WEBSITES:  www.GregForbes.com  -- www.TheFirstThirty.com --  www.TheSilhouetteMan.com

BACKGROUND:   The First Thirty by Jillip Naysinthe Paxson (and expanded version, The Silhouette Man) is based on the true story of Jefferson Award for Public Service honoree Greg Forbes Siegman, his efforts to make a difference, the extent to which his student experience shaped those efforts, and the things to be learned from his setbacks and successes along the way.  This includes an extensive focus on his college experience -- from his childhood dream to live up to the name he was given and attend the Ivy Leagues (his stockbroker dad gave Greg the middle name 'Forbes' in deference to Princeton graduate and billionaire businessman Malcolm Forbes in the hope that the name would inspire his son to follow a similar path), to the community service-related experiences in college which helped him discover the passion he would pursue after college, to his subsequent efforts to turn the disappointment of being rejected from all of the Ivy Leagues into something positive for other college students (he started raising funds to help other students get to college).   The First Thirty and its companion workbook A Place To Sit are now used with, and by, students at colleges and universities around North America (as well as by organizations and companies and others).  Greg is invited to speak at events around North America on a regular basis.

FURTHER BACKGROUND:  From time to time, some people who haven't read the book or heard Greg speak wonder if the message of the story is somehow 'anti-Ivy Leagues' (since Greg was rejected from the Ivy Leagues).  In reality, that is not the message of the story at all.   In fact, one of the most positive characters in the entire story (Alex) is an Ivy Leaguer.  As evidence that the book is not 'anti-Ivy League'... in recent years, various clubs/organizations at three of the Ivy Leagues have asked Greg to speak on campus, one of the school's publications hired him to write an article, a Club at one of the Ivy Leagues brought him to campus and gave him a prestigious honor, one of the Ivy Leagues' school papers did a really positive cover story about him, and a host of Ivy League students, graduates and staff have sent in wonderful reviews of Greg's speeches and/or the book.  Suffice it to say, those things wouldn't be happening if the story was 'anti-Ivy League'.  In fact, the book (and the real-life story it is based on) share a message that is very positive toward Ivy Leagues (and all colleges, really). Simply put, the message of Greg's story as it relates to the college process is four-fold:

(a) If the Ivy Leagues (or any other school, for that matter) are a good fit -- if a student has researched a school and likes the majors that are available, the qualifications of the professors who teach there, the size of the classes, the teacher-student ratio, the extracurriculars that are offered, and so on -- then he or she should pursue that wonderful opportunity with a passion.
(b) If it is not a good fit -- and a student only desires to go to a particular school to please someone else or with the hope of impressing a future employer -- then they are doing themselves -- and the school -- a disservice. 
(c) If a student does get to go to the school of their dreams, they should view it as a true privilege and do everything they can to make the most of the opportunity, get as involved as possible on and off campus, and leave the school community better than they found it.
(d) If a student gets turned down from the school of their dreams, they should keep their head up because life does go on with many other wonderful academic opportunities worth their pursuit.

MEDIA & HONORS:
==  Greg was honored at Princeton University as one of America's top social entrepreneurs under 40
== Featured on the cover of the Daily Princetonian ("Nonprofit Founder Speaks on Success")
== Hired to write an article for Columbia Law School's alumni magazine
== Washington Post Co did a feature story on Greg and Steven Spielberg, their college experiences and how that shaped their future paths
==  College News, College Bound, Baltimore Sun, Education Week, National Public Radio, Newsweek Kaplan College Guide also among those who also did feature stories on Greg's college experience
== In 2002, Greg was one of a handful of "up and coming social entrepreneurs" flown to New York to have dinner at the Harvard Club with the leadership of Goldman Sachs and its Foundation

==  Other distinctions received include: Jefferson Award for Public Service, America's Daily Point of Light, Hasbro Real-Life American Hero, CBS Hometown Hero, Education Center Director's Award

EXAMPLE OF SPEECHES & THE BOOKS (NOTE: If it says 'invited', that may mean that Greg did not ultimately end up giving the speech (ie in the case of Columbia, he had a scheduling conflict and could not accept - but, all the same, the invitation that was extended is a reflection of the support this story has received)
== Princeton University Entrepreneurship Club used The First Thirty as part of a mentoring program
== Students at Tufts University & Northwestern University incorporated the book into their local mentoring programs as well

== Spoke at Princeton University - event sponsored by nine clubs and organizations on campus
== Invited to take part in lecture series on global leadership for Ivy League graduate students 
== Invited to speak to incoming freshman at Columbia University
== Keynoted Zeta Beta Tau's 2006 National Convention on Leadership & Philanthropy; students in attendance included undergraduates from Columbia and Cornell among others

== Spoke at colleges and universities like George Washington University, Boston College and University of Connecticut