Timeline

The first century of the Walsh School of Foreign Service grew the School in size and scope. SFS alumni have been impacting the world of diplomacy, commerce, international development, security, and more.

2019
- February 2019
  
  The Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) is established.
2017
- March 29th, 2017
  
  Izumi Nakamitsu (MSFS’89) is named Under Secretary General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs at the United Nations.
- February 16, 2017
  
  Mick Mulvaney (SFS’89) becomes Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
2015
- 2015
  
  Global Business major launches for undergraduates.
2014
- 2014
  
  Mark Simakovsky (MSFS‘05) is promoted to be the Chief of Staff for Europe/NATO in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy.
2013
- February 24th, 2013
  
  Mark Hetfield (SFS’88) named President and CEO of HIAS.
- February 5th, 2013
  
  Deborah McCarthy (MSFS‘79) becomes Ambassador to Lithuania.
2012
- 2012
  
  Sarah Margon (MSFS‘05) becomes director of the Washington office of Human Rights Watch.
- 2012
  
  Global Human Development Program founded.
2011
- December 19th, 2011
  
  The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security is launched by then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who continues to act as the Institute’s honorary founding chair.
- 2011
  
  Bailey Hand (MSFS‘03) becomes the Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta.
2010
- September 21st, 2010
  
  David Weiss (MSFS‘78) becomes president and CEO of Global Communities, a foundation of the Chamber of Commerce.
- July 1st, 2010
  
  Carol Lancaster (SFS’64) becomes the first female Dean of the SFS.
2009
- August 2009
  
  Philip Verveer (SFS’66) becomes Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Communications and Information Policy within the Department of State.
2007
- 2007
  
  Jorge Guajardo (SFS‘93) is appointed to be the Mexican Ambassador to China.
2005
- 2005
  
  Frank Lavin (SFS‘79) becomes the Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade.
- 2005
  
  Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar opens its doors in Education City, Qatar.
- 2005
  
  Dick Durbin (SFS‘66) becomes Senate Democratic Whip.
2003
- 2003
  
  Center for Jewish Civilization, originally the Program for Jewish Civilization, is established.
- 2003
  
  The Mortara Center for International Studies is founded.
2001
- 2001
  
  Darcy Olsen (SFS’93) becomes the CEO of the Goldwater Institute Public Policy Think Tank.
- 2001
  
  Victoria Espinel (SFS’89) becomes the first Chief U.S. Trade Negotiator for Intellectual Property and Innovation at USTR.
2000
- 2000
  
  Ruth Hansen (MSFS’70) becomes Director of the Policy Planning and Coordination Office.
- 2000
  
  Mark Medish (SFS’84) becomes Senior Director for Russian, Ukrainian and Eurasian Affairs on the National Security Council.
1998
- 1998
  
  The Institute for the Study of Migration is founded.
1997
- 1997
  
  Wang Yi, China’s current Foreign Minister, acts as visiting scholar in the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy.
1996
- 1996
  
  George Tenet (SFS’76) becomes Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
1995
- 1995
  
  The Security Studies Program is incorporated into the SFS, moving from the Pentagon.
- 1995
  
  The School of Foreign Service opened the Center for Australian, New Zealand & Pacific Studies, thanks to funding from the governments of Australia and New Zealand.
1994
- 1994
  
  Andrew Shoyer (MSFS‘86) plays a key role in NAFTA negotiation.
1993
- 1993
  
  Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding is founded.
1992
- November 3rd, 1992
  
  William Jefferson Clinton (SFS’68) wins the U.S. presidential election.
- 1992
  
  Pew Economic Freedom Fellows Program begins to train future leaders of democratizing states at the SFS.
1990
- 1990
  
  The BMW Center for German and European Studies was founded, following the fall of the Berlin Wall.
1989
- 1989
  
  Salaam Intercultural Resource Center is inaugurated by President Jimmy Carter.
1988
- 1988
  
  Wendy Silberman Cutler (MSFS’83) Starts Work at the Office of the United States Trade Representative
1987
- 1987
  
  Plato Cacheris (SFS ’51) Wins Immunity for Iran-Contra Secretary Fawn Hall.
1983
- 1983
  
  The first STIA certificate holder graduates.
1982
- 1982
  
  Charles Pirtle, creator of Maps Class, joins the SFS faculty.
- 1982
  
  Madeleine Albright joins the SFS faculty.
- June 3rd, 1982
  
  Israeli Ambassador to the UK Shlomo Argov’s (SFS’52) shooting prompts war between Israel and Lebanon.
1980
- September 29th, 1980
  
  Ground is broken on the Intercultural Center.
- 1980
  
  The African Studies Program is established.
- 1980
  
  The Asian Studies Program is established.
- February 27th, 1980
  
  Diego Asencio (SFS’52) is held hostage by revolutionaries while Ambassador to Colombia.
1979
- 1979
  
