AHS Students Attend Alliance for Responsible Citizenship Conference in London

“Welcome to the Age of Reconstruction” was the invitation at the heart of this year’s Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) Conference in London, where a select group of Alexander Hamilton Society (AHS) students joined one of the most ambitious gatherings of thinkers, leaders, and practitioners shaping the global conversation today.

Made possible by the generous support of Kenneth C. Griffin, Founder and CEO of Citadel and Founder of Griffin Catalyst, this unique opportunity gave our students access to world-class ideas, meaningful connections, and important conversations shaping the future. Mr. Griffin’s support to convene this group reflects his commitment to ensuring the next generation of Americans understands, appreciates, and advances the values and principles that have shaped the nation.

The ARC Conference convenes some of the world’s foremost voices across academia, politics, business, technology, and the arts to grapple with the defining questions of our time. This year’s theme set the stage for rigorous, forward-looking dialogue about how societies, institutions, and individuals can rebuild and renew in a rapidly changing world. For our students, attending ARC wasn’t simply about listening. It was about engaging with ideas, with each other, and with leaders who are actively working to shape the future. From plenary sessions to smaller breakout conversations, students were challenged to think deeply, argue carefully, and carry those conversations forward.

“It’s a real point of pride for AHS to be able to offer our student members opportunities of this caliber,” said AHS Deputy Executive Director Molly Tobin. “Bringing them into high-impact conversations at the conference and giving them additional opportunities like the chance to tour Winston Churchill’s private war rooms, are highlights many of us will carry with us.”

Beyond the Conference: A Week of Extraordinary Encounters

The conference was just the beginning. Guided by Mr. Griffin’s belief in U.S. global leadership and Western values, students took part in a series of exclusive experiences that brought history, public service, and global affairs to life.

Churchill War Rooms

Students were granted an exclusive tour of the Churchill War Rooms — the underground bunker from which Winston Churchill and his War Cabinet directed Britain’s strategy during the Second World War. Walking through the very rooms where some of history’s most consequential decisions were made, students gained a tangible sense of how leadership, resolve, and clear thinking can shape the course of nations.

A Morning with the United Kingdom Special Forces

Students attended a private breakfast featuring a speaker from the United Kingdom Special Forces. The conversation offered a rare and candid window into service, sacrifice, and the qualities of character demanded at the highest levels of military life — themes that resonate deeply with AHS’s broader mission of cultivating principled leaders.

A Meeting with Lord Walney at the House of Lords

The group also had the opportunity to meet with Lord Walney at the House of Lords, discussing the current political landscape, the role of institutions in times of change, and the responsibilities that come with public life. For students with an interest in policy, governance, and transatlantic relations, it was a conversation that left a lasting impression.

Coffee with ARC Co-Founder Sir Paul Marshall

Students sat down with Sir Paul Marshall, co-founder of the ARC Conference, for an informal conversation about the ideas behind ARC, the importance of building spaces for serious intellectual and civic engagement, and his vision for what the next generation of leaders needs to understand about the world they are inheriting.

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to travel to London with AHS and Mr. Griffin’s support. It was an opportunity unlike any other, and I’m grateful for the chance to learn from so many remarkable people while exploring a beautiful city,” said AHS student Tessa Peterson.

“We are deeply grateful to Ken Griffin for making this opportunity possible,” Tobin added.

For recent or soon-to-be graduates, AHS’s Kenneth C. Griffin Center for Career Advancement offers a comprehensive suite of career services designed to help students achieve their professional goals. Opportunities like these affirm what AHS has always believed: that the best way to prepare the next generation for the challenges ahead is to put them in the room where those challenges are being discussed.

As the “Age of Reconstruction” theme made clear, the work of rebuilding institutions and renewing societies will fall to leaders who are willing to engage seriously with hard questions — and thanks to the generosity and vision of Mr. Griffin, a new cohort of AHS students returned home better equipped to do exactly that.

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About The Alexander Hamilton Society

The Alexander Hamilton Society is a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to identifying, educating, and launching the next generation of foreign policy and national security leaders, guided by the Hamiltonian vision of a strong and engaged America.