60 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2026 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL The close relationship between ADST and FSI was embedded in the association’s identity from its earliest years. affairs professionals, bringing the experiences of U.S. diplomacy to communities across the country through the Portraits in Diplomacy initiative, or honoring American diplomats and U.S. Marine Security Guards through the U.S. Foreign Service Commemorative Coin Act, ADST remains guided by the conviction that our history is enriched by the experiences and voices of those who lived it. As Senate Historian Emeritus Don Ritchie—whom Kennedy consulted while establishing ADST’s oral history program—noted during the opening reception for ADST’s exhibit, “U.S. Diplomacy: From Its Beginnings to Today,” in the Senate’s iconic Kennedy Caucus Room in early 2026, it was remarkable to witness an organization that began as a hobby grow into the professional institution it is today. For me personally, as a young foreign affairs professional, it has been an honor and a true privilege over the past two years to contribute to ADST’s mission and learn valuable lessons from generations of our nation’s diplomats. As ADST enters its fifth decade, its story—like the history of U.S. diplomacy itself—belongs as much to the future as to the past. So, let’s keep writing it! n ADST’s internship program has become an important component of its mission, introducing hundreds of American students to the practice of diplomacy, the experiences of America’s diplomats, and careers in the U.S. Foreign Service. Although its structure and size have evolved considerably since the program was established more than 30 years ago, its central objective has remained the same: bridging generations of foreign affairs professionals and inspiring the next generations of Americans to answer the noble call of public service. Recently the program has undergone a comprehensive revitalization, blending a traditional internship with a structured educational component. Informally called the Diplomatic Leadership Academy, it provides interns with opportunities to engage directly with diplomatic practitioners through sessions exploring various dimensions of diplomatic work. For many interns, the experience becomes a first “passport to diplomacy,” bringing a profession observed from afar and often misunderstood into sharper focus. Interns are encouraged to see themselves not only as learners but also as contributors, pursuing new ideas, taking ownership of projects, and leaving behind initiatives that continue to shape the association’s work. For more information or to apply, go to https://adst.org/ about-adst/interns. “A Passport to Diplomacy”— The ADST Internship Program ADST updated the exhibit and developed a traveling version, as part of its Century of Service initiative, bringing the story of American diplomacy to communities across the country. Yet the program Charles Stuart Kennedy first envisioned in the mid-1980s as a retirement hobby project remains at the center of ADST’s mission. Over time, the Foreign Affairs Oral History Program has become the association’s flagship initiative. With more than 3,100 oral histories publicly available on the ADST website and, since 2004, at the Library of Congress, the collection, which gradually expanded from senior diplomats alone to capturing voices across foreign affairs, documents more than a century of U.S. diplomacy and engagement with the world. Rich in historical insights, personal anecdotes, and lessons learned from those who lived it, the archive has become what former Senator Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) aptly described as a “national treasure” for practitioners, congressional offices, scholars, students, and the American public. Today it stands as one of the largest and most comprehensive diplomatic oral history collections in the world. Sustaining and growing a small nonprofit organization has not been without challenges, however. Through it all, under a succession of senior FSOs serving as ADST president, countless staff, volunteers, and supporters, together with the hundreds of interns taken under their wings, have remained committed to carrying ADST’s mission forward. They dreamed, innovated, adapted, and persevered. They remained committed to public service and to ensuring that the experiences of U.S. diplomats would be preserved and passed on to future generations. While small in numbers, these men and women have left a big mark on the organization and even on the study, understanding, and appreciation of U.S. diplomatic history. Going Strong at 40 Forty years later, ADST remains committed to its roots. While much has changed since the time of Low, Parker, and Kennedy, the association continues to thrive, building on their vision while embracing new opportunities, technologies, and audiences. Whether collecting oral histories, developing AI tools to support diplomatic tradecraft instruction, publishing books on diplomacy, providing diplomatic history resources to active-duty foreign
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