Robert J. Dole*

The second of four children, Bob Dole was born in Russell, Kansas, in 1923. His grandparents were tenant farmers, and his father ran a cream and egg business. Dole's mother also sold sewing machines and gave sewing lessons. Young Dole mowed lawns and did other odd jobs to help pay for school, books, and clothing, and by age 12, he was serving sodas at the local drugstore. When the Great Depression caused the family even more financial stress, they moved into the basement and rented the rest of the house. Dole greatly admired his parents, who taught him the traditional values of faith, hard work, and determination. "My father missed only one day of work in 40 years," he said. "My mother was a source of inspiration; sacrificing her comfort for others was a lifelong habit."

While working in the drug store after school and on weekends, Dole met many doctors and decided he would pursue medicine as his profession. In high school, he demonstrated his leadership skills and excelled in sports and academics. He was a star basketball player and a member of National Honor Society.

With the entire family working to help pay his tuition, Dole attended the University of Kansas as a pre-med student. Halfway through his sophomore year, however, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a platoon leader during World War II. In 1945, he was wounded in Italy. He spent the next 39 months fighting past the paralysis of his injuries, the loss of a kidney, and the two bouts of deadly infections. When he was honorably discharged, he had reached the rank of captain.

The lasting effects of Dole's injury prevented him from pursuing a medical career. Yet he was not dissuaded. Using the GI bill, Dole enrolled in the University of Arizona and then attended law school at Washburn University in Topeka. A librarian there encouraged him to consider a career in public service. While still a law school student, he ran for the Kansas state legislature; to his surprise, he won. Two years later, he became a county prosecutor. After eight years in that position, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served four terms. In 1968, Dole was elected to the Senate.

Dole's political career includes chairing the Republican National Committee during the Nixon administration, campaigning as Gerald Ford's vice presidential running mate in 1976, and being elected by his Senate colleagues twice as majority leader (1985-87 and 1995-96), making him the longest-serving Republican leader in history.

In 1996, Dole was the GOP nominee for president against Bill Clinton. He then became special counsel to a Washington, D.C., law firm. His projects include serving as chairman of the National World War II Memorial, which was completed and dedicated in 2004; serving as chairman of the International Commission on Missing Persons; and co-chairing with former President Clinton a foundation to assist the spouses and children of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack. He also supported the work of the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at his alma mater, the University of Kansas. His books include Great Political Wit, Great Presidential Wits, and One Soldier's Story, his World War II memoirs.

Proud of his Horatio Alger Award, Dole said, "My generation is the keeper of the American dream. It's our responsibility to provide the kind of leadership needed to guarantee that the dream not only survives but also thrives in the 21st century."