FROM THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

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2019-20 has been a peculiar year for alumni relations. After the full calendar of 2018/19, when we celebrated both the end of the Campaign and the 150 years of the institution’s foundation, Michaelmas 2019 marked a return to ‘business as usual’, with the Reunion Weekend, the Careers Fair and a number of subject dinners. In November 2019, Deputy Development Director, Donna Thomas and Development Officer, Millie Papworth caught up with local alumni when they attended the University’s Global Cambridge event in Birmingham. At the end of the month, Nina Caplan (1992) was guest speaker at the annual Modern & Medieval Languages Dinner. She talked about her book The Wandering Vine: Wine, the Romans and Me with Director of Studies, Dr John Leigh. On 12 December, Development Officer Carol Lamb joined over 70 alumni and friends at the Varsity Rugby at Twickenham. It was a good day for Cambridge with both teams winning their matches.

In early January, I travelled to Singapore with the Master, on her first visit to meet our alumni community there. In a quiet moment between meetings, I remember catching an update on a local news channel, saw my first pictures of the Wuhan lockdown, and was intrigued by the conviction of the newscaster that this threat might escalate. They had, of course, seen this before with SARS, and were quite right to be worried...

As February shifted into March, the cancellations of events began. We looked nervously at the calendar, trying to balance sensible precaution with a desire not to overreact, but of course, in the end, it was clear that all of our remaining events must be cancelled or postponed. We know how much our alumni look forward to catching up with their friends and contemporaries and, sadly, it doesn’t look like we will be able to hold any in-person events for quite some time.

Left-Right: Baroness Morgan puts her surgery skills into practice during a simulation at Ngee Ann Polytechnic in Singapore; Baroness Morgan and the Development Director meet for drinks with Fitz alumni at the Cricket Club in Singapore in January 2020; the Telephone Campaign takes place in September 2020 under strict physical-distancing and other COVID measures.

Hopefully, as the vaccination programme expands and restrictions start to ease, we can think about restoring our programme in the warmer months.

But there have also been opportunities within the cancellations: since Michaelmas 2020, we have held weekly talks, bringing together our academics, our students and our alumni. The academic life of the College has broadened out, and I’m delighted that alumni from around the globe have taken the opportunity to join in. And just as we look forward to the day when we will be able to gather once more in person for a casual drink and a catch-up, we will also keep the best of the new things we’ve learned this year.

Much has changed in the Development Office in the last 18 months - not least the departure of three excellent colleagues (Donna Thomas Watson, Millie Papworth and Matt McGeehan - all to promotions, so we cannot be sad!) - and in December 2020 I myself changed role to become Director of Communications & Engagement. This is a new role in the College, designed to build upon the important communication lessons learnt this year, and to enrich our community conversations - from outreach through to alumni. This is a good strategic decision for our alumni relations, and I am excited about the plethora of new ways we may be able to involve alumni in the life of the College. As I write, we are recruiting a new Development Director and, while there is much to do after a difficult year for all of us, they should proceed with confidence and ambition, on the shoulders of a strong and supportive alumni community.

Nicola Jones 69