A Good Man

An Interview with Mark K. Shriver

May 25, 2012

Mark Shriver is senior vice president of U.S. Programs at Save the Children, and a former Maryland state legislator. He is the son of the late Sargent Shriver—lifelong activist and first director of the Peace Corps—and has authored a soon-to-be-released book on his father’s legacy, entitled ~1@BODYURL[id=114kcurl690]@ NCoC Executive Director David B. Smith recently caught up with him about the book, and asked a few questions about his father and his family’s commitment to public and civic service.

Read on to hear what Mark had to say. In the comments section below, leave a memory or story about your own personal civic hero, and NCoC will send you a complimentary copy of “A Good Man,” courtesy of the Shriver family and Henry Holt books. Just be sure to enter your e-mail address so we can contact you to arrange shipment. To listen to an audio reading of the book by Mark Shriver, ~1@BODYURL[id=114kcurl710]@

David B. Smith: Your father’s career in public service is inspiring. He was the first leader of the Peace Corps for President Kennedy, and ran the “War on Poverty” during Lyndon Johnson’s Administration. He inspired, directed, or founded numerous social programs and organizations, including Head Start, Job Corps, Special Olympics, and the National Center on Poverty Law. The list goes on. If we asked him what he felt his greatest professional achievement was, what would he tell us?

Mark Shriver: I think he would laugh and say, “I can’t choose one program over another because each, in its own way, is making a profound difference for people.” He would have been correct – – the Peace Corps is giving Americans a chance to serve abroad and learn about different people and cultures, while also showing the world an America that has humility and grace. Head Start is helping poor children succeed in school and in life, while Legal Services is providing the poor with legal aid and changing the legal system itself. Special Olympics is changing the world for people with developmental disabilities and those athletes are making us all look at the world differently as well. The list goes on – – Job Corps, Foster Grandparents, VISTA, the National Center on Poverty Law, etc. He was most fulfilled when he was creating and taking part of initiatives that serve the powerless.

DBS: Switching gears a bit, if you could tell people only one thing about him and his life—personal or professional—what would you want them to know?

MS: For all the acclaim he received for being a visionary, groundbreaking public servant, he was an even better dad. I always felt that he was there for me – – nothing was more important than the Lucky 7. That was the name he gave our family: my four siblings, my mom, himself, and me. He always told us how God had blessed us all – – there was nothing more important to him than our family.

DBS: When combating social issues like poverty and discrimination, people tend to gravitate toward bold words and characteristics like “courage,” “justice,” “power,” and “equality.” Your father fought for these things, but in the book, you chose to focus on the principles of faith, hope, and love. Why did you choose these, and what does that says about both the values that service represents the specific words we choose to talk about it?

MS: After he died, countless people asked me how Dad was happily married for 56 years to the woman of his dreams, had five kids who loved him, a successful career in business and in government, countless friends, and a deep relationship with God. I dug deep to try to figure out what made him tick and I realized that everything he did and said emanated from his faith in a just and loving God. His faith demanded hopefulness and love, and I truly believe that he saw his work as efforts to spread love. I know it sounds corny but the Peace Corps, Special Olympics, Legal Services – – and his role as a father – – all of it was a way to spread love. I particularly enjoyed this quote of his from a speech he gave in 1968 at Wilberforce University: “Without love, which really is respect for your fellow man, there can be no faith in ourselves, or in others. Without faith, there can be no hope; without hope, there’s no future…”

For Dad, these three principles meant that God was everywhere and in everybody – – that’s why his work was inclusive, not exclusive. He saw God in everybody and everything. He went to a Catholic church for Mass everyday but he worked with anybody and everybody who wanted to make the world a better place.

DBS: What did you learn from your father about balancing the pressures and priorities of high-profile public service and being a dad?

MS: Dad worked incredibly hard – – I don’t remember him ever taking a day off for being sick or tired – – and yes, he traveled a lot and had high-profile jobs, but his number one priority was being a dad. Did he attend every athletic event, every school event? Absolutely not, but I always felt supported and loved even if he wasn’t there for a particular event.

He also wrote me a letter almost every day of my life – – some short, some long. When I lived at home, he would slip a note under my bedroom door in the middle of the night so it would be the first thing I saw in the morning.. Some would include a newspaper article; others might concern the dinner conversation the night before. He always took time to reach out to his kids. In writing “A Good Man,” I came across a note that Dad left for me under my door on the day I graduated from high school. He didn’t write to tell me that America was the land of opportunity and if I worked hard, all of my dreams would come true. Instead, he wrote “Always remember, numero uno, that you are a unique, infinitely valuable person—your Mother and I love you—so do your brothers & sisters & friends—But all our love & interest put together cannot compare with the passionate interest & love God himself showers on you. You are His! He wants you! And he will make you the perfect Man you want to be. Love, Dad”

When you see a person with such boundless energy and commitment to helping others, it inspires you; at the same time, I felt his love and support in his actions and written words and knew, just knew, that fatherhood was the most important thing in his life.

DBS: Your father did great things, but you and your siblings have gone on to do amazing things in your own rite. What is the single most important thing you think parents can do to make “service start at home” and instill a culture and ethos of compassion in children?

MS: The single most important thing that parents can do to make service start at home, I think, is to model the behavior they want to see in their own kids, starting with unconditional, nonjudgmental love. That is the best foundation parents can give their kids – – when kids feel that love, they will want to emulate their parents’ message of helping others. When they see their parents volunteering at the church, temple, or synagogue, working at a soup kitchen, cleaning up the environment, or doing whatever it is to help, they will realize that they, too, should be doing those types of things. But it’s all built on a foundation of unconditional love.

DBS: What about looking beyond parents? Do you think our education systems and workplaces have a responsibility to create public servants and better citizens? If so, how do you think they should do so?

MS: I think that parents are a kid’s first and best teacher. They have the most responsibility to mold their kids into good citizens, but I also believe that other civic institutions in America have a responsibility to help in that process, too. I don’t mean that our schools need to push everyone to work for a nonprofit or become a public servant, but I think community service work as a requirement for high school graduation is a good idea. Civics courses that take kids outside of the classroom to see and feel and smell their larger community – – to open their eyes to life beyond their neighborhood and their school – – can broaden a kid’s horizon. For-profit businesses have to make money – – I get that –but that doesn’t mean that the bottom line has to come at the expense of giving back. I’ve seen great companies help raise money for nonprofits and give their employees time off to help causes. The CEOs tell me time and again that when they take these steps, employee morale increases, customer loyalty increases, and so too does the company’s bottom line. It’s a win-win situation.
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In the comments section below, leave a memory or story about your own personal civic hero, and NCoC will send you a complimentary copy of “A Good Man,” courtesy of the Shriver family and Henry Holt books. Just be sure to enter your email address so we can contact you to arrange shipment. If you prefer to contact us, email info@NCoC.net.