[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 145 (Wednesday, September 11, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF AMBASSADOR RONALD N. WEISER AND THE OPENING OF THE 
                        WEISER DIPLOMACY CENTER

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                          HON. DEBBIE DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 11, 2019

  Mrs. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the work of 
Ambassador Ronald N. Weiser in so many arenas but today specifically 
for his leadership in launching the Weiser Diplomacy Center at the 
Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.
  The Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of 
Michigan is America's first graduate public service training program. 
Since 1914, the Ford School has been teaching students how to address 
the public's most pressing concerns by using research and cutting-edge 
problem-solving methodologies to develop actionable policy solutions. 
The Ford School is renowned for its quantitative analysis of a wide-
range of policy issues, making the school a frequent destination for 
distinguished policymakers from around the world.
  Thanks to the wisdom and understanding of University of Michigan 
alumni and Regent Ronald Weiser and his wife Eileen, the Weiser 
Diplomacy Center was established at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public 
Policy in January 2019. The Weiser Diplomacy Center provides a forum 
for leading diplomats and foreign policy experts to gather and offer 
practical training sessions and simulations to students to supplement 
their studies. The center will bring a diverse cadre of seasoned 
diplomats and foreign policy experts to campus. This year alone, the 
center will successfully connect students with distinguished leaders 
like Condoleezza Rice, Hillary Clinton, and Samantha Power, to name a 
few. In addition, the center sponsors a program for Weiser Diplomacy 
Fellows and helps students find internships pertaining to foreign 
affairs. The center will include lessons for students to practice 
international diplomacy and opportunities to learn from diplomats from 
around the world.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Ambassador 
Ronald N. Weiser for his dedication to the Gerald R. Ford School of 
Public Policy. The immediate success of the center is due in no small 
part to his work and tremendous leadership. Ambassador Weiser's own 
experience has demonstrated to him the importance of preparing students 
in a quickly shifting foreign policy world through engagement with 
experts. The Weiser Diplomacy Center will be an invaluable resource not 
only for the students participating, but to our country as it trains 
the leaders of the future. This new diplomacy center will be critical 
for young people to engage with members of the foreign policy community 
and inspire a new generation of the importance of this field.

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