On March 25th, the Cornell Club of the United Kingdom (CCUK) gathered at the historic Bank of England pub for a special evening featuring distinguished guests from Ithaca. We were honored to host Katherine McComas, Vice Provost for Engagement and Land-Grant Affairs, and Basil Safi, Executive Director of the Einhorn Center for Community Engagement.
The atmosphere was vibrant as alumni from across London caught up over drinks and light bites, but the real highlight was the opportunity to engage directly with university leadership about Cornell’s evolving global footprint.
Bridging Ithaca and London
Alumni had a chance to catch up with Katherine and Basil, who shared a fascinating look into how Cornell’s unique land-grant mission—a commitment to public service and practical impact—is being applied on an international scale through Global Hubs.
Rather than a formal presentation, the night was designed for connection. It was a rare and valuable chance for our UK alumni to have one-on-one conversations with Katherine and Basil, diving deep into:
- The King’s College Collaboration: Learning firsthand about the burgeoning partnership with King’s College London and how these two institutions are working together to tackle global challenges.
- The Einhorn Center’s Strategy: Discussing how community-engaged learning is being integrated into the student experience to create “global citizens.”
- A Mission Without Borders: Exploring what it means for Cornell to be a “land-grant university to the world,” ensuring our research and outreach benefit our international partners just as much as New York State.
A Growing Community
The evening was a wonderful reminder of the strength of the Cornell network in the UK. The back of the Bank of England pub was filled with spirited dialogue, where academic mission met the shared energy of our local alumni community.
Thank you to Katherine and Basil for making the trip, and to everyone who attended for making the evening so engaging. We look forward to seeing you at our next CCUK event!
