James B. Foley, U.S. Ambassador to Haiti, will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the SUNY Board of Trustees and give the commencement address at SUNY Fredonia on Saturday, May 14, in Steele Hall.
 
Ambassador Foley is a 1979 graduate of SUNY Fredonia and a native of Buffalo.
 
"SUNY Fredonia is delighted to have James Foley return to his alma mater as our 2005 commencement speaker," said Fredonia President Dennis L. Hefner. "His career is uniquely distinguished, as his service in Haiti has occurred during a critical time in the transition of that nation. I am certain his message will be an inspiration to all of this year’s graduates." A Buffalo native, Ambassador Foley received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from SUNY Fredonia, where he also studied French and Political Science before attending the Political Studies Institute in Paris, France. In 1984, he earned a master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Early in his foreign service career, Mr. Foley was stationed in The Philippines and was a historical witness to the disgrace and fall of longtime dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
 
Following that, he served as Political Officer in Algiers, then in New York City as an International Affairs Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. In 1989, he was named Special Assistant to Deputy Secretary of State Lawrence S. Eagleburger. In 1993, he relocated to Belgium as the Deputy Director of the Private Office of the NATO Secretary General, where he acted as a liaison to NATO military authorities and was responsible for peacekeeping and Balkan issues. During this period, Mr. Foley was peppered with accolades, beginning with the United States State Department Superior Award in 1993 and followed by the SUNY Fredonia and Fredonia Alumni Association Outstanding Achievement Award in 1995 as well as inclusion in the State University of New York Alumni Honor Roll in 1996. That same year, Mr. Foley earned a Lester Pearson Fellowship as a Special Assistant to United States Senator Paul D. Coverdell (R-Georgia).
 
In 1997, President Bill Clinton appointed him Deputy Spokesman of the Department of State and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, where he was responsible for daily State Department press briefings and worked closely with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. In 2000, he became Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations and Other International Organizations while simultaneously working as the Deputy Chief of Mission, managing an office of 240 employees in Geneva, Switzerland.
 
Mr. Foley reached the top level of international diplomacy in May 2003 when he was confirmed as United States Ambassador to Haiti.
 
Mr. Foley is married to Kate Suryan, with whom he has a daughter, Madeleine Rachel. He has been lauded by members of the SUNY Fredonia and Western New York community for his willingness to return to the area to spend time with family and friends, discuss politics and career options with students and pay his respects to his alma mater.
 
"(Mr. Foley) is quite willing to share his expertise and knowledge," said Dr. James Hurtgen, Founding Director of the SUNY Fredonia School of Business and political science professor. "He always enjoys challenging our students by pressing them to think rigorously about international politics, as well as the global role of the United States." Commencement ceremonies are open to graduating SUNY Fredonia seniors and their families. Space is limited and conditions apply. For more information on Commencement 2005, visit the commencement website.