This Networking Practice with Alumni session is designed to give you a practical opportunity to develop and demonstrate your networking skills in a safe, non-judgmental space with FREE refreshments provided. It is an ideal and introvert-friendly session for students to put your networking skills to the test in this in-person mixer with UCL students and alumni.
You will also get a chance to naturally learn more about the alumni and their career stories based on the questions you and your peers ask. Receive golden tips for networking at the beginning of the session. Towards the end of the session, alumni will share common mistakes they have observed with suggested solutions, and you are also encouraged to share your major takeaways with everyone. Please attend this session prepared to engage with everyone.
Alumni who will be taking part:
Sophie Aldebert:
Sophie transitioned from Chemical Engineering to UX (User Experience) to focus on human experiences over lab experiments. With an MSc in Science, Technology & Society from UCL, she now works at Centrica (British Gas), following experience at a tech start-up. She helps businesses become people-centric and drive long-term value. A strong advocate for mentoring, her passion for public speaking has led her to speak at tech conferences in London and now across Europe. Actively engaged with London’s UX community, she encourages others to grow their networks, just as she built hers from scratch by starting conversations.
Jess Zhou:
Jess holds a BA in Criminology from Durham University and an MPhil in Criminal Justice from Oxford University and more recently completed an MSc in Child Development Psychology from UCL. Her career switch was informed by a desire to have a more direct and positive impact on young lives by intervening earlier in their educational and developmental stages.
Jess is the co-founder of an education startup established in 2022 called Homecamp UK Student Services Ltd, which is part of the UCL Innovation & Enterprise Hatchery community. Homecamp provides support and services to students who are studying in the UK mainly under the age of 18. Homecamp’s mission is to encourage young people's holistic development, boost their confidence, enhance their experiences, and feel more at home in the UK.
Shaban Chaudhary:
Shaban Chaudhary is Council (University’s governing body, overseeing the management and administration of UCL) Member for University College London (UCL) and Education Officer at Students’ Union UCL. He graduated with a BSc in Biodiversity and Conservation from UCL. Shaban has successfully run a mentorship establishment over the past 5 years, paving the way for various students into top tier institutes around the globe, securing approximately 80 IVY League Colleges/Oxbridge admissions and multiple scholarships.
He believes, with firm conviction, that education remains a right for all and hopes to advocate for the accessibility of education. Shaban has worked at different scales of policy making from local government at Camden Council to United Nations sponsored Projects. He has also gained governance expertise whilst working at Mayor’s Office London.
Participating in this session will allow you to:
- Learn how to develop networking skills through the mixer by recognising your own strengths and weaknesses in the practical session.
- Naturally learn more about the alumni and their career journey based on the questions you and your peers ask.
- Observe examples of different questions asked and answered in the session by peers.
- Reflect on the most common mistakes made in networking.
- Feeling more confident when networking in the future.
🩵This event is open to all Postgraduate students (PGR and PGT) and recent graduates.
💜This session is highly practical, so we kindly ask you to arrive on time to make the most of it. 😊
🩵Please wear whatever you're most comfortable in, however business casual attire is always encouraged!
💜Free refreshments including nibbles, fruits and soft drinks are provided.
🩵Location: The Haldane Room is located on the Bloomsbury Campus - approximately 20 metres from the entrance of the UCL Main Library. 1 minute walk from the Student Centre.