The Foreign Service Journal, May 2017

AFSA’s 50 States Outreach Initiative aims to engage with our fellow citizens in each state, providing them the oppor- tunity to interact personally with a member of the U.S. Foreign Service to gain an understanding of what diplomats do and why it matters. 54 MAY 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS Outside the Beltway: AFSA Expands Outreach Efforts Florida: AFSA Presi- dent Ambassador Barbara Stephenson visited north and central Florida in March. During the visit, she met with Foreign Service retirees in Jacksonville and with retirees in the Sarasota/Bradenton/ Tampa/St. Petersburg area. Amb. Stephenson used the opportunity to inquire about the top concerns fac- ing Foreign Service retirees and report on the situation in Washington, D.C. This was a great oppor- tunity to gauge the groups’ interest in participating actively in outreach efforts in Florida, in particular by team- ing up with some of AFSA’s strategic partners, such as Global Ties U.S. Participants were highly engaged and receptive. AFSA wishes to thank Linda Olesen, Judy Carson and Ambassador (ret.) Sam- uel Hart for their assistance and generosity in facilitating and hosting the Florida meet- ings. New Jersey and New York: On Feb. 14-15, Amb. Stephenson visited New York City and northern New Jersey, where she spoke to 40 students at Seton Hall University—a private, Catholic university with a growing international affairs program. During a lively Q&A ses- sion, students in the School of Diplomacy and Interna- tional Affairs inquired about a range of issues related to careers in the Foreign Service. In New York City, Amb. Stephenson touched base with State Department Diplomat in Residence Usha Pitts as part of AFSA’s com- mitment to work closely with Diplomats in Residence and to reinforce the State Depart- ment’s efforts to recruit a diverse and capable work- force. Idaho: Ambassador (ret.) Patricia Butenis was named this year’s Distinguished Practitioner of International Affairs by the Martin Institute at the University of Idaho. In early February, Amb. Butenis visited UI to deliver the key- note at the Institute’s Martin Forum, focusing on the chal- lenges of representing the United States abroad. Speakers at the Martin Forum also have the opportu- nity to visit classes and meet with students in informal settings on campus. The Mar- tin Institute is dedicated to understanding the causes of war, the conditions necessary for peace and the interna- tional system. Massachusetts: Retired Foreign Service Officer Larry AFSA President Ambassador Barbara Stephenson (third from left) meets with AFSA retiree members in Sarasota, Florida. COURTESYOFJCARSON Mandel, with his wife Judy, spoke to a group at the Lexington, Massachusetts, public library on the topic of “Wanderlust—A Life of Travel.” They spoke about life in the Foreign Service and the many challenges and opportuni- ties afforded by a diplomatic career. Finally, during the last week of April, AFSA hosted a Road Scholar program on diplomacy, during which 12 Foreign Service speakers lectured to 37 attendees, who came from 16 states across America, as well as from Ontario, Canada. We invite readers to keep up with AFSA’s national outreach efforts at www.afsa. org/50states. If you live in a state we haven’t visited this year, we welcome your assis- tance in bringing AFSA and the Foreign Service to town! —Ásgeir Sigfússon, Director of Communications