Inspiring alumni share advice with graduating classes

20 inspiring UCL alumni and supporters shared their advice and lessons from their own academic and career journeys with the more than ten thousand UCL graduates who celebrated their in-person graduation ceremonies at Excel this month.  

The speakers all recognised the remarkable tenacity and commitment that these graduates had shown – having completed their studies during the covid pandemic and had to wait up to two years for a chance to mark their graduation in-person.  

Seize opportunities  

Among the speakers there were several familiar faces from our TV screens, including architect, TV presenter and campaigner for charities and housing organisations George Clarke (Architecture Grad Dip 1999). George, who graduated in 1999 and, the following year, went on to establish his own architectural practice thanked UCL for ‘making that dream come alive’ and reflected on the life-changing nature of his experience studying here. He encouraged the graduating classes to embrace the opportunities that life throws at them, and to recognise their time at UCL as a ‘poignant chapter’ in their lives – but an early one at the start of a long and exciting journey. 

Athlete and former Olympic, World and Commonwealth 400m record holder Christine Ohuruogu (BA Linguistics 2005) also stated the importance of being open to new opportunities. She said:  

I believe the key to my successes was opportunity. Opportunity to learn, and be challenged, to develop logical expression, and personal ambition – all this, I had at UCL."

UCL alumni are part of a lifelong community 

Christine is a member of UCL Council and she said:  

I am proud of the fact that I remain both close to UCL as an institution and to the friends that I had made as a student. I know that these will be lifelong partnerships that I will cherish deeply."

UCL’s first ever graduation speaker to address graduates in British Sign Language, Toby Burton (BSc Mathematics with Management Studies 2001), also spoke of the enduring power of the UCL alumni community. Toby is the Chief Financial and Operating Officer for a FTSE 250 listed company. He said:  

“I am still in touch with my fellow UCL graduates as they continue the journeys of their careers. You never know where those connections will take you, and I am constantly surprised by the number of times our paths cross. I hope you will benefit just as much from the alumni community as you embark on the next chapter in your life, whatever and wherever that may be."

Life is a winding journey 

Businesswoman, activist and political leader of the True & Fair Party Gina Miller is a friend of UCL, who became a household name in 2017 after taking the UK Government to the Supreme Court over its authority to implement Brexit without approval from Parliament and again in 2019, when she successfully challenged the prorogation of Parliament. Addressing graduates from the Faculty of Laws, she reflected on the importance of failing – allowing yourself to fail and learning from it – and the important role that it plays in the long term.  

This theme chimed with the first lesson that Toby shared, saying:  

“A career is not a straight ladder, but it is a winding journey."

More than only academic rewards 

Many of the speakers highlighted that UCL had given them more than the academic achievement that they were celebrating at the ceremonies, citing the benefits of increased confidence, intercultural understanding, guidance and networks to support careers and newly discovered passions.  

Delivering graduation addresses and sharing their experiences and advice is one of the ways that alumni give back to the UCL community, and empower the next generation of UCL graduates who are now going out into the world, ready to use the skills and knowledge, attitude and experiences that they gained at UCL to make an impact and change lives. 

All of the alumni and supporter speakers’ addresses can be viewed on the graduation microsite.