Dr. Patrick Mendis, a native of Sri Lanka and a distinguished figure in both government and academia, has been honored with a significant appointment by President Joe Biden. Recognized for his outstanding contributions, Dr. Mendis has been selected as an advisor to the prestigious National Security Education Board (NSEB), according to a White House press release.
The presidential appointment is a continuing testament not only to Dr. Mendis’s remarkable career, but also to his profound impact on U.S. foreign policy, UN relations, and higher education in Asia and Europe.
National Security Education Board
Chaired by the U.S. Secretary of Defense, the 14-member National Security Education Board consists of eight Cabinet secretaries, including Defense, Education, Energy, Homeland Security, State, and the Director of National Intelligence, as well as six distinguished American citizens of global prominence.
The National Security Education Board (NSEB) serves as a vital component in shaping and protecting the nation’s security interests through education and strategic planning. Established to promote a broad understanding of global security challenges, the NSEB plays a crucial role in advising government agencies and institutions on matters related to national security education and training. By facilitating the exchange of knowledge and expertise, the NSEB helps build a more informed and prepared workforce capable of meeting the complex security challenges of the 21st century.
About Dr. Patrick Mendis
A former military professor at NATO and the U.S. Department of Defense’s Indo-Pacific Command, Dr. Mendis once served as a commissioner to the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO at the State Department, an Obama White House appointment. He also served as a U.S. diplomat and advisor to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations during the Clinton and Bush administrations. In addition, Dr. Mendis is a former Taiwan Fellow of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Before becoming the Taiwan chair at the Jagiellonian University in Poland, he served as a distinguished visiting professor of transatlantic relations at the University of Warsaw in Poland. Before returning to Europe, Dr. Mendis taught at the National Chengchi University in Taipei and the Yenching Academy of Peking University in Beijing.
He started his American journey from his native Sri Lanka as an American Field Service (AFS) high school exchange student in Minnesota. Dr. Mendis was later adopted by Minnesotans when the civil war broke out in his country.
During his years in Minnesota, he worked in the Hennepin County Government in Minneapolis, the Minnesota Department of Finance in St. Paul, and the Minnesota House of Representatives in St. Paul. Recognizing his contributions to the state, Gov. Rudy Perpich bestowed upon him the title “Honorary Citizen” of Minnesota.
In the 1990s, Dr. Mendis taught at the University of Minnesota. During that time, he received the Hubert Humphrey Leadership Award, the Harold Stassen Award for UN Affairs, and the University of Minnesota President’s Award for Outstanding Leadership.
He is an alumnus of the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. His education was supported by the Colonial Dames of America scholarship, the Hubert H. Humphrey fellowship, and the John F. Kennedy scholarship.
Expressing his gratitude for American generosity and fulfilling his conviction of giving it back, Dr. Patrick Mendis has established the Johnson-Mendis Scholarship at the Minnesota State Community and Technical College in honor of his AFS parents, the Edward Burdick Legislative Award at the University of Minnesota in memory of his mentor and “American father” in the Minnesota House of Representatives, and the Millennials Award for Leadership and Service for international and journalism students at Harvard University.
The Marquis Who’s Who in America — the most authoritative dictionary of biographies — presented Dr. Patrick Mendis with its coveted Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his contributions to international education and global diplomacy.
This article is excerpted from the article entitled “President Biden Appointed Taiwan Chair Dr. Patrick Mendis as Advisor to the US National Security Education Board” by Dr. Emilian Kavalski, the inaugural NAWA chair professor at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, and a former Taiwan Fellow of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
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