Are you a past student of Queen Mary’s College?
Please complete the form at the bottom of this page to get in touch.
We are always keen to stay connected to past students. We enjoy hearing what QMC Alumni achieve after they leave College, and the impact our teachers and staff had on their career journey. We are also keen to hear your success stories to help inspire the next generation. An ongoing relationship can be of great benefit to both you and our current students. These are just some of the ways that you can get involved:
- Careers Events
- Work Experience
- Visiting Speaker
- Mock Interviews
- Success Stories/Alumni Profiles
Are you a current or future student looking for inspiration?
From professions in STEM to performing arts and the creative industries and everything in between, QMC alumni progress into a wide variety of career pathways. Be inspired! Here is a selection of past students who have been in touch to tell us where they are now:
In Their Words: hear what our past students have to say…
Aggie Banks
“I studied at Arts University Bournemouth doing a Commercial Photography Bachelor of Arts, specialising in fashion and portraiture. As a food lover, I spent my time at home baking and cooking during the pandemic, and re-trained myself to style, light and photograph in smaller sets in my living room and it snowballed from there! I became self-employed this year, building up my own client base and now work as a freelance commercial food and product photographer. I work with some local cafes and restaurants as well as bigger clients in London, photographing menus for websites and social media and on-location. As for QMC, I was quite a shy teenager and a lot of my time was spent in the library or in the art block, doing coursework or developing extra film photographs in the darkroom. The closest friend I made in my first year photography class is someone I still keep in touch with today!”
Andrew White
“After college, I went to the University of Birmingham to study Physics with Particle Physics and Cosmology having really enjoyed learning the mathematical-side of Physics at QMC. I eventually specialised towards theoretical physics with computational modelling for my master’s project. I’m currently a software developer for BJSS where I’ve gotten to work with a range of clients on a whole range of projects such as improving cervical screening using AI and machine learning to completely redesign the British Airways website using cutting edge technologies. Software development uses the problem solving skills I developed from studying maths and physics and I’ve found that there’s always something new to learn. I would definitely recommend it as a career path to anyone following a similar journey to mine!”
Subhashini Crerar
“My college experience was a bit up and down but through my chemistry class, things really changed for me. My chemistry teacher’s dedication and belief in his students was inspiring and encouraging. It helped me to focus on my goal of going to university and this has resulted in my achieving not only an undergraduate degree, but three subsequent post-graduate degrees throughout the years, all of which have built a foundation for which I am now excelling within the NHS as a principal genetic counsellor. To all current and prospective students, I have just one small piece of advice; Never give up, even if they tell you can’t do it, it only takes encouragement from one person to believe in you and sometimes that person is you!”
Chris Mallinson
“At the end of my time at QMC, a disappointing set of A level results blocked my initial route to study chemistry at the University of Southampton. However, my teacher encouraged me to keep at it and I managed to eventually get in the course. I went to the University of Surrey to complete a PhD in Materials Engineering sponsored by AWE Aldermaston and then completed a postdoctoral research fellowship. Since 2017, I have been working at Frazer-Nash Consultancy as a Materials Engineering Consultant, acting as a Managing Consultant in the Materials Performance Group. Through consulting I’m able to engage directly with clients and solve problems that have a very real-world impact!””
Jessica Waugh-Bacchus
“I studied English Literature, Spanish, Modern History and Drama at QMC, all of which were incredibly helpful when transitioning into a career in public relations. These subjects and courses improved my written and verbal communication skills as well as teaching me how to research effectively. Studying modern languages also provided me with the foundations to work internationally. The teaching staff were hugely supportive and encouraged me to push myself to achieve my goals.”
Ollie Smith
“After college I studied Mathematics at Cambridge. It was hard work but I had an amazing time. I stayed on to complete my master’s in mathematics there as I enjoyed the course and did well academically. I eventually started my career in data analytics, working up from being a junior data scientist to now a senior data scientist at a fraud detection tech company. My job consists of building machine learning models to help organisations identify fraudulent payments. The fintech industry is exciting and fast paced. I enjoy data science and machine learning as it’s a good mix of coding and mathematical and statistical principles. With data science and machine learning, you can work across various industries if you want to, and I’m happy that my career gives me that flexibility!”
Kate Morris
“After QMC, I studied Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Surrey and then completed a Master’s degree in Applied Sport and Exercise Physiology at St Mary’s University, Twickenham. Whilst I currently work as an ecommerce-coordinator at Parkrun, I am also training as a runner with Aldershot, Farnham and District running club. I aspire to run for England and Great Britain one day! I am grateful to QMC and the teachers there for helping me find my confidence and to believe in myself. I was always supported and was encouraged to be the best version of myself. I had a very happy two years there!”
Gemma Hancock
“When I left QMC I went to the University of Essex where I completed a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with Computer Science. After gaining a Masters in the Mathematics of Cryptography and Communications at the Royal Holloway, University of London, I then joined CGI as part of their technical graduate scheme just over a year ago as a software engineer working in the Space, Defence and Intelligence industry. My time at QMC was incredible, and without the extra support I received from my personal tutor and encouragement to just do what I enjoy, I would not have made it to where I am today! QMC taught me that careers in STEM are open to anyone, regardless of your background.”
Rebecca Barrett
“From QMC, I went on to study Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge University and graduated in 2019. I started work at a small animal practice in Reading soon after, where I still work today. I loved my time at QMC, my teachers supported me to achieve the grades I needed for university and helped me to refine my application and interview skills to give me the best chance of success!”
