UC hosted the lecture “America 250: American Excellence in International Relations” on November 28, 2025. This was a part of the America250 commemorative program, USA’s nationwide initiative leading up to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence in 2026.

The lecture featured Fulbright Scholar Dr. Krista E. Wiegand, Director of the Center for National Security and Foreign Affairs at the University of Tennessee. She is a globally recognized expert in territorial and maritime disputes, alliance politics, conflict resolution, and Indo-Pacific security.

Dr. Wiegand delivered a scholarly discourse on contemporary US foreign policy, its role in global security frameworks, and the historical and evolving partnership between the US and the Philippines. She also addressed methodologies for analyzing interstate conflict and negotiation, giving UC student and staff a valuable opportunity to engage with scholarship directly applicable to criminology, political science, and international affairs.

The event underscored UC’s commitment to SDG 4 (Quality Education) by enhancing analytical skills and global awareness and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) by emphasizing diplomacy, conflict resolution, and security studies.