The student experience from the 1980s to now: Reflections from a mother-son alumni duo
With graduation celebrations in full swing on campus, we caught up with Class of 1986 graduate Nickie Kavanagh (née Bell) and her son Rory to hear how the student experience in Newcastle has changed over the past four decades.
10 July 2025
Mother Nickie Kavanagh (née Bell) arrived on campus in the mid-1980s, graduating with a degree in French in 1986. 34 years later, she proudly watched her son Rory graduate from our School of Architecture, and the pair returned for a third time in 2024 as Rory completed his Master’s in Architecture.
As we celebrate the Class of 2025 on campus this month, we took the opportunity to catch up with Nickie and Rory to reflect on their time at Newcastle and how the student experience has changed from the 1980s to now.
Student suburbs
Both Nickie and Rory spent their first year at Newcastle University in university-owned student accommodation. Nickie moved into Eustace Percy Hall at Castle Leazes, which “ironically, given it was just demolished as Rory graduated last year, felt quite luxurious in 1982!”
She spent her second year in a 5-bedroom house in the neighbourhood, before moving to “aspirational area” Jesmond, with Acorn Road boasting just one café back then! Nickie told us, “Fair to say, the area has blossomed since.”
Rory, on the other hand, spent his first year at Kensington Terrace near Exhibition Park, before moving to Jesmond for the final two years of his undergraduate, and then to Heaton during his Master’s.
Lifelong friendships
When living in Fenham, Nickie shared a house with fellow Newcastle student Jane Southall (nee Heading), who has become a lifelong friend and godmother to Rory. She even returned to Newcastle to help celebrate Rory’s graduation! Speaking of the friendships formed on campus, Nickie offered this piece of advice to current students and recent graduates:
The friendships you’ve formed whilst at Newcastle may be last a lifetime. Make the most of being around your friends whilst you can!
Rory agrees that the friendships forged makes your university experience. He told us, “In architecture you’re in the studio so often (constantly) that you really bond with the people you’re there with. Some of my closest friendships came about through the long hours together in that studio.”
Following in mum’s footsteps
While the fact Nickie studied at Newcastle wasn’t what initially drew Rory to the university (that he credits to “stumbling into Trent House by chance” while visiting the city for research!), the family connection has inspired a deeper love for the city. Rory told us:
“Both my mum and godmother went to Newcastle, and getting to celebrate my graduations with the two of them and re-live their days and old haunts made for a special day.”
And having had the opportunity to return to Newcastle a few times since she graduated thanks to Rory following in her footsteps, Nickie has seen the city – and university – evolve over the past four decades. She said:
“It has been a really welcome opportunity to become reacquainted with Newcastle again. The benefit of Rory graduating twice from here has meant we’ve had repeated trips to visit, and it does feel as though I’ve got to know Newcastle all over again.
“The most noticeable change is the growth of the campus. Whilst at its heart, the core of the campus with its iconic arches, the Students' Union and the theatre feel unchanged, much of what’s new has expanded the university out into the city.”
Learning outside the lecture hall
The city and campus may have changed over the years, but the importance of experiences outside the lecture hall as a student hasn’t. Ahead of her final year of study, Nickie lived in the Auvergne region of France for a year, teaching in two schools and developing her language skills. “Given this was pre-internet and mobile phone, it was an immersive and formative experience!” Nickie laughed. “My French had improved immeasurably by the end of that year along with a great affection for the country.”
And alongside his intense Architecture studies, Rory was VC of the Men’s 2XI Hockey team, helping the team land a double promotion in his second year!
Life since Newcastle
Neither Nickie nor Rory lives in the North East anymore, but with his best friends now living in Whitley Bay, Rory has an excuse to return every couple of months! Since completing his studies with us, Rory has practiced architecture in Edinburgh and now in Stroud, but does harbour hopes of returning to the North East full-time. Speaking of what the future holds, Rory said:
“That old chestnut..! Who knows. The long-term hope is a return to the North and living in Cullercoats-way. In the meantime, I’m just continuing to work in architecture and, fingers crossed, getting my final exams out of the way this year (only seven years since I was a fresher!)”
Almost forty years on from her graduation, Nickie’s journey post-Newcastle has been a global adventure. She told us:
“Language has continued to play a role in the direction taken since Newcastle. A role with Eurocamp shortly after graduating led to time back on the continent where I met my husband as he was about to embark on a career with the Canadian military. My French was properly tested when living in Montreal, it being fundamentally different to Canadian French, but opportunities to use it in other postings have meant that I have continued to use it over the years. And a move shortly to Brussels means another opportunity again!”
Be really intentional with the time you have left. It goes by stupidly quick.
Advice for the Class of 2025
We ended our conversation with Nickie and Rory asking what advice they would give to the students graduating from Newcastle University this month. Rory recommended:
“Be really intentional with the time you have left. It goes by stupidly quick. Our flat had a bucket list of some of the Newcastle sights and activities that we hadn’t done yet, and we used those last months as a bingo sheet, ticking off what we could cram in. Some of the best memories of my 5+ years were in those final months.”
Thank you to Nickie and Rory for sharing their Newcastle experience with us!
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