Inspiring future diplomats

Sue and Chuck Cobb know a thing or two about diplomacy and public service.

They are the only couple in U.S. history to both serve as non-career ambassadors and the ambassador’s spouse at their respective embassies. That’s in addition to other high-level diplomatic roles in the public sector, including as a U.S. under secretary of commerce in Chuck’s case and as Florida’s secretary of state in Sue’s.

“Representing our country has been an integral part of our lives and we want younger people to know how rewarding it is to represent your country in whatever the form,” said Chuck Cobb, who served as the U.S. ambassador to Iceland.

“Any time you have the American flag behind you when you’re speaking, it’s just a huge honor and pleasure and makes you triple down your effort,” added Sue Cobb, a former U.S. ambassador to Jamaica.  

To help educate and inspire the next generation of public servants, the Cobbs have established the Ambassadors Sue and Charles Cobb Endowed Distinguished Professor of Practice in Diplomacy at the College of Arts & Sciences. Their generous gift will enable the College to hire former ambassadors or other renowned experts in diplomacy to teach students and engage with members of the community.

The Cobbs have a long history with the University of Miami. They met as undergraduates at Stanford University, and when they moved to Florida in the 1970s, Chuck was asked to join the Board of Trustees at the University of Miami. He has now been on the board for nearly 50 years, chairing many committees and serving three years as chair of the full Board of Trustees.

Sue Cobb attended law school on the Coral Gables campus in the 1970s and now serves as a member of the advisory board for the George P. Hanley Democracy Center in the College. Together, the Cobbs have given generously to many areas of the University, including Cobb Stadium for Soccer and Track and Field, the Cobb Fountain at Lake Osceola, and numerous scholarships.

“We love the University of Miami, and we love diplomacy, and that’s why we think this commitment to UM diplomacy is an important combination of both,” said Chuck Cobb, explaining what motivated their recent gift.

Continually taking on new challenges and finding ways to make the world a better place are part of the Cobbs’ ethos. It’s an approach to life that has led them to not only respected careers in public service, but also remarkable success in the private sector and in athletics. Chuck was a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic track team, while Sue, a national champion downhill skier and accomplished climber, nearly became the first American woman to summit Mount Everest.

“It’s a little bit of a risk-taking approach to life,” said Sue Cobb. “All great adventures start with saying ‘yes.’”