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The Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) will be officially renamed the Josef Korbel School of International Studies in honor of its founder. Korbel, whose daughter is former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, founded GSIS in 1964. “There would not be a school of international studies at the University of Denver without Josef Korbel. Korbel’s vision and efforts are responsible for making our school a reality,” said Tom Farer, dean of the school. The name change will be marked by a number of events including a ceremony on May 28 at 10:15-10:45 a.m. on the steps of Ben Cherrington Hall during which Albright will preside. An all-university reception and a student panel discussion titled “Madeline Albright Meets the Next Generation of Foreign Policy Leaders” will follow the ceremony. The reception will be from 10:45-11:45 a.m. and the panel discussion will be from 3:15-4:15 p.m. in Hamilton Recital Hall. On Farer’s advice, Chancellor Robert Coombe decided to rename GSIS, with the approval of the Board of Trustees, last August during the Korbel dinner. “The decision was greeted with unanimous enthusiasm by the faculty and staff of GSIS,” Farer said. Korbel was born in Czechoslovakia in 1909. Since he was Jewish, the Nazi invasion of his country in 1939 forced him to flee to Britain. During his life he served as an advisor to the Czech president and as Czech ambassador to Yugoslavia before coming to DU as a professor of International Studies. “He left behind a legacy that produced a number of renowned diplomats and leaders, including U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice,” Farer said. During his time at DU Korbel created GSIS from scratch, raising the money and recruiting the faculty, according to Robert Prince who knew Korbel and has been a professor at GSIS for the last 15 years. “[Korbel] made a great contribution to international understanding and world peace,” Prince said.

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