Dear Friends of ISD,
Since 2017, the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy and the Una Chapman Cox Foundation have been committed to sharing the journeys, challenges, and triumphs of America’s foreign policy professionals. Thanks to the continued and generous support of the Una Chapman Cox Foundation, ISD now has the opportunity to expand the reach of these stories through an updated website and a stronger social media presence. With this, we are proud to introduce the America’s Diplomats Speaker Series.
America’s Diplomats is designed to empower students to see themselves as the diplomats of tomorrow, and to reenergize those already in public service by highlighting the many ways their work matters. At a time when the need for a strong public service is more necessary than ever, America’s Diplomats offers an honest and compelling window into the lives of those who have shaped U.S. foreign policy across regions, decades, and administrations. These interviews are intimate and revealing. Each speaker shares their “origin story”—their path to public service—as well as the mentors, roles, and skills that helped them succeed in a demanding, but rewarding, line of work. America’s Diplomats is both timely and timeless — stories of perseverance, principle, and purpose that remind us how public servants continue striving to make the world more secure, more prosperous, and more just.
These video interviews focus on a broad range of extraordinary foreign policy professionals. Over the course of their careers, they have served with distinction, exemplified the highest personal and professional standards, and commitment to advancing the interests of the United States and of American values and principles — what America is and what it stands for — and often through the most difficult circumstances. The new website serves as a hub for these stories and the insights they offer.
We invite you to watch the premiere episode of America’s Diplomats, featuring Ambassador (ret.) Reuben Brigety, former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa. He shares powerful stories of how to follow your moral compass and provides advice for the next generation of diplomats. His video, linked below, is only the first of many. We plan to release new episodes monthly throughout the academic year to continue growing our content and reaching students as they consider their own future in public service.