Over 40 Prominent Hellenes Mentor Greek-American Students

WASHINGTON, DC, August 2, 2023 – Some of the most prominent current and former U.S. government officials, business leaders and other influential opinion leaders of Greek origin met with Greek-American students from across the country as part of the 8th Annual NHS Heritage America program from July 26-29.

This annual program is hosted by the National Hellenic Society and Manatos & Manatos. This year’s program featured a hybrid format of meetings in person and via Zoom.

These esteemed speakers shared their family immigration experiences from Greece and how Hellenic and Orthodox principles and ideals, such as hard work, faith, family, moderation, empathy and love, helped them achieve success.

As a result of this program, now in its eighth year, these students better understand and appreciate the amalgam of Greek and American culture and heritage produces far more success than either culture or heritage alone.

Early on, Greek immigrants ranked last among American nationalities in education and income. Yet their children, in just one generation, climbed to the top of both rankings in the country that led the world in these two categories.

Mentors in the 2023 Heritage America Program included:

Business Leaders

Government

  • Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and former White House Chief of Staff, John Podesta
  • White House Associate Communications Director, Maria Michalos
  • Second-longest Serving CIA Director, George Tenet
  • Former White House Chief of Staff, Reince Priebus
  • Former Deputy Counsel to the Vice President, Eleni Roumel

Greek Orthodox Church, Greece, Cyprus and NHS Leadership

  • Greek Orthodox Archbishop of America, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros
  • Embassy of Greece Deputy Chargé d’affaires, Amb. Theodoros Bizakis
  • Embassy of Cyprus Deputy Chief of Mission, Maria Savvidou-Panayiotou
  • Embassy of Greece Air Attaché Col. Ioannis Markakis

Media

To see more photos from this year’s program, please click here.

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