FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fulton, Mo. – June 5, 2025: The Rt. Hon. Sir Conor Burns, former member of the UK parliament, was among nine distinguished individuals recently inducted in the prestigious Association of Churchill Fellows.
The ceremony was conducted by the Board of Governors of America’s National Churchill Museum (ANCM) on the campus of Westminster College during the 2025 Churchill Fellows Weekend, April 25-26.
The Association of Churchill Fellows Class of 2025
The following individuals were inducted into the Association at 10 a.m. on April 26 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, part of ANCM. Read more about each individual on ANCM’s website:
- Sir Conor Burns of Bournemouth in Dorset, England
- Sen. Josh Hawley of Springfield, Missouri
- Julia Holofcener of Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Bob Kelly of Sarasota, Florida
- Judith Mueller of Paradise Valley, Arizona
- Kent Mueller of Paradise Valley, Arizona
- David Richardson (Posthumous) of St. Louis, Missouri
- Rep. Louis Riggs of Hannibal, Missouri
- John Schaperkotter of St. Louis, Missouri
“In the spirit of Winston Churchill’s enduring legacy, these distinguished individuals have shown exceptional leadership and a deep commitment to the mission of America’s National Churchill Museum,” said Deputy Senior Fellow Neal Perryman, who led the installation ceremony. “As Fellows, they will serve as ambassadors for this historic institution, helping to ensure that the Churchill’s lessons continue to inspire generations of future leaders.”
Following the Fellows induction ceremony, Burns delivered the 38th Enid and R. Crosby Kemper Lecture.
His address titled “World Peace, Trade and Rules-Based Order” focused on the economy, laws and orders and the “body politics,” emphasizing that Western civilization “is in danger of leaving its battlements unarmed.”
Burns mused that modern parliamentarians and other political leaders fail to stand up to societal pressure by staying silent on controversial issues, a phenomenon that Burns said Churchill once referred to as “a marked lack of individual leadership.”
The former senior government official surmised that Churchill would not have been approved as a parliamentarian candidate in the current political climate. He joked that the British Bulldog would be probed with directives such as, “Tell us about your finances, Mr. Churchill,” or questions such as, “How much do you drink, Mr. Churchill?”
At the end of his remarks, Burns concluded, “I am, despite what I have said to you today, not filled with despair. I passionately believe that there … is a seed of hope planted deep in the long winter’s soil, trusting in the sun it is yet to feel. In fact I would argue that today’s gathering is a symbol of that hope.”
Timothy Riley, a Fellow and Sandra L. and Monroe E. Trout Director and Chief Curator of America’s National Churchill Museum, said that Burns, like Churchill before him, came to Westminster and delivered a thought-provoking and important message.
Riley reflected, “Sir Conor Burns’ speech was a bold and clear call to defend the fundamentals of democracy in economic, legal and political spheres — all areas threatened by contemporary geopolitics.”
About the Association of Churchill Fellows: The Association of Churchill Fellows is an honorary society recognizing leaders in industry, commerce, statecraft and the arts and sciences. It is among the key organizations that support ANCM, the only museum in North America that commemorates the life and times of former British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill and his legacy of leadership.
Other Churchill Fellows include Margaret Thatcher; Winston Churchill II; U.S. Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson; J.C. Penney; Walter Cronkite; Harry Guggenheim; Douglas Fairbanks Jr.; The Hon. Edwina Sandys; The Hon. Emma Soames; Andrew Roberts; Gen. David H. Petraeus (USA Ret.); Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer; Sen. John Danforth; Lord Watson of Richmond; Richard J. Mahoney; Sandra and Dr. Monroe Trout; R. Crosby Kemper III; Jon Meacham; Sir David Cannadine; David Rubenstein; Ret. U.S. Navy Adm. James Stavridis; and former Secretary of State Dr. Madeleine Albright.
ABOUT WESTMINSTER COLLEGE AND ANCM: Founded in 1851, Westminster College is the site of Winston Churchill’s historic “Iron Curtain” speech and home to America’s National Churchill Museum — recognized by Congress as the nation’s official tribute to Churchill’s legacy. The College is ranked among The Princeton Review’s “Best Colleges in the Midwest” for 2025 and is one of only 37 full-participation institutions with the Civic Learning and Democracy Engagement Coalition as recognized by the Higher Learning Commission. With a 90%+ job or grad school placement rate and alumni earnings in the top 16% nationally, Westminster prepares students to lead and make an impact. Learn more at WCMO.edu or NationalChurchillMuseum.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Sarah Backer at 573-220-9038 or Sarah.Backer@WCMO.edu.
Sarah Rummel Backer is the Director of Media Relations and Senior Writer at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. A proud Westminster graduate, Sarah has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and strategic communications in the areas of higher education, medicine, agriculture, and the private business sector.
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