This National Volunteers’ Week, we are celebrating our dedicated alumni volunteers and the vital role they play in enriching the lives of UCL students of past, present and future.
The paths UCL graduates take are varied and ambitious, making their experience immensely valuable to current students and the institution as a whole. By volunteering their time, knowledge and expertise, alumni strengthen what it means to study at UCL.
So far in the 2025-26 academic year, over 700 alumni have generously given their time. Their efforts have allowed us to bring UCL’s 200th anniversary celebrations to forty cities, inspire prospective students in 40 regions across 25 countries, and offer over 400 current students meaningful advice and mentorship in various forms.
And volunteering is a gift that gives back. Through the valuable support they offer to UCL’s community, volunteers develop new skills, gain fresh perspectives, and strengthen their connection to UCL.
Giving a heartfelt thank you to our alumni volunteers, Elizabeth Phipps Drewett, Associate Director of Alumni and Supporter Relations, said:
By giving back through volunteering, you help today’s students build confidence, develop skills and grow valuable networks. You empower prospective students to take their next steps and find their place with us. And you strengthen our global alumni community, keeping your fellow graduates connected to each other and to UCL. Thank you for everything you do. Your UCL community is stronger because of you.
Throughout the week, we spotlighted some of our brilliant volunteers and the ways they have given back this year.
Supporting current students to thrive
We offer two different mentoring programmes so that alumni can fit volunteering around their other commitments.
The Alumni Mentoring programme takes place over a three-month period where alumni mentors support student mentees to build their confidence and prepare for successful careers through regular meetings.
The Alumni-Student chats programme is a lighter-touch way to offer mentoring. Alumni are matched with a current student from a similar academic or personal background for a 30-minute chat that can happen virtually or in person.
We spoke to alum Guy Cowen-Hutton (UCL Modern Languages BA 2013) and current student Rares Muscar (UCL Politics, Sociology and East European Studies BA) about their experience taking part in the programme. You can read their thoughts in full here.
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 […] It was nice to feel connected to an institution that I have very fond memories of.
I came out learning much more than I expected. And it simply felt like a chat with an old friend.
We also heard from Divya Kaushik (UCL Population Health MSc 2023) about her experience on the programme. You can hear more about her experience over on our Instagram.
It's a great way to connect with students from all over the world and hear fresh perspectives and new ideas. The format is really flexible, so I was able to speak to students around my work.
Inspiring the UCL students of tomorrow
For prospective students, there is no better way to find out if UCL is the place for them than talking to an alum. We are lucky to have alumni volunteers championing UCL at university fairs and events worldwide, inspiring talented students to choose UCL and giving valuable advice to offer holders.
Erin Leonardson (UCL International Public Policy MSc 2019), originally from Idaho and now based in Washington DC, has played an important role in supporting international students by meeting with applicants and offer holders in her city to offer them practical advice about studying at UCL and the process of moving to London.
“It’s a pleasure to be connected to young people who are so excited about their line of study, who are also nervous and excited about leaving family. If there’s anything that I can do from my long journey to shorten people’s way, I’m happy to do it.”
Read more about Erin’s UCL story.
Building community across the globe
There are currently 48 UCL alumni groups around the world and counting!
We are always eager to hear from alumni who would like to establish a group in their local area so that we can expand the social gatherings and professional networking events on offer for alumni. If you are interested in finding out more, please get in touch with us.
This year, thanks to the dedication of our alumni volunteers, we were able to bring the UCL200 celebrations - including our spectacular light and sound show UCL Illuminated – to watch parties in 40 cities worldwide.
And there are plans for a whole host of summer alumni receptions across the US, Europe, India, Japan and South Korea, none of which would be possible without the time and local expertise of alumni volunteers.
Check out the full programme of upcoming alumni events.
Harnessing our alumni network’s professional expertise
This year, over 250 alumni have supported UCL Careers programmes, ranging from speaking on panels, helping students practise their interview skills, or hosting workshops and hackathon challenges.
Plus, recent UCL graduates can access Careers Support for up to three years after completing their studies, meaning they too can tap into their community of fellow alumni’s wealth of professional experience.
Find out more about how alumni are shaping UCL’s careers support services.
Volunteer at UCL
Alumni volunteers make the UCL community stronger and we are always pleased to hear from anyone interested in getting involved. Complete our Expression of Interest Form to tell us more about your interests so that we can match you with a suitable volunteering opportunity.
