Celebrating the impact of our volunteers on campus, in our alumni community and for society
Happy Volunteers’ Week! We’d like to take this opportunity to shout from the rooftops about the amazing alumni who have volunteered their time and expertise this year to make a difference.
2 June 2025
This academic year, around 500 alumni volunteers from 30 countries have given back to their university community, whether that be supporting students on campus or our global community of Newcastle University graduates.
Volunteers’ Week (2-8 June 2025) is an annual celebration of the difference volunteers make in society. To mark the occasion, we’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to our volunteers and celebrate the difference they have made.
Supporting our students on campus
Whether it’s sharing their career journeys to inspire others; sharing their expertise in guest lectures; or promoting all the wonderful things Newcastle University has to offer at Open Days around the world, we are extremely grateful to have an alumni community looking out for our students.
Alumni from the past four decades took to the hot seat to be interviewed by Global PR students. As well as sharing the fascinating stories of where life has taken them since graduating and how their time at university has shaped their life, these volunteers helped boost students’ confidence and skills for their future careers.
We’ve welcomed a whole host of graduates back to campus to give guest lectures and student society talks, including with Newcastle University Students’ Union media team (responsible for the publication of The Courier and Newcastle Student Radio) and through the Career Service’s Creative Careers Week 2025.
Alumni have also been at the heart of the creation of a new network for Black and other Global Majority Engineering students. The Belonging in Engineering Network (BEN) provides events and activities on topics including career guidance, study skills, industry networking and managing racism and microaggressions, as well as social events, supported by a dedicated committee of alumni, staff and students.
Kiri is a final-year MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering student who has benefited from the support of alumni through BEN. She said of the volunteers:
“Their stories help us see what’s possible after graduation. Many have offered mentorship, revision support and career insights – such as the recent ARUP on-site visit – that we students truly appreciate.”
And volunteers from our alumni community have shared their experiences to inspire the Newcastle students of tomorrow, through the PARTNERS summer school and China Career Gateway.
Even the smallest of gestures makes a huge difference. For example, during congregations, each graduate receives a ‘Key to Success’ from a member of our alumni community, sharing their advice as they take on the next challenge post-degree.
We currently have over 30 Alumni Networks which provide a supportive community, events and opportunities for graduates based on their location, their chosen industry or their interests. Volunteer-ran events have taken place in Newcastle, London, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Greece and the US since the start of term, and several new networks have been established, including the Writers Alumni Network.
Events
Another way volunteers are enriching our alumni community is through speaking at our career-enhancing Newcastle Develop and knowledge-sharing Newcastle Discover events.
This year, we heard from alumnus Professor Colin Rees, who is President of the British Society of Gastroenterology and Professor of Gastroenterology at Newcastle University. In his lecture (which is available to watch on YouTube), Professor Rees shared his revolutionary research harnessing AI to detect bowel cancer. We were also joined on campus by School of Music alumna Hazel Savage, who shared the impact of AI and technology on the music industry.
Supporting wider society
It makes us so proud to hear about all the amazing things our graduates go on to do when they leave campus, especially when they carry the spirit of Newcastle with them to give back to their local community.
As always, Newcastle alumni featured prominently in King Charles III's New Year's Honours list. This year, among others, we celebrated the achievements of Joeli Brearley, founder of the charity Pregnant then Screwed, which she launched as a voluntary space for mothers to share their stories of discrimination. With Joeli's tireless work, the project has grown into a charity and has been credited with influencing the recent £5.2 billion government investment in childcare in the UK. Due to this tireless championing, Joeli was awarded an MBE for services to working families.
Class of 2014 alumna Jing Sun was recently awarded an Alumni Achievement Award in recognition of her social and civic contributions. Alongside a full-time career in the philanthropic sector in China, Jing volunteers for A Better Community, a social enterprise providing consulting services to non-profit organisations.
This year's NCL in Action centred around the challenges and opportunities of AI and Future Technologies for our lives, personal and professional. As part of the programme, tech-savvy students, colleagues, and alumni came together to upskill less confident graduates and solve their technical challenges. A great example of our diverse community coming together to solve a problem.
If you are a Newcastle graduate volunteering in your local community, we would love to hear from you so we can celebrate the difference you are making!
Feeling inspired?
If you’re feeling inspired to volunteer for your alma mater this Volunteers’ Week, head to our website to check out the latest opportunities we have for you. We are always on the lookout for graduates who are keen to give their time, knowledge and experience back to students and our global alumni community!
Please email us at alumni.volunteer@newcastle.ac.uk
Share your experience of volunteering at Newcastle University
If you volunteered during your student days – either for the university or for another cause – we would love to hear how your experience has shaped your life and helped others. Let us celebrate you by sharing your story with us! Please email advancement@ncl.ac.uk with your news.
Alternatively, if you have benefited from our amazing alumni volunteers – perhaps you are a recent graduate who was helped by an alumni mentor in your industry, or you found a new group of friends through an alumni network – please tell us!