6/22/2010
Pat Basu, an Illinois alumnus (2000, Mechanical Engineering) from Naperville, Illinois, is one of 13 outstanding men and women appointed to serve as White House Fellows. The White House Fellows Program was created in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson to give promising American leaders "first hand, high-level experience with the workings of the Federal government, and to increase their sense of participation in national affairs."
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Pat Basu, an Illinois alumnus (2000, Mechanical Engineering) from Naperville, Illinois, is one of 13 outstanding men and women appointed to serve as White House Fellows. The White House Fellows Program was created in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson to give promising American leaders "first hand, high-level experience with the workings of the Federal government, and to increase their sense of participation in national affairs."
"This year's White House Fellows are comprised of some of the best and brightest leaders in our country," said First Lady Michelle Obama. "I applaud their unyielding commitment to public service and dedication to serving their community."
The White House Fellows come from diverse backgrounds, varied professions and all of the 2010-2011 Fellows have shown a strong commitment to public service and leadership. A radiologist at Stanford University and the Palo Alto, California, Basu is course director of health policy, finance, and economics, and lectures nationally and internationally on these areas of expertise. He was named the Consultant Physician of the Year at Stanford in 2009, where he served as Chief Resident Physician in 2008. He received the AMA's National Excellence in Medicine Award for Leadership in 2007.
Basu co-founded ExtendMD, a web portal designed to enhance outpatient care. He serves as a business consultant to medical centers, Fortune 500 companies and venture capital firms. He founded STARS Luncheon, a non-profit designed to support lower socioeconomic children for future college and career success. Basu graduated with Honors from the University of Chicago, earning his MD and MBA degrees. In Chicago, he served in the highest leadership roles on the Dean's Council in medical school, as president of his business school cohort, and led the Adolescent Substance Abuse Program. He attended the University of Illinois on a National Merit Scholarship where he graduated with honors in mechanical engineering and served on the University Senate. He also served on admissions committees at the University of Chicago and Stanford University.
White House Fellows serve a unique position in our nation's government that encourages active citizenship and service to the nation. The Fellows also take part in an education program designed to broaden their knowledge of leadership, policy formulation, military operations, and current affairs. Community service is another important component of the program, and Fellows participate in service projects throughout the year in the Washington, D.C. area.
Selection as a White House Fellow is highly competitive and based on a record of remarkable early career professional achievement, evidence of leadership potential, a proven commitment to public service, and the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute successfully at the highest levels of the Federal government. Throughout its history, the program has fostered leaders in many fields including leaders in government, business, media, medicine, diplomacy and the military.
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Additional information about the White House Fellows program is available at www.whitehouse.gov/fellows.
If you have any questions about the College of Engineering, or other story ideas, contact Rick Kubetz, Engineering Communications Office, 217/244-7716, editor.