ATHENS - The American Hellenic Institute Foundation (AHIF) completed the Greece segment of its 17th Annual College Student Foreign Policy Trip, held June 25 to July 4, 2025. Building on the Washington, D.C., and Republic of Cyprus programs, the Greece visit immersed participants in senior-level policy briefings, defense installations, and cultural experiences that underscored Greece’s role as a cornerstone of security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.

“Because of the AHIF trip, I have realized just how geopolitically significant Greece and the Republic of Cyprus are to the world. They offer so much more than we think,” Mia Tzafolias, a sophomore at the College of William and Mary, said.

“This program opens doors to institutions and leaders that simply cannot be accessed in a classroom,” AHI President Nick Larigakis said. “Greece is a dependable, trusted, and invaluable NATO ally and pillar of democracy. Students gained a nuanced perspective on Greece’s defense posture, foreign policy priorities, and cultural heritage, while also appreciating the enduring strength of U.S.–Greece relations.”

Inside NATO’s Hub at Souda Bay

The program began with a deep dive into NATO operations on the island of Crete. On June 26, the students traveled to Souda Bay, a strategic hub for NATO and U.S. operations. The group received a series of briefings:

Major General Stergios Kazakis, Commander of the NATO Missile Firing Installation (NAMFI), provided an operational overview.
Colonel Athanasios Papamanolis briefed students on the Hellenic Air Force’s mission at the 115 Combat Wing.
Captain Stephen Stacy, Commanding Officer at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay.
Commodore Periklis Pigis, Commander of the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center (NMIOTC), and Commodore Dionisios Mantadakis, Commander of Souda Naval Base, offered strategic insights.

Students also visited the Souda Bay War Cemetery and joined unit commanders for a luncheon at NAMFI’s Officers Club, Asteria.

“From watching an F-16 Viper take off just yards away to riding a fast patrol boat in Souda bay…no amount of preparation could have matched the impact of seeing it all unfold in person,” Isabella Marks, a junior at the University of Michigan, said.

On the Front Lines of Greece’s Defense

From Crete, the students continued on to other key defense installations.

“The AHIF College Student Foreign Policy Trip was nothing short of life-changing,” Ana Arzoumanidis, a sophomore at Dartmouth College, said. “It provided me with an entirely new conception of Greece as a strong modern nation possessing great military power and significance in the East Mediterranean region.”

On June 27, the delegation traveled to Salamis Naval Base, where Vice Admiral Christos Sasiakos, Commander in Chief of the Hellenic Fleet, welcomed them. Students toured a submarine and frigate, followed by a luncheon at the admiral’s residence.

On July 1, the program took students to Alexandroupolis. Major General Konstantinos Gakis briefed the group at the 12th Mechanized Infantry Division. They also received a strategic overview at the port, toured military sites along the Evros border, and were welcomed at Military Camp “Lt. Col. Nikolaos Giannoulis” by Lt. Col. Paraschos Palioudis. A wonderful luncheon was hosted for the student delegation at Alexandroupolis Officers Club by Commander of the 4th Army Corps Major General Panagiotis Kavidopoulos. Cultural stops included the Ethnological Museum of Thrace and the Church of Panagia Kosmosotira.

On July 2, the delegation visited the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (HNDGS), or Greek Pentagon, where Captain Marios Arvanitakis, Director of Public Relations welcomed the student delegation and Vice Admiral Theodoros Mikropoulos HN, Deputy Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, provided a defense policy briefing, and also hosted a luncheon for the delegation.

Face-to-Face With Greece’s Leaders

Beyond defense, the program also opened doors to Greece’s political leadership.

The highlight of the Greece segment came on July 4, when President Constantine Tassoulas of the Hellenic Republic welcomed the delegation to the Presidential Mansion. Prior to the meeting with the president the students were treated to a VIP tour of the Mansion.

On June 30th, the students engaged with Mr. Georgios Nikitiadis, Member of Parliament (PASOK) and Vice Chairman of the Special Permanent Committee on Greeks Abroad; however, the Committee’s Chairman, Mr. Philippos Fortomas (New Democracy), who was scheduled to chair the meeting, was unable to attend due to weather-related travel delays.

On July 3, students met with Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Giannis Loverdos and Maira Myrogianni, Secretary General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy, along with senior diplomats Ambassador Loukas Karatsolis (North America), Vasileios Vikas (Turkey), and Ambassador Despina Poulou (Southeast Europe). They also held discussions with Dr. Thanos Dokos, National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister.

“These encounters didn’t just inform us, they challenged me to think critically and compassionately about the delicate balance of power and diplomacy,” Louis Amurgis, a student at The Ohio State University, said.

Meeting Greece’s Movers and Shakers

The itinerary also emphasized Greece’s economy and civil society.

On June 30, they attended a briefing and luncheon hosted by Symeon Tsomokos, Founder and President of the Delphi Economic Forum. Georgios Kefalogiannis, Co-Founder & Partner, Intellectica presented a briefing on the Greek economy. That evening, Mayor of Athens Haris Doukas welcomed the delegation for a meeting, a tour of the historic Athens City Hall building and hosted the delegation to a reception.

On July 4, the group toured Tsakos P. Shipping & Trading S.A., where they were welcomed by Nikolas P. Tsakos and received a briefing on the maritime industry. They also visited Mrs. Marina Martinou at Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Ltd. “We are deeply grateful to Mrs. Marina Martinou and AEGEAS NPC for their incredible generosity and steadfast support,” said Nick Larigakis. “Without their generosity and belief in the AHIF College Student Foreign Policy Trip to Greece and Cyprus, this program would not be possible. Their support has opened doors for young leaders, empowered new voices, and ensured that this initiative continues to flourish.”

