‘It was a pleasure to spend time with our alumni and philanthropic supporters in Boston, New York, and Washington DC, sharing updates on the University’s plans for the future and how they can continue to support their alma mater. I was, as ever, touched by the passion and commitment of our alumni community, and by their enduring pride in King’s. Thank you to all those who took the time to meet with us.’
Professor Shitij Kapur
03 November 2025
King's leadership, academics and alumni come together in the US
Our Vice-Chancellor and President, Shitij Kapur and Professor John Bew led a delegation to the US East Coast this October to connect with our US-based alumni.
278 alumni came together in Boston, New York City and Washington DC to hear about what’s next for King’s and what role they can play as part of our worldwide community of alumni.
Professor Kapur shared our exciting plans for our upcoming bicentenary and the redevelopment of the South West Wing of Bush House into a student wellbeing hub and convening place for conversations of global importance. Guests were introduced to the plans that will further cement King’s place on The Strand and given the opportunity to support the project.
In addition to sharing key University updates, attendees in New York City and Washington DC also enjoyed a panel discussion on security and world affairs. Panel discussions included Professor John Bew CMG from the Department of War Studies, who was joined by CEO of Newsweek, Dev Pragad (PhD Telecommunications, 2009) in New York City and King’s Senior Research Fellow Sophia Gaston and BBC News anchor, Rich Preston (MA Intelligence and International Security, 2023) in DC.
The conversations explored how academia, politics, and the media intersect in today’s rapidly changing world, and examined the role universities play in shaping a fairer, more inclusive society. In New York, the panel reflected on the challenge of maintaining public trust in government and the media, and how insights grounded in academic research remain relevant in today’s global context. In Washington DC, discussions highlighted the evolving ways audiences consume news and information, the complexities of governing online platforms such as TikTok, and the implications these shifts hold for leaders in politics and media.
‘This has been the best event yet. Every time King’s visits, I leave feeling deeply inspired - it’s a reminder of how special it is to be part of this community and how connected I still feel to King’s.’
Beatriz Doblas (Business Management, 2017)
Also at the events was Georgina Cannon, the University’s Executive Director of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement, who highlighted some of the achievements of our US alumni community, including a thriving local alumni committee and supporting King’s student recruitment and £135 million in philanthropic support.
Reflecting on the trip, Georgina said: “it has been a genuine pleasure to spend time in the US connecting with our alumni community. We have met alumni who graduated just this year, and those who left King’s 55 years ago. They are all united by a continuing commitment and passion for King’s and a desire to continue to engage with the University and other King’s alumni. Their support is invaluable and I’d like to thank everyone who joined us at one of our events.”
Why not join us at one of our upcoming alumni events:
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Department of War Studies Alumni Reunion - 15 November
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Mentoring Meet-up - 18 November
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King's Expert Series: Driving AI, climate law, and sustainable business for public good - 25 November
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In this story
Vice-Chancellor & President of King's College London
Executive Director of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement
Professor in History and Foreign Policy