Remembering Anna Sie: A Message from Dean Fritz Mayer

On behalf of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, I share our deep condolences on the passing of Anna Sie. An extraordinary woman, Anna was a force in the civic life of Denver for many decades. Anna had a particularly large impact on the Korbel School.  Together with her husband, John J. Sie, and family, Anna’s philanthropy transformed Korbel with the creation of the Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security and Diplomacy, the Sié Chéou-Kang Chair held by Professor Deborah Avant, and not least, the building of the Anna and John J. Sie International Relations Complex in which we learn and work daily.

For over ten years, the Sié Center has made Korbel a destination for top students and scholars committed to peace and security. The mission of the Sié Center could not be more relevant given the state of international affairs today. More than ever, the world needs leaders skilled in diplomacy and committed to global security, prosperity, and social justice. The Sié Center’s emphasis on interdisciplinarity and engaged scholarship, in particular, make it a hallmark of the Korbel School’s unique contributions to our field.

The lasting legacy of the Sies’ generous investments in the Korbel School will influence the study of security and diplomacy for many years. We are forever grateful for Anna’s friendship, inspiration, and commitment to the future leaders who study here.

Frederick “Fritz” Mayer
Dean and Professor
Josef Korbel School of International Studies