Robert A. Seiple (born December 6, 1942) is an American non-profit executive, and former military officer, university administrator, and diplomat. He served as the

athletic director An athletic director (commonly "athletics director" or "AD") is an administrator at many American clubs or institutions, such as colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and ...

Brown University Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...

from 1975 to 1979. He was president of Eastern College—now known as Eastern University— in

St. Davids, Pennsylvania St. Davids is a primarily residential neighborhood located in the eastern part of Wayne, Pennsylvania. It is served by its own train station. St. Davids is home to the main campus of Eastern University, a four-year, liberal arts university affili ...

and Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary—now known as

Palmer Theological Seminary Palmer Theological Seminary is a Baptist seminary in St. Davids. It is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA. It was founded in 1925 as Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Its parent institution is Eastern University. History The ...

— in

King of Prussia, Pennsylvania King of Prussia (also referred to as KOP) is a census-designated place in Upper Merion Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 22,028. The community took its unusual name in the 18th ...

from 1983 to 1987. In December 1986 he was named president of World Vision International, serving from 1987 to 1998. Seiple served as the first

United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom The United States ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom is the ambassador-at-large who heads the Office of International Religious Freedom in the U.S. Department of State. The position was created by the International Religio ...

from 1999 to 2001. He was succeeded by

John Hanford John Van Hanford III (born c. 1954) was United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom from 2002 to 2009. As ambassador, Hanford led the Office of International Religious Freedom at the United States Department of State. ...

Early life

Seiple joined the United States Marine Corps as an officer. He flew combat missions as a pilot in

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Seiple, Robert A. 1942 births Living people Heads of universities and colleges in the United States Brown Bears athletic directors Brown University alumni Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) United States Marine Corps officers United States Ambassadors-at-Large People from Warren County, New Jersey United States Naval Aviators Military personnel from New Jersey