02 April 2012

Paul Tagliabue, Chairman of Georgetown University’s Board of Directors and long-time Commissioner of the NFL dropped in to Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Q) to speak with students one-on-one and discuss the achievements and future of Georgetown’s university in the Gulf region.

Talking about the strategic location of Georgetown University in Qatar, Tagliabue commented that, “Qatar is becoming a hub of education and, increasingly, sports. Participation is the key, with Qatar acting as a regional leader in inviting neighboring states to share in the development of this sports culture.”

In this vein, Tagliabue also met with officials from the Qatar National Olympic Committee to discuss potential co-ventures between Qatar and Georgetown in the field of professional sports. These discussions include exploration of Georgetown University’s sports related expertise that could be used to develop future endeavors of mutual interest and joint collaboration to their highest potential.

A Georgetown alumnus, Tagliabue graduated in 1962 a star basketball player, Rhodes finalist, president of his senior class, and member of the Dean’s honors list. This impressive academic and athletic record was continued at New York University, where he completed a degree in law. Thereafter, he began practicing at the Washington, D.C. firm, Covington and Burling.

While serving as a lawyer for the NFL, he transitioned to its top position of commissioner and held this post between 1989 and 2006. Tagliabue’s long history of personal and career milestones have not been capped in post-retirement – as the Chairman of Georgetown University’s Board of Directors, he oversees one of the premier educational institutes in America and beyond.

During his visit to Qatar, SFS-Q students pressed their full-court advantage with the former NFL head, asking how aware the Board of Directors in Washington, D.C. is of Georgetown SFS-Q to which he replied, “This is one of the principal initiatives we have.”

Nikhil Lakhanpal, a curious student interlocutor at the lively and open question and answer session concluded that, “meeting Mr. Tagliabue [and learning] how the operation here is perceived on main campus… was definitely enlightening.”