#OurBirkbeck: Conversations with Alumni

Stuart Haw is currently studying for a PhD which is looking into clubs and community businesses in sport and investigating the capacity and capital that communities require to successfully undertake an asset transfer and manage and run a facility previously owned by a local authority. Stuart’s research has recently been put into practice within his hometown of Peterborough. Since lockdown, his academic findings have also been used to make the case for the importance of community leisure facilities as a space to help maintain peoples’ physical but also mental health. 

Birkbeck alumnus Alan Chan joins Kara McMahon to talk about his career as a singer songwriter.  Alan recently rose to fame appearing on the 2020 series of the Voice UK. In this podcast, you will hear about Alan’s love of music, to his rediscovery of his love of learning and along the way you will also get to hear some of Alan’s songs. Listen to Alan Chan’s music on Spotify Watch Alan Chan’s Blind Audition on the Voice UK

Arvinder Mudhar, Chief Information and Digital Officer at Unum, talks to Bianca Smith about his successful career and why he sees computer science as key to the economic recovery in the wake of the pandemic. Unum have provided financial bursaries for new undergraduate Birkbeck students from non-traditional backgrounds for several years. We are incredibly grateful for Unum’s continued support of the College. A transcript of this podcast is also available for you to read 

Joanna Elson CBE talks about her journey from primary school teacher to CEO of the Money Advice Trust, and how she has been advocating for families throughout her career. She also offers advice for anyone who is currently struggling with financial difficulties, and how we can all petition our local government to enact fairer regulations. A transcript of this podcast is also available for you to read 

Simon Meehan talks about how his degree helped him to secure his current job as Head of Publishing at Chelsea FC, the varied role he plays at the club and in the community and his advice to anyone who is looking to get into the sector. A transcript of this podcast is also available for you to read 

Rick Payne came to Birkbeck at a crossroads after a long career in banking. After getting involved in organizational development, he studied for an MSc in Organizational Behaviour between 2004 and 2007.  He currently works at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England of Wales.  In this podcast, he talks about his time at Birkbeck, how his degree sets him apart in his industry and his role as a mentor on the Mentoring Pathways programme.   Rick also interviews Dr David Gamblin, who is a lecturer in Birkbeck's Organizational Psychology department and programme director for the MSc in Management Consultancy and Organizational Change. Dr Gamblin talks to Rick about his research on decision-making and uncertainty.  A transcript of this podcast is also available for you to read.

Dr Mark Blacklock is an alumnus, novelist and cultural historian who teaches on the MA Creative and Critical Writing course at Birkbeck. He talks to Charlotte Belson from the Development and Alumni Team about his exciting journey which has led to him becoming a successful author, the thrill of getting published, and what makes Birkbeck such a unique institution.  A transcript of this podcast is also available for you to read. 

Listen in to hear from one of our alumni who took a more unusual career path after leaving Birkbeck. In 2016, Thomas Wingate started an international school in Mexico City, providing education to 350 pupils representing some 40 nationalities. In the podcast, Thomas talks about his time at Birkbeck, the lessons he learnt along the way in starting an international school on the other side of the world, and the values he instils in the children he teaches... oh, and the Birkbeck lecturer who ensured a love of Charles Dickens was passed down to all his students! A transcript of this podcast is also available for you to read. 

In this episode, Victoria Hurwood from Birkbeck’s Development and Alumni team speaks to former student Siobhan Andrews Kapoor about her Birkbeck journey, her many career paths and how she is now helping prospective Birkbeck students by participating on Get Talking. A transcript of this podcast is also available for you to read.

In this episode, Victoria Hurwood speaks to Birkbeck alumnus Prince Louis of Luxembourg. They discuss his degree, his coaching career since graduating and how he helps dyslexic people like himself overcome their challenges. A transcript of this podcast is also available for you to read.