Clements Center Concludes Tenth Annual London May Term: The U.S. and U.K: Past, Present and Future of the Transatlantic Alliance

This year marked our tenth annual London May Term: The U.S. and U.K: Past Present and Future of the Transatlantic Alliance. From 2015 to 2025, we have partnered with the renowned War Studies Department at King’s College London to bring twenty undergraduate students from UT-Austin to the United Kingdom, France, and Belgium to study the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom. 

This year’s London May Term kicked off with a bang, as our students had the unique opportunity to hear from U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and engage with several members of the U.S. Congress. They also heard from leading political figures, policymakers, members of the Armed Forces, industry experts, academics, and select members of the media during the London Defence Conference.

Throughout the month, students attended a variety of lectures, including “The Foundations of British Foreign Policy: The Emergence and Dilemmas of a Superpower” and “Non-Western Perspectives on Global Order” with Dr. Maeve Ryan; “Allies and Adversaries: U.S.-UK Nuclear Cooperation and the Soviet Race for the Bomb” with Clements Center Senior National Security Fellow Dr. Alexandra Sukalo; “Small States Navigating the Challenges of the International Order” with Dr. Hillary Briffa; and many more. The program emphasized active engagement through interactive workshops, group response papers, and debates on future grand strategy.

In addition to their coursework, students explored several iconic landmarks, including St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, the Churchill War Rooms, and Bletchley Park. They also had the privilege of visiting the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and participating in a roundtable discussion with a senior British diplomat.

The May Term included day and overnight trips to Normandy, Brussels, Cambridge, and Dover. In Normandy, students visited key historic D-Day sites, including Omaha Beach, Sainte Mère-Église, Pointe du Hoc, Arromanches, and Pegasus Bridge, guided by Distinguished National Security Fellow General Robert Neller. The Brussels visit featured a tour of NATO Headquarters and meetings with notable U.S. officials. In Cambridge, the cohort toured King’s College and enjoyed punting on the River Cam. A day trip to Dover included visits to Dover Castle, the tunnels, and the Battle of Britain Memorial.

To celebrate this milestone year, we invited Clements Center alumni to join the program. We had the pleasure of traveling with Rachel Hoff, Policy Director at the Ronald Reagan Institute, and Gabriel Cortez, a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State. While in London, the group also reconnected with program alumni Fox Walker and Nora O’Connor, who are now living and working in the city. The program’s longevity underscores the Clements Center’s commitment to immersive, experiential learning in global security and diplomacy. We look forward to continuing to prepare future leaders through opportunities like this.

Click here to see more photos from this year’s London May Term.