Sargent Shriver
Robert Sargent Shriver is Chairman of the Board Emeritus for Special Olympics. As an international lawyer and administrator, ambassador and an advocate for the poor and powerless, he has compiled an unparalleled record of public service at every tier, from the local level to the world community. A graduate of Yale University and Yale Law School, Shriver served in the U.S. Navy for five years before ending his military career as lieutenant commander.
After ending his military career, Shriver worked briefly as an editorial assistant at Newsweek magazine before joining the staff of Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy as manager of the Chicago Merchandise Mart. Later, he participated in the formation of some of the programs developed and supported by the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation.
During his long and prestigious career, Shriver:
- Served as president of the Chicago Board of Education (1955-60)
- Worked as a political and organization coordinator in the Wisconsin and West Virginia primaries for Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy (1960)
- Served as the organizer and first Director of the Peace Corps, where he developed volunteer activities in more than 50 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America (1961-1966)
- Served as the first Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity under U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson (1964-68)
- Created VISTA, Head Start, Community Action, Foster Grandparents, Job Corps, Legal Services, Indian and Migrant Opportunities and Neighborhood Health Services (1964-1968)
- Served as Special Assistant to President Johnson (1965-1968)
- Served as U.S. Ambassador to France (1968-1970)
- Served as Chairman of Congressional Leadership for the Future, traveling to 29 U.S. states to gain support for 89 Democratic candidates for the House and Senate (1970)
- Named a Partner in the law firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver and Jacobson, specializing in international law and foreign affairs (1970)
- Nominated by the Democratic Party as a candidate for Vice President with Senator George McGovern (1972)
- Embarked on a nationwide Lecture tour "Co-Existence and Common Existence" of the USSR at the invitation of the Soviet government (1975)
- Inaugurated the Kennedy Institute of Ethics "Trialogue" to foster discussions between leaders of Christian, Jewish and Muslim Religions (1978)
- Appointed to the Rockefeller University Council, an organization devoted exclusively to research and graduate education in the biomedical and related sciences (1981)
- Elected President of Special Olympics (1984)
- Retired as Partner of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson; named of Counsel to FFHS&J (1986)
- Appointed Chairman of the Board of Special Olympics (1990)
- Stepped down as Chairman of Special Olympics and was appointed Chairman Emeritus in recognition of his long service and dedication to the Movement, which he continues to serve as an ambassador of optimism and good will (2003)
Shriver has received numerous awards, including: Veteran of the Year, 1956; James J. Hooey Award, Catholic Conference for Interracial Justice Council of New York, 1958; Lay Churchman of the Year, 1963; National Father of the Year, 1964; Notre Dame Patriotism Award, 1965; National Brotherhood Award, 1966; Hannah G. Solomon Award, National Council of Jewish Women, 1972; the Order of the Smile, 1989Franklin D. Roosevelt Freedom From Want Award, 1993; Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian honor, 1994; and the "Distinguished American Award" from the John F. Kennedy Library and Foundation for his inspiring work with the Peace Corps; Shriver Head Start Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, 2001.
Shriver also has received more than 24 honorary degrees from universities around the world, including Yale University, Brandeis University, Boston College, Yeshiva University, the University of Liberia and Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand.
Shriver was married to Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the founder of Special Olympics, who died Aug. 11, 2009. The Shrivers had five children: Robert Sargent Shriver III, Maria Owings Shriver Schwarzenegger, Timothy Perry Shriver, Mark Kennedy Shriver, and Anthony Paul Kennedy Shriver.