George C. Marshall International Center

06/23/2026

From Lexington to Leesburg, General George C. Marshall’s legacy continues to inspire leaders committed to service, integrity and purpose.

We are honored to be featured by VMI Alumni Association in a new article highlighting the connection between Marshall’s experience at Virginia Military Institute and the work of the George C. Marshall International Center today.

At historic Dodona Manor, Marshall’s home from 1941–1959, we preserve the legacy of the 20th century’s greatest soldier-statesman while advancing his values through the George C. Marshall Ethical Leadership Conference. Grounded in Marshall’s principles of selfless service, unwavering integrity and visionary leadership, the program helps high school students develop the character and judgment needed to lead in a complex world.

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, Marshall’s example remains as relevant as ever. We are grateful to VMI Alumni Agencies for sharing this story and helping introduce new audiences to Marshall’s enduring impact.

Read the full article here: https://www.vmialumni.org/from-lexington-to-leesburg-sharing-marshalls-enduring-legacy

As VMI cadets go about their daily routines, they walk in the footsteps of one of the most consequential Americans of the 20th century. Gen. George Catlett Marshall, Class of 1901— soldier, statesman, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate—remains one of VMI’s most distinguished alumni, a leader whose...

06/16/2026

We have our donation bin ready at Dodona Manor in Leesburg. Thanks to our member Cheryl T. for bringing the first donation!

We are very proud to announce the launch of the "Breadbasket of the Revolution" Food Drive a community-wide effort benefiting Loudoun Hunger Relief. We have set an ambitious goal of collecting 1,776 lbs of food, a tribute to the year America declared its independence!

The food drive honors Loudoun County’s historic role in supporting the American Revolution while helping meet a critical need in the community today.

Donations will be accepted at six historic sites throughout Loudoun County: the Loudoun Museum, Heritage Farm Museum, Waterford Foundation Inc., Oatlands-National Trust Site, George C. Marshall International Center, and Morven Park.

06/16/2026

Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 George C. Marshall Award in Diplomacy, presented in partnership with Virginia History Day!

This annual award recognizes outstanding student projects that demonstrate how diplomacy can advance national interests while reflecting the values of selfless service and integrity championed by General George C. Marshall.

🏆 Senior Division: Joshua Sprafkin
Project: "Marquis de Lafayette: The Key to Liberty in 2 Worlds"
🏆 Junior Division: Kellen Ward
Project: "Seeds of Change: The Green Revolution and the Global Fight Against Famine"

We commend both students for their thoughtful research and exploration of how significant moments in the past provide insights that help us navigate the present.
Special thanks to the Virginia Museum of History & Culture for organizing another outstanding Virginia History Day and for inspiring students to engage with the people, ideas and events that shaped our world.

06/12/2026

Join us Thursday, June 18 at noon on Zoom for a discussion of nuclear threats with national security analyst Joseph Cirincione.

This timely Foreign Policy Forum will explore how weakened arms control agreements, emerging technologies and authoritarian leadership are reshaping the nuclear age.

Cirincione will discuss why current U.S. strategies may be ill-equipped for today’s global realities and what the future may hold for international security.

Event Details:

📅 Thursday, June 18, 2026
🕛 Noon–1:00 PM
💻 Zoom

Learn more and register:

NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN THE AGE OF AUTHORITARIANISM Once again, nuclear threats are on the rise. The last remaining treaty limiting U.S. and Russian nuclear arms ended early this year, with no replacement in sight. According to national security analyst Joseph Cirincione, that may be the least of our

06/10/2026

First harvest of the season! 🌱

Our dedicated volunteer garden team recently harvested the first vegetables from General Marshall’s garden after weeks of hard work this spring. Their efforts will continue through September as the garden continues to grow.

The first harvest — eight beautiful heads of broccoli — was donated to Loudoun Hunger Relief, with many more donations to come throughout the season.

Proof that broccoli can, in fact, bring people together. 🥦

Interested in getting involved? Explore volunteer opportunities at the Marshall Center: georgecmarshall.org/volunteer

06/08/2026

The Spring 2026 edition of Dodona Dispatch has arrived!

Our latest issue highlights:
• The Marshall Center’s successful 2026 Gala
• The launch of the new Loudoun Heritage Pass
• A fascinating 1920 letter from General George C. Marshall offering leadership advice to a fellow officer

Readers will also find updates from Dodona Manor, upcoming programs and stories connecting Marshall’s legacy to today.
📖 Read or download the latest edition online: https://shorturl.at/fhiDm

Twice each year, the Marshall Center prints and mails Dodona Dispatch free of charge. To receive future editions by mail, send your mailing address to [email protected]

06/05/2026

Thank you so much for supporting us with this grant!

We are honored to have received the 2026 Bessie Bocock Carter Conservation Award from The Garden Club of Virginia for our Native Pollinator Gateway Garden at Dodona Manor! Thank you GCV for this great honor.

The award makes possible implementation of specific, tangible projects that directly benefit natural resource conservation or environmental protection within the Commonwealth. Award recipients’ contribution to the project must be directly evident and measurable, and each project would inspire others to outstanding accomplishments on behalf of Virginia’s natural resources.

George C. Marshall International Center

06/05/2026

“Our policy is directed not against any country or doctrine, but against hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos.”

— George C. Marshall (Harvard University, June 5, 1947)

On this date, U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall delivered the Harvard speech that would introduce an idea that became the Marshall Plan. His words that day – plainspoken and spare – would help reshape the postwar world.

Rather than seek revenge or political advantage after World War II, Marshall proposed something extraordinary: helping rebuild devastated nations — especially our former enemies — to launch a period of stability, opportunity and peace.

Marshall understood that true leadership requires looking beyond immediate conflict toward long-term human cooperation and mutual benefit.

“It is logical that the United States should do whatever it is able to do to assist in the return of normal economic health in the world, without which there can be no political stability and no assured peace.”

The speech laid the foundation for one of the most significant humanitarian and strategic initiatives in modern history – the European Recovery Plan. Nearly 80 years later, his words still provide a powerful reminder that ethical leadership demands vision, steadiness and the courage to invest in a better future.

06/03/2026

What did leadership look like in the daily life of General George C. Marshall?

Join speaker Dr. Robert Holcomb as he guides us through one week in the life of General Marshall during the period of late March and early April in 1945.

The talk will highlight the incredible variety of challenges – from the globally strategic to the details that make armies run – that General Marshall contended with as Chief of Staff during the closing days of World War II, gleaned from his correspondence and speeches during one seven-day period.

📅 Wednesday, June 17
🕠 5:30–6:30 p.m.
📍 Dodona Manor | Leesburg, VA

Learn more and RSVP https://www.georgecmarshall.org/events/off-duty-june-17

Join author Robert Holcomb for a look at General Marshall’s life.