John F. Kennedy inspired generations of Americans toward a life of service starting with a few impromptu lines not many…
Eye on the World: A Life in International Service
“One of the most respected and versatile diplomats of his generation, four-time ambassador Anthony Quainton provides a detailed and colorful…
American People’s Foreign Policy: USAID’s Role in Apartheid South Africa
In 1986 Congress overrode a presidential veto on major foreign policy. During the 1980s, the American public increasingly resented the…
Education Programs in Romania: The Service of Public Diplomacy
A primary purpose of public diplomacy is to promote the interests of the United States. Public diplomacy officers on the…
“Coincidence is God Acting Anonymously!”—Faith in Service
Life can sometimes be unpredictable in the Foreign Service. Serving as a development officer may perhaps be even more unpredictable,…
Phoenix from the Ashes—Reform Efforts on the Foreign Assistance Act
In a world as technologically advanced and reliant as ours, one would expect adaptation to be a staple component of…
Some Like it Hot — U.S. Diplomats Negotiate Spicy Foreign Foods
The chemical compound capsaicin is responsible for the spice and heat in spicy dishes. While particular plants, peppers, and vegetables…
Duty and Danger: An American Diplomat’s Service in Iraq on the Eve of 1991 Gulf War
American diplomat Stephen Thibeault watched as an airplane departed Iraq in 1990, carrying Rev. Jesse Jackson and American hostages liberated…
Strobe Talbott: From Foreign Affairs Journalist to Number Two at the Department of State
What is it like to transition from the senior ranks of American journalism to a top job in an agency…
Lessons Learned: USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and the 1985 Mexico City Earthquake
USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is perhaps the world’s premier international disaster assistance agency. It was not always…