The American College of Greece leadership team traveled to San Francisco from May 8-13, continuing the institution’s international presence and connections with key members of the Greek American diaspora, alumni, and supporters, as well as members of the US tech and film industry.
Two Events with ACG presence in San Francisco
Under the auspices of the Greek Consulate in San Francisco, the “ACG in San Francisco” event took place on May 10, where Consul General Grigorios Tassiopoulos warmly welcomed the ACG leadership team. The gathering brought together ACG alumni and friends, as well as select prominent members of the Greek-American diaspora who have excelled across a range of industries. ACG President Ed Wingenbach shared ACG’s vision and mission and referred to some key ACG developments and initiatives currently shaping the institution’s future, joined by Claudia Carydis, VP of Public Affairs and Aliki Giannakopoulou, VP of Advancement. President Wingenbach had the opportunity to meet, reconnect and engage with guests in a very welcoming atmosphere.
A second highlight of this visit was the cocktail reception co-hosted on May 11th by Sid and Nancy Ganis, two prominent members of the local film industry, recognized for their important contributions to film, entertainment leadership, and charitable work. The event aimed at introducing and building support for the creation of the Greek Film Institute Master’s Program in Film & Media Arts at The American College of Greece. Nancy Ganis presented her vision for the program, mentioning how this fits well with the current Greek government’s plans to make Greece a global destination for film productions and explained why they feel that The American College of Greece is the ideal academic partner in this endeavor. President Wingenbach gave an overview of the role and impact of ACG throughout the years, highlighted some of the other major initiatives currently underway at ACG, while also sharing his enthusiasm about a potential collaboration in establishing the Greek Film Institute. The event was supported by the Elios Society and the San Francisco Greek Film Society.
Engaging Leaders Across Industries
Beyond the events, the ACG leadership team – President Wingenbach, VP of Advancement Aliki Giannakopoulou and VP of Public Affairs Claudia Carydis, – engaged in a series of private meetings with members of the Greek American community. These included visits to the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, where Nikos Kyrpides, Computational Biologist and Senior Scientist, offered an insightful look at current research projects in the US and potential areas for collaboration with the Greek tech and innovation ecosystem.
A Network Built on Lasting Relationships
The conversations held throughout the visit reaffirmed the vibrant and dynamic presence of the Greek American diaspora, with young and older generations of Greeks thriving and actively seeking ways to connect with Greece and contribute to its future growth.
ACG continues to play a leading role in further advancing US-Greece relations through academic partnerships and by bringing the largest number of American students to study in Greece each year.