Forever Surrey

Calling all University of Surrey alumni in Hong Kong!

The Hong Kong Alumni Club is hosting a special alumni gathering on Monday, 7 September, and we’d love to see you there.

Join fellow Surrey graduates for an evening of conversation, networking, and memories of your time at the University. You’ll also hear the latest news and updates direct from Guildford.

📅 Monday, 7 September
🕡 6.30 – 9.30pm
📍 Dada Bar and Lounge: 2/F, The Luxe Manor, 39 Kimberley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Reconnect with old friends, meet new contacts, and celebrate being part of the Surrey alumni community.

Register today: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/events/20260907-hong-kong-alumni-club-gathering

Surrey alumni in Toronto - we’d love to see you!

Join us for a relaxed alumni gathering in Toronto, kindly organised and hosted by fellow Surrey graduate Mia Abi Hayla.

It’s been some time since our last Toronto alumni event, so this is a great opportunity to reconnect with the University, catch up with fellow graduates, and meet other Surrey alumni living and working in the area.

📅 Friday, 21 August
🕕 6PM
📍 St. Louis Bar & Grill, 11 St Clair Ave W, Toronto, M4V 1K6

Whether you graduated recently or many years ago, you’re warmly invited to join us.

Please register your attendance here: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/events/20260821-toronto-alumni-club-gathering

Surrey alumni in New York - we’d love to see you this October!

We’re heading to Manhattan for a special alumni reception, and you’re warmly invited to join us.

Come along for an evening of drinks, canapés and conversation as we reconnect with fellow Surrey graduates, share updates from the University, and celebrate the Surrey alumni community in New York and beyond.

📅 Thursday, 1 October
🕖 7PM
📍 The Whitby Hotel, 18 W 56th Street, New York, NY 10019

Whether you’re catching up with old friends, expanding your professional network or reliving your favourite Surrey memories, we’d be delighted to have you with us.

Register today: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/events/20261001-new-york-alumni-reception

Join our New York Alumni LinkedIn group to connect with fellow graduates in the region: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8543411/

We were delighted to welcome University of Surrey alumna Dr Nicky Fox back to campus on 15 July 2026 to receive an honorary doctorate from the University 🎓

Nicky, who graduated from Surrey with an MSc in Telematics and Satellite Communications in 1991, is now Associate Administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, leading more than 100 missions exploring Earth, the Sun, the planets and the wider universe.

During her visit, we made sure Nicky finally met herself - the “Proud to be Surrey” billboard featuring her on campus. It’s a familiar sight to our students and staff, and one she is often sent photos of, but this was the first time she had seen it in person.

Speaking to graduates, Nicky reflected on the confidence, friendships and teamwork she found at Surrey, and encouraged students to embrace curiosity and perseverance.

Congratulations, Nicky - we are incredibly proud to celebrate you as a Surrey alumna and Honorary Graduate 💙🦌

Read the story: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/nicky-fox-returns-surrey-receive-honorary-degree-and-finally-meets-herself-campus

🎓 Congratulations, Class of 2026. Welcome to your University of Surrey alumni community!

Your studies may have come to an end, but your Surrey alumni story is just beginning. As a graduate, you’re now part of a global community of more than 153,000 Surrey alumni across 185 countries 🌎

Wherever your next step takes you, Surrey is still here to support you with:

· Lifetime access to the Surrey Employability Hub for career advice and jobs
· Career development workshops through the Surrey Leavers Programme, including CV writing, interview skills and job searching
· Mentoring and networking through SurreyConnects
· 20% discount on eligible masters programmes
· Alumni events, clubs and volunteering opportunities around the world
· Free library membership for UK-based alumni
· Retail offers and discounted Surrey Sports Park alumni membership

And there are plenty of ways to stay connected. Join our Surrey alumni LinkedIn groups to grow your professional network, hear from fellow graduates and discover opportunities. You can also follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for alumni news, events, stories and ways to get involved.

You’ll always be part of Surrey. Stay connected, keep in touch and make the most of your alumni community.

🔗 Find out more: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/alumni/new-graduates

“When I came to university in the 1990s, higher education was tuition fee‑free. If you had the grades, you were in. That access changed my life… That’s why I give.”

For Surrey graduate Narvir Brard (BSc Business Economics with Computing, 1997), a tuition‑free education and a placement at the Treasury opened the door to a career in the City, with roles at major investment banks including BNP Paribas, J.P. Morgan, Nomura and Citi. Surrey didn’t just shape his academic path - involvement in the Economics Society, where he became
treasurer, helped him build confidence, responsibility and a stronger connection to the university community.

