Timothy Shriver

Infobox_Person


image_size = 150px
name = Timothy Perry Shriver
caption =
birth_date = birth date and age|1959|8|29
birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts
occupation = chairman of Special Olympics
predecessor =
successor =
residence = Chevy Chase, MD
spouse = Linda Potter
children = Sophia Rose Shriver; Timothy Potter Shriver; Samuel Kennedy Potter Shriver; Kathleen Potter Shriver; and Caroline Potter Shriver
parents = Sargent Shriver and Eunice Kennedy Shriver
education = B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
alma_mater = St. Albans School
Yale University
The Catholic University of America
University of Connecticut

Timothy Perry Shriver (born August 29, 1959 in Boston, Massachusetts [ [http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/religionfromtheheart/2008/03/opening_day_op.html Time Begins Again on Opening Day] ] ) is chairman of the Special Olympics. [ [http://community.travelchinaguide.com/forum2.asp?pp=&i=39786&page=1 Inspiring Theme Song - Sports - China Travel Community ] ]

Early life

Timothy Shriver was born to Sargent Shriver, a former United States Ambassador to France and the Democratic Party's vice-presidential candidate in 1972, and Eunice Mary Kennedy, the founder of the Special Olympics movement in 1968. He was raised as a Catholic [ [http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/religionfromtheheart/2008/04/proud_to_be_catholic.html Proud to Be a Catholic] ] along with his siblings, Bobby Shriver, Maria Shriver, Mark Shriver, and Anthony Shriver. He is a member of Kennedy Family thru his mother.

Shriver graduated from St. Albans School. [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A06E2D8163BF93BA35751C1A963948260 |title=Linda Potter To Wed Timothy Shriver - New York Times |date=1985-12-08 |accessdate=2008-06-26 |publisher=New York Times] He received his bachelor's degree from Yale University, his master's degree in Religion and Religious Education from The Catholic University of America in 1988, [ [http://alumni.cua.edu/Recognition/NotableAlumni.cfm The Catholic University of America Office of Alumni Relations ] ] and his Ph.D. in education from the University of Connecticut.

Career

He served as a high school teacher in the New Haven, Connecticut public school system, and as a counselor and teacher in the University of Connecticut branch of the Upward Bound program for disadvantaged youth. He became a Fellow at the School Development Program at the Yale Child Study Center.

He was instrumental in establishing the Social Development Project at the public schools in New Haven, Connecticut and also established the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

He was the executive producer on "The Ringer", a co-producer on "Amistad" and the Disney movie "The Loretta Claiborne Story", and has served as a producer or co-producer on shows for the American Broadcasting Company, the National Broadcasting Corporation, and the TNT cable channel. He is currently a board member of Malaria No More, a New York-based nonprofit that was launched at the 2006 White House Summit with the goal of ending all deaths caused by malaria.

He is currently the Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics.

Ban of the 'R word

As chairman of the Special Olympics, Timothy Shriver has tirelessly campaigned against mocking of and discrimination against participants in the Special Olympics. Shriver and supporters called for a boycott of the movie Tropic Thunder, claiming that it mocks people with mentally disabilities. The movie is written, produced by and starring Ben Stiller. As quoted in Time Magazine - Timothy Shriver: "This population, ie., Mentally Disabled struggles too much with the basics to have to struggle against Hollywood." TIME MAGAZINE, in 'Back & Forth' column - August 25th, 2008. Following this quote, Article goes on to say that: Timothy Shriver, Special Olympics chairman, calling for an immediate boycott of the movie Tropic Thunder for its insensitive and cruel mocking portrayal of the mentally disabled. Time,August 25th, 2008 edition. Disability rights activists are attempting to prevent such mockery.

Shriver campaigns against what he terms "the R word," meaning "retarded". He attempts and has had many successes in bringing people to realize that the word "retard" is very offensive and people with intellectual disabilities should be respected and treated just as any other people.

Personal life

Shriver married Linda Potter (b. January 13, 1956) [ [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/kennedys/sfeature/sf_tree_text.html American Experience | The Kennedys | Kennedy Family Tree | PBS ] ] on 31 May 1986. They currently reside in Chevy Chase, MD with their five children: Sophia Rose Shriver (born June 14, 1987); Timothy Potter Shriver (born December 10, 1988); Samuel Kennedy Potter Shriver (born July 13, 1992); Kathleen Potter Shriver (born March 9, 1994), and Caroline Potter Shriver (born July 18 1997).

Awards and honors

* honorary degree from Albertus Magnus College
* the Medal of the City of Athens, Greece
* 1995 Connecticut Citizen of the Year.
* honorary degree from Loyola University
* honorary degree from New England College
* the Order de Manuel Amador Guerrera of the Republic of Panama

Board membership

* American Association on Mental Retardation
* Board of the Education Commission of the States’ Compact for Learning and Citizenship
* the Edison Schools Incorporated
* the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

References

External links

* [http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/religionfromtheheart/ Religion from the Heart: Re-thinking, Re-feeling and Reviving Faith By: Timothy Shriver]
*imdb name|id=0795420
* [http://www.specialolympics.org/Special+Olympics+Public+Website/English/About_Us/Leaders/Timothy+Shriver.htm Full Biography from the Special Olympics Website]
* [http://www.casel.org/home/index.php The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning]
* [http://www.malarianomore.org Malaria No More]