Celebrating diplomacy with our donor family.

The William C. and Ann D. Harrop Lecture Series seeks to bring to the attention of the American public the role that the United States Department of State and Foreign Service play in protecting American security, expanding international economic opportunities, and assisting Americans overseas. It will also highlight the international policy challenges the U.S. currently encounters, especially in the areas of war and peace. The goal of the series is to establish an informed public who can better understand the role of the United States in the world community and help in the policy debates that shape many of the issues.

During his 39-year career as a Foreign Service officer, William (Bill) Harrop served as the US ambassador to Guinea, Kenya, Seychelles, Zaire, and Israel. He was inspector general of the State Department and Foreign Service, deputy assistant secretary of state for Africa, a member of the State Department's Policy Planning and Coordination staff, and deputy chief of mission to Australia. He also served in Italy and Belgium. His wife of almost seventy years, Ann Delavan Harrop travelled with him overseas; she raised four sons in difficult, sometimes dangerous environments, while moving between the U.S. and Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Middle East. Many also knew and appreciated Ann Delavan Harrop through the Nelson B. Delavan Foundation which her husband remained associated with. Her grants to Foreign Service organizations over many decades supported numerous initiatives aimed at preserving, presenting, and sharing the legacy of the U.S. Foreign Service and American diplomacy.

Harrop was chairman of the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) from 1972 to 1974. He received the State Department Distinguished Honor Award, the Presidential Distinguished Service Award, the 2001 DACOR Foreign Service Cup, and the 2015 AFSA Award for Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy.

Harrop is the former chair of the Diplomacy Center Foundation Board of Directors. The Foundation is a nonprofit, which is engaged in a public-private partnership with the United States Department of State in building the National Museum of American Diplomacy (NMAD) at the Department. Under his tenure, the 20,000 square foot pavilion was opened in 2017 as a first step towards the opening of a full museum. He served on the Foundation's Board as the Chair of the Trustee Council.

Throughout his career Bill demonstrated the highest degree of professionalism, dedication and service. He was greatly admired by his colleagues and has established an exemplary legacy for the Foreign Service.