Seton Hall Magazine, Winter 2000 - Seton Hall University

A world
of experience
and vision
Clay Constantinou,
J.D. ’81, LL.M., is
the ideal choice to
be the first dean of Seton
Hall University’s School of
Diplomacy and International
Relations. In addition to
having served for nearly five
years as the U.S. ambassador
to Luxembourg, he is an
accomplished lawyer with an
international network, an
adviser to President Bill
Clinton and a Seton Hall
Law alumnus.
Constantinou is intrigued
by the rich and complex
choices facing tomorrow’s
diplomatic leaders. “First
of all, there’s the more
complicated post-Cold War
world to deal with,” he says.
“Multilateral diplomacy is
playing a far greater role, in
addition to bilateral diplomacy,
with a more active role
for nongovernmental organi-
zations and multinational
corporations than ever before.
“Meanwhile, the face of
the diplomatic corps is
changing,” he continues.
“Diplomatic opportunities
are now more open to
women and people of color.”
6 SETON HALL UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Since becoming dean in
May, Constantinou has hit
the ground running, organizing
several high-profile visits
from world leaders. Within
weeks of taking office, he
arranged a visit by His Royal
Highness Crown Prince
Henri of Luxembourg. In
September, the president of
“We want to build relationships with the
community — to have people look at the
School of Diplomacy as a forum and
resource for their needs and information.”
— Clay Constantinou, J.D. ’81, LL.M.
Focus on Administration
Clay Constantinou, J.D. ’81, LL.M., greets Grand Duke Jean and Grand
Duchess Joséphine Charlotte of Luxembourg at the American Military
Cemetery in Luxembourg in September 1994, on the 50th anniversary of
Luxembourg’s liberation by the Americans. Five thousand seventy-six
American soldiers, most killed at the Battle of the Bulge, are laid to rest at
the cemetery, along with their commander, General George S. Patton.
the Republic of Cyprus, His
Excellency Glafcos Clerides,
received an honorary degree
from Seton Hall and made a
major foreign policy address
to the United Nations
General Assembly on impediments
to resolving the
Cyprus problem.
In November, the dean
hosted the School of
Diplomacy’s inaugural gala,
honoring Raymond M.
Pocino, international vice
president of the Laborers’
International Union of North
America. The gala raised
money for student scholarships.
Constantinou encouraged
students to think of
labor relations as another
possible career path for those
with diplomatic and management
training.
This synergy of law, politics,
business, personal connections
and international
relations is important for
Constantinou. “Our students
learn about diplomacy, world
history and politics, but also
management and marketing,”
he says. “They have
great internship opportunities,
at places like UNITAR
(United Nations Institute for
Training and Research), the
office of U.S. Congressman
Donald Payne (D-NJ) and
the United Nations
Association.”
Founded in alliance with
the United Nations
Association of the United
States of America, the
School of Diplomacy is
leading the way in responding
to the world’s growing
need for leaders who bring
diplomatic skills to the fields
of business, law, government
and public service, nonprofit
management and social
service. “We are training an
international body of students
to become the next
generation of global
leaders,” Constantinou says.
“This is such an exciting
time for the School of
Diplomacy,” he adds. “We
want to build on our interdisciplinary
programs, with
Seton Hall’s School of Law,
the Stillman School of
Business and the Center for
Public Service. We want to
build relationships with the
community — to have
people look at the School of
Diplomacy as a forum and
resource for their needs and
information. And we want to
make sure that our students
have as many career opportunities
as internship choices.”
And the dean’s connections
to invaluable opportunities
are evident. His office
is decorated with pictures of
him with Bill and Hillary
Clinton, Luxembourg’s
royal family and President
Clerides, along with family
photos and his official
ambassadorial flag.