Mary Jean Eisenhower was born in Washington, D.C. during her grandfather Dwight D. Eisenhower’s first term in office as President of the United States. She was christened in the Blue Room of the White House and grew up in nearby Gettysburg, PA, in a home with property abutting the Eisenhower Farm, where President Eisenhower eventually retired.
She attended several schools in Pennsylvania until her father, John, was named as US Ambassador to Belgium. She lived in Brussels with her family from shortly after her grandfather’s death in 1969 through 1972.
Mary Eisenhower is Chairman Emeritus of People to People International, which was founded September 11, 1956 by her grandfather. Mary says that she joined PTPI hoping to carry on her grandfather’s dream, but that now it has become a dream of her own. President Eisenhower founded PTPI with the financial backing of his friend Joyce Hall, founder of Hallmark Cards, who insisted it be headquartered in Kansas City.
Mary Eisenhower established the PTPI Friendship Fund in 1999 following an inspirational visit to an orphanage in Morocco. The fund is designed as a way for people to help the friends and facilities they visit throughout the world and to help the PTPI Chapter network assist each other.
To date, the fund has provided assistance to causes such as the Global Humanitarian Eradication of Landmines; Children’s Mercy Hospital in London, England; earthquake relief in India; disaster relief to victims of September 11, 2001 and their families; support of schools for the underprivileged in China and Sri Lanka; a home for leukemia victims and their families in Cuba; Operation International Children; New Horizons (a library project in Viet Nam); The Survivors of Rwanda; Japan Tsunami Relief; Haiti, and Friends of Egypt, among others. One-hundred percent of all funds received through the organization go to the efforts and projects as specified by the donors.
Following September 11, 2001, Mary’s focus intensified toward getting young people from around the world together to learn about each other and conflict management. Her vision resulted in “Peace Camp 2003: An Evolution of Thought and Action” and “The Global Peace Initiative.” Both efforts have brought people from diverse areas, more than 30 nationalities, together in Egypt, Jordan and Turkey, to discuss issues and reach a better understanding of their unique and individual cultures. The program remains active today.
Highlighted awards of Mary’s are: the Knight of Peace Award from the International University in Assisi, Italy; the Medal of Honor from the Slovak Republic; The Consular Corps Award of Excellence; The Harry S. Truman Award for Public Service; Friendship Ambassador from The Peoples’ Republic of China, among others. Eisenhower has received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Schiller International University, Park University and William Jewell College.
Mary is currently continuing her humanitarian work through, Outreach International, a humanitarian organization dedicated to alleviating poverty throughout the world.
For more information, please visit www.mjeisenhower.com.
Affiliations:
People to People Ambassador Programs
Spokane, Washington
Humanitarian Ambassador
Member, Advisory Board
The Eisenhower Foundation
Abilene, Kansas
Corporate Secretary
Member of the Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Selection Committee: Museum Design
Snowball Express (Families of the Fallen)
Dallas, Texas
Member, Advisory Board
People to People International
Chairman Emeritus
Member, Board of Directors
Member, Board of Trustees
Sister Cities International
Washington, D. C.
Member, Advisory Board
Rocky Top Ranch (Equestrian Therapy)
Keller, Texas
Member, Advisory Board
Boy Scouts of America
Washington, D.C.
Member, Advisory Board
