William L. Sharpless :::
William L. Sharpless
Graduated in 1965
Inducted in 1995
William L. Sharpless, a 1965 graduate distinguished himself in the field of international affairs. With a Bachelor's degree in Government/History from The American University, he went on to earn a Master’s in International Relations from the London School of Economics in 1974. Later, he became the executive director of the U.S. New Zealand Council, served as education director for the Foreign Policy Association of the U.S., and headed the Washington office of the United Nations Association of the U.S. He was founder and executive director of the Council of American Ambassadors, as well as the U.S.-New Zealand Friendship Council. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the American Center for International Leadership, the International Affairs Council and the Foreign Student Service Council. Sharp less also was senior consultant for the Atlantic Council/American Council of Young Political Leaders. As vice president of International Relations, Inc., a consulting firm in international relations, he helped provide counsel and negotiating assistance on international trade and financial relationships, assessments of foreign countries and international issues, and advice on developments in the U.S. to foreign clients. Truly an ambassador to the world and deeply committed to the principles of fairness and human decency, Sharpless loved the ideals of this nation and shared the hopes of the world for respecting basic human dignity.