Ohio is the home to 39 foreign Honorary Consuls practicing consular diplomacy in the Ohio cities of Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati. In this series, you will meet U.S. consular diplomats from Ohio and several foreign consular diplomats resident in Ohio representing foreign nations and hear about these sovereign national cultures, their consular commerce and trade status in Ohio, and study the cultural integration of these nations and their peoples into the colorful fabric of the local and international history, politics, and demographics of Ohio. "Please Note:  Since consular diplomats are working professionals, not all encounters with active and/or retired U.S. or foreign consular diplomatic professionals in Ohio will be in-person in class during the class time. There may be other opportunities to attend or to visit with these consular diplomatic professionals at their consular offices, or to have dinner with a consular diplomat at another location which may substitute for their not being available during the pre-designated class time. These class-associated opportunities will be publicized and will be invitations extended exclusively to the class."

Moderator: Dna. Maria St. Catherine McConnell is a Europe-born American Former USAF Intelligence Officer who during her service deployed to England, Germany, Spain, and Italy; a former diplomatic affairs professional with The American Academy of Diplomacy in Washington, DC; and an Oxford-trained diplomatic scholar who in 2025 founded The Ohio Consular Diplomacy Council to advance consular diplomatic affairs in Ohio.