The Una Chapman Cox Foundation is a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

that works to support the effectiveness and professionalism of the

United States Foreign Service The United States Foreign Service is the primary personnel system used by the diplomatic service of the United States federal government, under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of over 13,000 professionals carr ...

through various projects and initiatives. Amb. (ret.) Lino Gutierrez serves as the current Executive Director.

History

In 1948 in Bombay, India, Una Chapman Cox, a Texas rancher, was arrested by authorities for traveling without her passport. A

Foreign Service Officer A Foreign Service officer (FSO) is a commissioned member of the United States Foreign Service. FSOs formulate and implement the foreign policy of the United States. They spend most of their careers overseas as members of U.S. embassies, cons ...

named Royal Bisbee worked to arrange her release and return to the United States. Cox founded the organization 32 years later, in 1980, out of gratitude for the work of Foreign Service Officers. Cox left $16 million from her estate for the organization. Cox served as the sole trustee of the organization until her death in 1982.

Activities

The Una Chapman Cox Foundation is notable for its projects and initiatives that support excellence in recruitment, professional development, and public awareness and its collaboration with the U.S. Department of State and other program partners. The foundation also offers

sabbatical leave A sabbatical (from the Hebrew: (i.e., Sabbath); in Latin ; Greek: ) is a rest or break from work; "an extended period of time intentionally spent on something that’s not your routine job." The concept of the sabbatical is based on the Bib ...

fellowships to distinguished mid-level Foreign Service Officers, selected by the

Director General of the Foreign Service The director general of the Foreign Service is the designated manager of the United States Foreign Service. The director general is a current or former Foreign Service officer, appointed by the President of the United States, president, with t ...

to pursue special projects. The Una Chapman Cox Foundation has developed programs and worked alongside partners such as the American Academy of Diplomacy (AAD), the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (ADST), and the United States Diplomacy Center. Recent projects includ
American Diplomat
an
The General and the Ambassador
two podcasts created for the foundation by AAD as part of a Cox Foundation program to educate the public about the Foreign Service; studies and events on the importance of commercial and economic diplomacy; and development of a career exploration program on diplomatic careers for students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving Institutions.

References

{{reflist Foreign relations of the United States Foundations based in the United States Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C. Organizations established in 1980 1980 establishments in the United States