Ambassador Joseph Melrose ’66
As a student, Ambassador Joseph Melrose ’66 was an engaged politics major who was a photographer for the yearbook, played intramural sports and was a member of the International Relations Club. After Ursinus, Melrose began his life-long career in the world of international relations, politics and human rights advocacy.
He served over 30 years in Foreign Service for the U.S. State Department, which included one of his most notable roles as Ambassador to Sierra Leone from 1998 to 2001. In his “retirement” Melrose returned to Ursinus as a professor and ambassador-in-residence while continuing to advise on various diplomatic projects. As a mentor and teacher, he brought the world to his students with guest lectures ranging from human rights to diplomacy and led the college’s Model U.N. trips every year. Melrose’s legacy at Ursinus lives on through the Melrose Center for Global Civic Engagement, the Melrose Fellows program, and the many people around the world who knew him and his work.