being a man or a woman for and with others, and he is definitely a man for and with others. He listens to poor people. He doesn’t just serve, but he listens and tries to learn from everybody that he meets. He is a real role model.

IES Abroad: Looking back over your career and your life in public service, what are you most proud of?

MS: I am most proud of being married for 25 years and having three kids who are thoughtful and who help others. They do a lot of community service work and they work hard and they give back. When all is said and done, that is the most important thing. You can have buildings named after yourself, but if your kids don’t like you or talk to you, you’re not doing too well. It doesn’t really add up to much. That is what I am most proud of. The kids are doing great work. And I work with a lot of fantastic people every day who are trying to make the world a little bit better, so I’m proud of that, too.  

IES Abroad: What words of wisdom do you have for future generations – today’s children and young adults – regarding the importance of gaining an international experience, regardless of financial means?

MS: I made the decision to enroll at IES Abroad on short notice, and I’m so glad I did it. I’m definitely encouraging our children to study abroad. My wife studied abroad her junior year in France. She learned a language. She understands that culture better than anyone I know. I think having a better understanding of the world is so much more important than it was when I was in college in the mid-80s. So, if a kid has an opportunity to study in a country that they are interested in, and they can travel from that country or stay within that country, or travel around that continent that they are on, that’s a tremendous opportunity. It just breaks down walls of misunderstandings and prejudice. If you think the culture is not that sophisticated or not that thoughtful, and you meet people who are thoughtful and sophisticated and you understand the issues that they are dealing with and the problems they are facing, the solutions they are trying to implement – that is always going to help you in life. It is going to broaden your horizons, and it is going to make you a better leader, a better employee, a better mom or dad. I think it’s great.