UCL’s new philanthropic and engagement campaign was launched to our North American community during a week of alumni events on the East Coast, celebrating the start of UCL’s third century.

A UCL delegation visited the US in early March for a series of alumni and supporter events, culminating in a special gathering at the One World Observatory in Downtown Manhattan to celebrate Here, it will happen – marking the beginning of an ambitious third century at UCL.

Here, it will happen – UCL’s philanthropic and engagement campaign – is a declaration of our commitment to addressing global health, societal, climate and education challenges, and a call to the global UCL community to partner with us to ensure these ambitions are realised.

Hosted by Dr Michael Spence, UCL President & Provost, and Professor Nick Witham, Executive Dean of the UCL Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences and Professor of American Studies at the UCL Institute of the Americas, the event – which marked the campaign’s first international launch – welcomed nearly 200 alumni and supporters to learn how UCL’s intellectual resources can be mobilised to address today’s most urgent issues.

“Together we can work to solve this problem”

Guests heard from two UCL academics about their agenda-setting work to address some of today’s most pressing challenges: Dr Kaitlyn Regehr, Associate Professor of Digital Humanities, and Professor Erin Delaney, Director of the Global Centre for Democratic Constitutionalism (GCDC).

Speaking at the event, Dr Kaitlyn Regehr highlighted her global work to improve digital literacy, ensuring that algorithms and AI help us rather than harm us, and that online spaces are safer for everyone. “The critical need for Digital and AI literacy is growing. There is a need to bring together global partners because this is a global issue: an issue without borders and one that cannot be solved by just one country. Through a new Centre for Digital and AI literacy, UCL is helping to facilitate these international partners, this international community, and this international movement. Together we can work to solve this problem.”

Professor Erin Delaney described her work to reverse the worldwide retreat of democratic values: “We cannot afford to let democracy die. It is an all-hands-on-deck moment. Enter the new Global Centre for Democratic Constitutionalism at UCL. We are building the world’s leading research environment dedicated to constitutional resilience – advancing scholarly knowledge of democratic governance, the rule of law, and constitutionalism.” 

 

Dr Kaitlyn Regehr speaking behind a podium
Dr Kaitlyn Regehr
Professor Erin Delaney speaking in front of a podium
Professor Erin Delaney

Following the talks and video stories from UCL researchers and people who have benefited from their cutting-edge research, guests connected over drinks and canapés in the viewing atrium.

Dr Sam Blaxland, Lecturer in Education at the UCL Institute of Education, joined the event to introduce alumni and friends to Student London: A new history of higher education in the capital, a new publication to mark UCL’s bicentenary. Co-authored by Dr Blaxland and Professor Georgina Brewis, Student London is a 200‑year history of student life in London, exploring diverse experiences, culture and activism through rich archival sources.

Browse the full event photo album:

 

Alumni connections in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia 

Ahead of the New York event, additional alumni gatherings were held during the week in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., as part of UCL’s Bicentenary celebrations, with alumni coming together from far and wide to celebrate two centuries of UCL.

In Washington, D.C., alumni volunteers Simon Gillett (Modern European Studies BA 1997; UCL Legal and Political Theory MA 1998) and Kira Elvey (UCL French and History of Art BA 1993) hosted a sold-out watch party with 33 attendees to stream UCL Illuminated: an immersive light and sound show that transformed UCL’s Portico and Wilkins Building into a canvas telling the university’s 200-year story. Guests settled in to enjoy the online stream with UCL-branded popcorn cups, networked with fellow graduates over drinks and took advantage of plenty of photo opportunities with Jeremy Bentham–themed props!

This event marked the final US bicentenary watch-party, following events in eight other US cities – New York, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Orange County, Houston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Boston – hosted by UCL alumni volunteers.

Washington DC watch party
UCL200 Birthday Celebration in Washington DC

In Philadelphia, UCL alumni and staff, including Professor Stella Bruzzi, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, were treated to a unique evening of culture, courtesy of acclaimed artist John Y. Wind, a former affiliate student at the UCL Slade School of Fine Art (1985) and a UCL legacy pledger. Twenty‑seven alumni attended what was the university’s first formal event in the city. 

The event took place at The Rosenbach Museum & Library and included a private viewing of Wind’s installation “Dear John: John Frederick Lewis, John Yaron Wind, and the Rosenbach Brothers” followed by a reception at his residence (former library of John Frederick Lewis - a lawyer, philanthropist, and patron of the arts) hosted by John and his husband Bill Osman.

UCL Philadelphia Alumni: Private Museum Visit & Reception
UCL Philadelphia Alumni: Private Museum Visit & Reception

Following the visit, Angharad Milenkovic, Vice- President (Advancement), said: “What a fantastic line-up of Stateside events, kicking off a year of celebrations across the world for UCL’s bicentenary and Here, it will happen. Through their passion, talents and shared vision for UCL’s future, our alumni community in the US will be instrumental in ensuring that great things happen in UCL’s third century and beyond.”

Support Here, it will happen

We are inviting alumni around the world to help shape the next chapter of UCL’s history and ensure that Here, it will happen. 

Join us from the US 

You can support Here, it will happen by making a gift to the UCL Friends & Alumni Association (UCLFAA). 

Donations to the UCLFAA ensure that here at UCL, academics like Dr Kaitlyn Regehr and Professor Erin Delaney, can accelerate discoveries and do their best work. Donations also ensure that talented students can study at UCL regardless of their financial circumstances. Last academic year, the UCLFAA funded scholarships for four brilliant US students to attend UCL.

Make a donation to UCL via the UCLFAA

Give now

The UCL Friends & Alumni Association (UCLFAA) is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation in the United States (EIN: 13-3634775), which allows your donation to be tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Their mission is to raise awareness and support research, education and innovation at UCL.

Here, it will happen: international celebrations 

Throughout 2026, Dr Michael Spence, UCL’s President & Provost, and Angharad Milenkovic, Vice President (Advancement), will be travelling to further cities across the globe to meet alumni and supporters and share more detail about the Here, it will happen campaign and celebrate UCL’s Bicentenary.