Recent alumni speakers
“Never stop questioning and learning”
The School of Humanities together with the Careers Service and the Development and Alumni office hosted an employability event for students on 21 March 2012.
The event, aimed at all Humanities students, included skills sessions on pitching, speaking with confidence and networking as well as CV/application workshops run by careers counsellors. There were also various Q&A sessions with professionals from a number of different sectors/roles.
University of Brighton alumna, Anji Hunter, returned to Falmer to give an inspiring talk to the students on her top five tips for the world of work.
Anji started her career as political assistant to newly elected MP Tony Blair, eventually becoming Director of Government Relations for Blair’s government in 1997. She was described as “the most influential non-elected person in Downing Street”.
From 2002 until 2009, Anji was Group Director of Communications at BP, with responsibility for internal and external communications. She then took on the role of Director of External Affairs at the global conglomerate Anglo American plc, overseeing relations with the communities and governments where the company operates.
In October 2011 Anji was appointed as Director of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering.
One of the student attendees, Kelly Heane (pictured with Anji) said: “The employability day was fantastic for networking and for getting yourself out there. Anji Hunter is so inspirational and a fantastic asset for the University of Brighton, its students and alumni. I’m so pleased I got to see her talk at my university.”
“They taught me everything I know about fashion”
Internationally acclaimed fashion designer and Brighton alumnus Julien MacDonald OBE, returned to his roots on 19 March 2012 to talk to University of Brighton fashion students about his illustrious career.
Julien took part in a panel discussion as part of an annual UK-wide, talent-spotting tour of university fashion departments called Fashion Fringe.
He studied fashion textiles with business at the University of Brighton before receiving a scholarship to the Royal College of Art (RCA). He has won international acclaim for his glamorous designs and in 2000 became chief designer at the Paris couture house, Givenchy.
The Fashion Fringe event coincides with a call for applications to the Fashion Fringe award. The competition was organised by Colin McDowell, who initiated the event in recognition that not all fashion industry professionals and students can be London-based. The aim is to help connect young talent in the UK regions with the London fashion scene.
Julien tweeted after the event: “I loved university; it was the best time of my life. They taught me everything I know about fashion.”
