UNLV graduate student Barbara "Bobbi" Youngblood recently was awarded a prestigious national fellowship that will help pay for her graduate education and will send her to Georgetown University for a summer institute on the American Constitution.
Youngblood was chosen as one of this year's recipients of the James Madison Fellowships awarded by the James Madison Foundation. The fellowships carry with them cash awards that can total as much as $12,000.
The awards are made to students who demonstrate a commitment to civic responsibility and professional or college activities and who are committed to teaching American history, American government, or social studies in either junior or senior high schools.
Youngblood, who previously has worked for the administration of President Ronald Reagan and for former Texas-Gov. Bill Clements, plans to complete work on her master's degree in political science this summer. During the summer of 2001 she will attend the four-week summer institute at Georgetown.
"I feel very honored," Youngblood said. "The most exciting part for me is attending Georgetown University and getting a whole new perspective on the U.S. Constitution and how to better teach students about it."
The master's degree will be Youngblood's second degree from UNLV; she earned a bachelor's degree in political science in 1999 and was a member of the university's Honors College.
Youngblood, 48, also is the mother of two UNLV graduates, son Justin, who earned a bachelor's degree in business administration, and daughter Noelle, who earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education and who this summer is completing work on a master's degree in theatre. Both Justin and Noelle, who received their bachelor's degrees before their mother received hers, also were members of UNLV's Honors College.
Youngblood, who has served as both a political consultant and a business consultant, worked for the Reagan administration in Texas, recommending people from that state for presidential appointments. For Clements, she headed the Texas Crimestoppers program, which she compared to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's Secret Witness program.
She plans to teach American history at a junior or senior high school and eventually move into school administration.