Now, Narvir is giving back by co‑funding undergraduate scholarships in Economics, helping students to focus more fully on their studies and make the most of university life, rather than worrying about finances.

Scholar Thiviya “Tiv” Thiyagarajah recently graduated with a First‑Class Honours degree in Economics and Mathematics. The scholarship meant she could afford on‑campus accommodation in her final year and dedicate time to her dissertation on the impact of regional funding on NHS waiting times, while also looking after her wellbeing by joining ArtSoc.

For Narvir, philanthropy offers “a kind of reset” - a chance to step back from the busyness of professional life and support students who are just starting out, just as he once did. A recent visit back to campus with his A‑Level‑age son brought things full circle: the facilities may have changed, but for Narvir, Surrey remains a place where young people can discover who they are and what they want to become.

Read Narvir’s story and find out how alumni support is widening access and enriching the student experience at Surrey: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/why-i-give-narvir-brard-bsc-business-economics-computing-1997

Thinking about accelerating your career or changing direction?

Surrey Business School’s MBA has been redesigned to reflect the realities of modern business - from digital transformation and AI to entrepreneurship and hospitality management. With flexible full-time and part-time routes, you can fit your studies around your professional and
personal commitments.

On the Surrey MBA you will:
- Choose from specialist pathways in AI, entrepreneurship and hospitality
- Work on real-world business projects and challenges
- Access tailored careers support and leadership development

Surrey alumni are eligible for a 20% tuition fee discount.

Secure your place or ask a question by emailing: [email protected]

Find out more: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/mba

After 12 years as British Airways cabin crew, Ted Adams Trust Scholar Gabriella Sweeney knew she wanted to give back in a different way. A role in supported living just before the pandemic - working with neurodivergent young adults, some non‑verbal and managing complex mental health needs -became a turning point. “It was the most difficult thing I’ve ever
done,” she says, “but it taught me that I thrive in crisis. I want to help people through their hardest moments.”

Gabriella’s decision to retrain as a Mental Health Nurse is also rooted in profound personal loss: in 2014, she experienced the death of her baby daughter, Isabella Eden. Channelling her grief into action, she completed an access course, visited Surrey on an Open Day - where the
outstanding facilities and professionalism of students in uniform convinced her it was the right place - and is now approaching the start of the final year of her Mental Health Nursing BSc.

The Ted Adams Trust Nursing Scholarship, providing £4,000 a year for up to three years, has been pivotal in making this transition possible. As a mature student leaving full‑time work, the scholarship eases the financial pressure of maintaining her car for long commutes to placement - a vital “piece of the puzzle” in building her new life.

Alongside her studies, Gabriella volunteers for a student support service and hosts The Baby Loss Podcast, creating a safe space for others affected by loss and helping to break the stigma around grief. Her ambition is to specialise in bereavement care within the NHS, offering the same
compassion she once received to families facing unimaginable pain.

Read Gabriella’s story and discover how scholarships and education are helping students at Surrey transform lived experience into compassionate, professional care: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/ba-bsc-gabriellas-journey-mental-health-nursing

“Still Surrey till we die.”

For UniS Old Boys FC, those words sum up what GradSport is really about - a sense of belonging that started on the pitch in 1989 and has grown into a lifelong network of friends, teammates and colleagues.

GradSport is a chance to reconnect: Old Boys who first played in the alumni vs students football fixture in the early 1990s are still returning every year (bar the Covid break) to pull their boots back on and catch up with familiar faces.

One of the driving forces behind that tradition is Paul Cliff (BSc Biochemistry with Toxicology, 1996; MSc Toxicology, 1997; Executive MBA, 2019), Life President of UniS Old Boys FC and long‑time GradSport volunteer. From organising fixtures to mentoring students and fellow alumni, Paul’s story shows how university sport can shape a career, create friends for life and keep the Surrey connection strong around the world.

GradSport also gives back. £2 from every alumni ticket goes to The Forever Surrey Fund, which is already helping student clubs with projects such as a new scoreboard for the Rugby Club and Olympic‑grade scoring equipment for Surrey’s Taekwondo team.

Read Paul’s story and find out how GradSport is helping generations of Surrey players stay connected, give back and keep playing the game they love: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/still-surrey-till-we-die-power-gradsport-and-legacy-unis-old-boys-fc

🎉 Graduation week is almost here! 🎓 Celebrate your Surrey journey with the Class of 2026 Yearbook - a beautiful collection of memories, achievements, and moments that you'll treasure forever. 💙 Undergraduate and postgraduate graduates, don't miss out on securing your copy. Sign up now https://www.gradfinale.co.uk/start and be part of the legacy! ✨