The day concluded with a farewell reception graciously hosted by General Manager Hom Parviz at the Hotel Grande Bretagne.

“In the tens of meetings with high-ranking, incredibly well-informed people, we were able to engage in a constant refinement of our nascent perspectives,” Eleni Klissas, a third-year student at the College of William & Mary, said.

Where History and Heritage Come Alive

Throughout the trip, cultural immersion balanced the policy and defense focus.

The delegation toured the Acropolis Museum and attended a dinner hosted by Maira Myrogianni, Secretary General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy on June 27.

The students enjoyed the beauty of Greece with an all-day boat outing on June 28 to the island of Aegina, sponsored by AHI Athens member, Ioannis Horizoglou. “We are deeply grateful to Mr. Horizoglou for his generosity in hosting this memorable experience, which gave the students a unique opportunity to appreciate the beauty of Greece.” Larigakis said.

The student delegation also visited the Presidential Guard ‘Evzones’ Barracks, where they received a tour and briefing on the historic role of Greece’s elite ceremonial unit. Among other things the students learned about the traditions of the Evzones and observed a demonstration of the craftsmanship behind the Tsarouchia, the Guard’s iconic footwear.”

Further, the students also enjoyed dinner and a tour of the famed Karaiskakis Stadium, home of Olympiacos F.C., sponsored by Evangelos Marinakis, who is the founder and owner of Capital Maritime & Trading Corp. and Olympiacos F.C. Dr. Niki Kalogiratou, Chief Communications Officer of Capital Ship Management Corp., and Depi Koxenoglou, Director of Public Relations for Olymiacos FC, hosted a dinner for the group.

For the added experience of interfacing with the media, Alexander Owen, Mia Tzafolias and AHI President Nick Larigakis participated in an interview with Fanis Papathanasiou, on ERT News followed by the introduction of all 10 students. They shared their perspectives about participating in the AHIF foreign policy trip program. MEGA TV also covered the group’s visit to Georgios Karaiskaki Stadium.

Watch the ERT News interview here (Hyperlink TO THE CLIP)

The Demos Center of The American College of Greece

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Reflections on a Transformative Journey

The program concluded with a farewell dinner hosted by the American Hellenic Institute Foundation at the Hotel Grande Bretagne, attended by many of the officials the students had met along with AHI supporters. Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Loverdos also attended and delivered remarks. The dinner was sponsored by the Saracakis Group of Companies. “We are grateful to John Saracakis and the Saracakis Group of Companies for sponsoring this dinner, which provided a fitting conclusion to our student trip to Greece. Their support helps us continue providing students with substantive learning experiences that deepen their understanding of Greece’s importance on the world stage,” Larigakis said.

Each student gave a brief speech reflecting on his or her experience. The students’ statements differed, but there was a common thread of gratitude toward all the AHI Foundation supporters. All students described their experiences on the foreign policy trip as immensely educational and as a life-changing one.

“This year’s Greece program demonstrated the depth of our students’ engagement with leaders across defense, diplomacy, and business,” Larigakis said. “They leave with a stronger appreciation of Greece’s role in NATO and the Eastern Mediterranean, its geostrategic importance to the United States and U.S. interests, as well as its cultural heritage.”

Students echoed Larigakis’s observation, emphasizing how the program challenged and inspired them.

“This journey has left a lasting imprint on my personal and intellectual growth, deepening my connection to my heritage while inspiring me to actively contribute to the enduring bonds between the United States, Greece, and the Republic of Cyprus,” said Alexi Colettis, who graduates this December with a B.A. in economics from the Eugene Lang College of the New School in New York City.

“The formulation of opinions on economic, domestic, and foreign policy based on a deep dive into national and regional security issues in the Eastern Mediterranean is unlike any other international trip I’ve been on,” Nicholas Lolis, a sophomore at The George Washington University, said.

“The program humanized politicians and military leaders, allowing me to interact with them, ask them questions, and picture myself in their shoes,” Arzoumanidis said.

“During this trip, we met with powerful political, military, and cultural leaders from across Greece and Cyprus,” Demetra Chudley, a Georgetown University student, said. “These leaders not only briefed us on important issues in the region, but engaged meaningfully with us as equals. They gave thought to our ideas and responded genuinely to our questions, even when they were challenging.”

“Since its inception, the AHIF Foreign Policy Trip has given students a rare opportunity to engage directly with policymakers, diplomats, and community leaders in Greece and Cyprus,” Leon Andris, AHI Foundation Chairman, concluded. “In Greece, the program’s educational, historic, and cultural experiences combined to create the perfect complement to meetings with senior public officials, offering students a well-rounded perspective on the nation’s role in the Eastern Mediterranean.”

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About the AHIF Student Foreign Policy Trip

The AHIF College Student Foreign Policy Trip is a three-week immersive program offering undergraduate and graduate students a unique opportunity to explore U.S. policy issues in Greece, the Republic of Cyprus, and the Eastern Mediterranean through direct engagement with government officials, military, religious, and diplomatic leaders. The program begins with three days of briefings in Washington, D.C., and in addition to the Cyprus segment, includes a 10-day itinerary in Greece.

For more information, please contact us at (202) 785-8430

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