Marc Nathanson (BA ’67)
In 1966, Marc Nathanson (BA ’67) joined a DU professor on a visit to Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands to study their governments. He still considers the Norwegian fjords the most beautiful place on Earth.
Now President Joe Biden has nominated him to be ambassador to Norway. The Senate has yet to confirm him, but Nathanson is honored.
“It’s all because of the University of Denver,” he says.
Nathanson studied political science and international relations, even auditing a class with the late Josef Korbel, for whom DU’s international studies school is named. He met his wife, Jane, at DU, and she served on the DU Board of Trustees from 1989–1993.
After earning a master’s degree elsewhere, he founded Falcon Cable, grew it internationally, then sold it in 1999. President Bill Clinton appointed him to what is now the U.S. Agency for Global Media, and he led it for seven years.
Nathanson is vice chairman of the National Democratic Institute and on the board of the Aspen Institute with its chairwoman, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, daughter of Korbel. He also sits on the Council on Foreign Relations.
Norway “is a critical NATO ally and a valued partner in promoting our shared values of democracy and common interest across the globe,” he says. “And if confirmed, I’m committed to strengthening this close cooperation.”
He also plans to revive the Marc Nathanson Fellowship in the Korbel School in 2022, so students can experience the inspiration he enjoyed.