Alumni Connect

Chartered Engineer and STEM ambassador Alexia Williams has been awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire in the June King’s Honours. Alexia studied a degree apprenticeship in Aerospace Engineering (Manufacturing) at UWE Bristol, graduating in 2022. She works at Rolls-Royce in Bristol, as a Technical Lead. “This recognition reinforces my belief in the … Continue reading "26 year-old Chartered Engineer amongst alumni honoured by the King"

Growing up in a small town in Malaysia, for Thanaselan Rajendran studying abroad was out of the question. It was not even dreamt of. He didn’t grow up with privilege or powerful networks. He lived with his Malaysian Indian family who worked on a plantation estate, where he experienced first-hand the deep structural inequalities in … Continue reading "“I love to talk, love to fight, love justice”"

Alum David McCann won an Emmy earlier this year as Editor of ‘A Real Bugs Life – Love in the Forest’. The multi award-winning National Geographic documentary series shows life on planet Earth from a bug’s eye view. He’s also just worked on the Bristol episode Secret Garden – a BBC1 series commissioned as part … Continue reading "“I see a bit of my Mum in that spider”"

Six alumni have been recognised in the 2026 King’s New Year Honours list. We celebrate their incredible dedication to their work in education, nursing, food procurement and sustainability, youth work, allied health professions and social housing. Thanks to these outstanding individuals, the lives of others have been made better. We’re proud of their extraordinary achievements … Continue reading "UWE Bristol alumni recognised in 2026 New Year’s Honours"

Sparks International Cultural Festival © Sam Phat Production Eight amazing community projects came to life thanks to crucial funding from the UWE Bristol Community Grant this year. In total more than £20,000 was awarded to projects which all had Bristol communities at their heart. Each project centred on building relationships between staff, students and local communities, … Continue reading "Heart-warming stories from UWE Bristol’s 2025 Community Grant projects"

Alum Silas Adekunle was invited by the United Nations to give a statement at the historic launch of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance this autumn. The advice he gave to the General Assembly of world leaders was born out of his experience, passion and expertise as a builder of technologies in both the UK, and … Continue reading "Reporting to the UN: Silas Adekunle calls for inclusion in AI"

Minimising waste and maximising the use of resources is what a circular economy is all about. A circular economy supports sustainable growth, environmental protection, and social equity. Unlike the traditional linear economy of ‘take, make, use, dispose’, it aims to keep materials in use for longer, reduce environmental impact, and decouple growth from resource consumption … Continue reading "Circular economy alumni heroes"

A circus Ringmaster Gromit has been created by Illustration alum Tozer, complete with top hat and tails.  Sign painter Tozer was commissioned to create the Gromit inspired by The Greatest Showman story.   Ringmaster Gromit will be at Bristol Children’s Hospital main entrance from Monday 30 June as part of Gromit Unleashed 3, a sculpture-spotting trail … Continue reading "Sign painter Tozer and her Ringmaster Gromit "

Born and raised in Bristol, Sam Jukes founded Cacto Drinks in 2020 while still studying his BA(Hons) in Sports Business and Entrepreneurship. With the support of the UWE Bristol Entrepreneurial Futures Award (EFA), Sam’s company is going from strength to strength, and they’ve recently closed a successful investment round. Sam’s prickly pear fascination Sam was … Continue reading "A passion for prickly pears: the Bristolian building a business on cactus juice"

Mia Collins candidate on BBC’s The Apprentice 2025 BBC The Apprentice candidate Mia Collins thrives on a challenge. Discipline and structure are core to her mindset. Constantly looking to develop herself, she uses feedback as a springboard to learn and bounce back. Soon after completing her Business Management degree at UWE Bristol, she launched a … Continue reading "Fired up and ready to go – Apprentice Mia Collins"