UCL alumni on the US East Coast unite at September events

More than 120 alumni - both those who completed their full degree at UCL and study abroad alumni - attended events in New York and Boston. These included alumni receptions organised by UCL and community gatherings led by dedicated alumni volunteers.

Attendees reconnected with former classmates and friends, heard from UCL leaders and celebrated the vibrant UCL alumni community in the US. With over 23,500 graduates and a growing number of alumni groups in the country, the US is home to one of UCL’s largest and most active overseas alumni populations.

The September events followed the success of country-wide alumni events in spring 2024 and pave the way for further gatherings on the West Coast in November 2024.

Discussion and discovery at UCL alumni receptions

Hosted by UCL's President & Provost, Dr Michael Spence AC, and UCL Vice-President Advancement, Angharad Milenkovic, the alumni receptions in New York and Boston provided a forum for discussion and discovery as UCL prepares to mark its bicentenary in 2026, with Dr Spence addressing alumni at both events on how the university is evolving and adapting for the future.

In the lead-up to UCL’s 200th anniversary, the university is hosting a series of alumni receptions across the globe to inform alumni about upcoming plans, gather feedback on how UCL can best support its alumni community and collect ideas on how UCL can maintain its position as a world-leading institution as it enters its third century. To this end, this autumn, UCL will also conduct alumni focus groups in London and virtually around the world, as well as an alumni survey, to ensure that the voices of our alumni are represented and woven into our vision for the future. 

In New York, Dr Spence and Angharad Milenkovic welcomed alumni to ModernHaus in SoHo on 17 September, where they were joined by Professor Eloise Scotford, Dean and Professor of Environmental Law at UCL Faculty of Laws, and co-Director of the UCL Centre for Law and Environment.

Professor Scotford gave a talk on the topic of climate governance, delving into the wide range of cross-disciplinary climate research at UCL and her research into how we can tackle the pressing issues to protect our planet.

Travelling up the East Coast to Boston, Dr Spence and Angharad hosted a reception in Cambridge on 18 September, where alumni, spanning the graduating classes of 1963-2024, came together to meet fellow alumni in the region and hear the latest news from London.

In her first visit to the Boston area as UCL Vice-President Advancement, Angharad gave a short address to alumni on the importance of our US community and the critical role alumni play in propelling UCL to set and achieve its vision for the future.

Angharad said: “The support, advice and advocacy of our US community is key to ensuring UCL’s place as London’s global university and plays a critical role in driving UCL’s ambitions forward. As we prepare to mark UCL’s 200th anniversary, our alumni’s engagement and partnership with UCL has never been more important. The global UCL alumni community has been instrumental in fuelling our success from the very beginning, setting a strong foundation and establishing an inspiring precedent as we look to the future. 

“In our bicentenary year, UCL will be launching our next major philanthropic and engagement campaign. This will be the most ambitious campaign in our university’s history, with bold goals for the future. As we strive to achieve these ambitions, we know that we need to harness the strength and dedication of our US alumni community.”

• See more photos from the event on Facebook

Deepening personal and professional networks

Bookending the receptions in New York and Boston were alumni events organised by dedicated alumni volunteers as part of their vibrant annual schedules, aimed at helping UCL alumni develop personal and professional networks and deepen their connection with their alma mater.

Alum Daniel Hawkins (UCL Geography BA 2001), lead volunteer of the UCL Boston Alumni Group, organised a guided walking tour of the 400-year-old town of Portsmouth, led by the Portsmouth Historical Society, followed by drinks at a local bar.

Volunteers from the UCL New York Alumni Group welcomed alumni from the tri-state area aboard a beautifully restored historic schooner for a sailing trip around New York Harbor, enjoying views over the Harbor as the sun set.

Upcoming US alumni events

In November, UCL will be heading stateside again to host alumni events in San Francisco and Los Angeles. If you are based nearby, book your place at an event. 

• UCL San Francisco Alumni Reception
  In-person event, 14 November, 5:30pm-8:30pm PST
  In conversation with alum Chris Mason (PhD Biochemical Engineering 2005), Professor of Cell and Gene Therapy at the UCL Department of Biochemical Engineering, exploring the future of the health/biotech industries.​ 
   
• UCL Los Angeles Alumni Reception
  In-person event, 18 November, 5:30pm-8:30pm PST
  In conversation with alum Sophie Taitt (BA Scandinavian Studies with Management Studies 2001), Director, Global Production Strategy & Operations at Netflix, exploring the future of the entertainment industry.​

Share your views at a focus group

We’re eager to learn what matters most to you as a UCL alum, so we can tailor our activities to be more engaging and relevant for you. Join one of our focus groups, taking place in London and virtually around the world, and make a real impact on how we communicate and engage with alumni like you.

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UCL Boston alumni reception. Credit: Derek Palmer

Further links

• Explore UCL Alumni groups in North America
• UCL in North America
• UCL FAA: The UCL Friends & Alumni Association (UCLFAA) is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the United States whose mission is to raise awareness and support for research, education, and innovation at UCL