  Lane Kirkland (SFS’48) becomes AFL-CIO President.
- 1979
  
  The Landegger Program in International Business Diplomacy is founded.
- 1979
  
  Aida Berio (SFS’52) fights discrimination at City Hall and wins.
1978
- 1978
  
  The Institute for the Study of Diplomacy is founded.
1977
- 1977
  
  Henry Kissinger joins the SFS faculty.
1975
- 1975
  
  Center for Contemporary Arab Studies is established.
1974
- 1974
  
  Institute for the Study of Ethics and International Affairs is established.
- 1974
  
  Edward Garlich (SFS’68) pioneers in the consulting industry.
1973
- 1973
  
  The Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries embargo western countries creating the 1973 Oil Crisis.
1970
- 1970
  
  Peter Krogh becomes Dean of the SFS.
1969
- 1969
  
  SFS drops its quota of no more than one female per eight males.
1967
- 1967
  
  Jeane Kirkpatrick joins the SFS Faculty.
1962
- 1962
  
  Abba Schwartz (SFS’36) becomes Assistant Secretary of State for Security and Consular Affairs.
1961
- 1961
  
  Charles Baldwin (SFS’26) becomes Ambassador to Malaysia.
1960
- 1960
  
  Joseph Santoiana (SFS’31) opens an FBI field office in Tampa.
1959
- 1959
  
  The Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies is founded in order to prepare students for a career in foreign service during the Cold War.
- 1959
  
  The Center for Latin American Studies is founded. It was originally named the Georgetown University Latin American Studies Program, until the name was changed in 1990.
1958
- 1958
  
  President Eisenhower dedicates the Walsh Building in honor of Father Walsh.
1956
- October 31st, 1956
  
  Father Walsh passes away.
- 1956
  
  SFS’ “first graduate” becomes Ambassador to Argentina.
1955
- 1955
  
  Fr. Fadner, an expert in Russian history and languages, becomes regent of the School of Foreign Service.
1954
- 1954
  
  SFS starts admitting women as full-time day students.
- 1954
  
  Jan Karski begins teaching at Georgetown.
- 1954
  
  Edward B Lawson (SFS’24, MSFS’25) becomes Ambassador to Israel.
1952
- September 1952
  
  Harold Minor (SFS’27) Airlifts Pilgrims to Mecca.
- 1952
  
  Alexis Johnson (SFS’32) leads historic dialogue with Communist China.
1949
- 1949-1952
  
  Richard Butrick (SFS’21) becomes Director General of the U.S. Foreign Service.
- 1949
  
  Fr. Walsh opens the Institute of Languages and Linguistics within the SFS.
1946
- 1945-1946
  
  Robert Rossow (SFS’39) proves useful in first skirmishes of the Cold War
- May 1946
  
  Anne S. Lawrence & Mary Alice Sheridan become the first two women to graduate from the SFS.
1945
- November 1945
  
  Father Walsh is consulted at Nuremberg Trials.
- November 1945
  
  Leon Dostert (SFS’31) serves as chief interpreter at Nuremberg.
- September 2nd, 1945
  
  World War II ends.
1944
- December 1944
  
  Raymond P. Ludden (SFS’30) completes mission behind Japanese enemy lines.
1939
- January 1939
  
  Harry Sandager (SFS’22) becomes a United States Representative.
1934
- 1934
  
  Anthony Kenkel (SFS’23) negotiates trade deal with Cuba.
1932
- August 1932
  
  The School of Foreign Service moves to Healy Hall.
1926
- August 1926
  
  First daytime classes are established in the SFS in the fall.
1924
- 1924
  
  Laurence Stallings (MSFS’22) publishes semi-autobiographical novel, Plumes, to great critical acclaim.
- July 1st, 1924
  
  United States Foreign Service is established.
1922
- August 1922
  
  Sultan Mahmoud Amerie (SFS’24, MSFS’25) of Persia becomes the first foreign recipient of scholarship funds to attend the School of Foreign Service.
- May 1922
  
  First master’s degrees are granted.
- 1922
  
  Fr. Walsh oversees the Vatican’s relief effort in post-revolutionary Russia.
1921
- May 1921
  
  The first class of undergraduates is granted degrees.
1920
- June 1920
  
  Roy MacElwee, Director of the US Bureau of Foreign & Domestic Commerce, becomes the first Dean, serving under Fr. Walsh who acted as Regent.
- 1920
  
  SFS students travel to Venezuela for research.
- February 11th, 1920
  
  DPE fraternity is founded by SFS students.
- January 17th, 1920
  
  SFS hosts its first “Smoker.”
1919
- October 1919
  
  First full academic year of the SFS begins.
- February 1919
  
  SFS begins its first “provisional” semester.
1918
- December 1918
  
  Memorandum is circulated within the University discussing conception of the School.
- November 11th, 1918
  
  The United States and other Allied Powers sign the Armistice that ended the First World War.
- 1918
  
  Constantine Maguire begins to work with Father Walsh on the idea of the School of Foreign Service.