Here’s how one conversation between a UCL graduate and current student became a candid discussion about uncertainty, community, and how saying ‘yes’ to new experiences can shape the future.
Volunteering during his time as a UCL student helped to shape the career trajectory of alum Guy Cowen-Hutton, who graduated in 2013 with a Modern Languages (French and German) BA. After discovering he enjoyed mentoring and supporting young people, Guy went on to work in the skills and employment sector, and currently works in a policy role for local government in the North East of England.
Keen to re-engage with UCL and continue his interest in mentoring, Guy signed up to participate in Alumni-Student Chats. This light-touch mentoring opportunity – designed to fit around busy schedules – allows alumni to share insights and advice with current students through a quick 30-minute phone conversation.
Guy was matched with UCL student Rares Muscar, who began studying Politics, Sociology, and East European Studies in 2024. The pair were matched due to both having studied in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, and the opportunity to chat about the kinds of career paths a degree in this area could enable was particularly valuable for Rares.
An open conversation about student life
“Guy was extremely easy to get along with and speak freely to,” Rares said. “This meant I was able to discuss all the stressful things about uni, and do a lot of complaining about the job market. Guy directly responded to these worries and he explained, reassuringly, that finding a job isn’t a straight pathway.”
Before the conversation, Rares had been feeling pressure to secure a well-paid, ‘ideal’ job straight after graduating. Talking with Guy brought a new perspective on this.
“You never actually know where that job will take you. Or it might motivate you, or reroute you completely,” Rares said. “It’s a scary thought, but also a fun one, that you won’t know where you’ll be in a year. Guy reassured me that things always tend to resolve themselves.”
For Guy, the experience was equally rewarding. “I remember being in that position myself,” he said. “I probably would have appreciated a bit of guidance, whether it was from a careers advisor, or from someone that had been there and done it.”
By sharing his experiences of working in local government, alongside roles in the charity sector and community work, Guy was able to give Rares insight into what working across different sectors can look like.
“I stumbled into what I did at university,” Guy said. “But when I took a step back and thought about what I was really interested in, I was able to draw on a range of experiences to pursue a career in the skills and employment world.”
Volunteering to unlock the future
One of the experiences that helped shape Guy’s future career was volunteering as a mentor for an education charity while studying at UCL. That experience encouraged him to explore how he could turn that passion into paid work.
Guy’s story resonated with Rares. “The most important thing I took away from this interaction was that volunteering is something I should definitely look into,” Rares said. “Not only because it’s a good thing to do, but because you will meet people you would never have otherwise met, simply because you tried something you might like. From here, you can form a new idea of what you want to do.”
The conversation also changed the way Rares thought about the wider UCL experience.
“As a commuter student and first to go to university in my family, I tend to not get that involved with what the university offers, especially volunteering,” Rares said. “I saw volunteering as a thing someone does to tick a box on their CV. But Guy explained that by involving yourself in UCL, especially through volunteering, you can actually make your university experience more rewarding. It’s not only getting a degree, but having the time and possibility to find out what you actually like to do.”
Connecting with the wider UCL community
The Alumni-Student Chat experience helped both Guy and Rares feel connected in different ways.
“I usually avoid all things to do with networking and ‘making connections’ because it sounds artificial,” Rares said. “I thought something like a simple chat programme might be fun and I might actually learn a thing or two. I came out learning much more than I expected. And it simply felt like a chat with an old friend.”
For Guy, it felt like an easy and meaningful way to reconnect with UCL.
“It was stress-free and it left me feeling energised and positive. Not just about UCL students, but also about myself in terms of what I could give. I’ve always been pretty big on volunteering – it’s shaped my life in a lot of ways – and this was a nice way to dip my toe back into that and give back to the UCL community.”
For other alumni considering volunteering for the Alumni-Student Chat programme, Guy says: “Go for it! If you feel like you want to engage again with UCL, maybe you feel a bit detached from it, then this is a nice way to do that. You also get some insight into what it’s like being a student there now, and I really enjoyed that too. It was nice to feel connected to an institution that I have very fond memories of.”
Interested in taking part in Alumni-Student chats?
Complete our Alumni Volunteer Expression of Interest Form to find out more and explore other ways you can give back to UCL through volunteering.
