International alumni club spotlight

By Sara Carrier

In this edition of the international alumni club spotlight series, we spoke with our friends across the pond, the U‑M Club of the United Kingdom. From lively watch parties to impactful charity drives, the U‑M Club of the United Kingdom proves that being a Michigan alum means much more than just reminiscing about the good old days. It’s about building friendships, helping the local community, and even turning classic rivalries (yes, those Michigan vs. Ohio State games!) into opportunities for giving back. We sat down with President Will Kendall, Treasurer Vidya Narasimhan, and Board Member Brad Hewlett to learn how the club brings Wolverines together, the meaningful ways UK alumni can get involved, and what makes this club stand out. 

Name: Will Kendall
Title: President, U‑M Club of the United Kingdom

For readers who may not be familiar, can you tell us a bit about the U‑M Club of the United Kingdom

We have over 5,000 alumni living in the UK who, like many Michigan alumni, love to stay involved with the university. We run events throughout the year to connect those alumni and arrange events of mutual interest. We love when faculty come from Ann Arbor to share the projects they work on, but also have social events which have included cheese tasting and an introduction to real tennis.

We also support students heading from the UK to Michigan and attend recruiting events each year to ensure high school graduates are presented with Michigan as an excellent option for university.

What would you say to a Michigan alum who’s on the fence about getting involved with their local club?

Building communities, big or small, is an incredibly rewarding experience. The value of collaborating with fellow alumni, reliving shared experiences, and creating new ones brings a sense of shared spirit that is hard to come by. A small effort goes a long way as it is magnified over the world’s biggest alumni base.

Name: Vidya Narasimhan
Title: Treasurer, U‑M Club of the United Kingdom

For Michigan alumni living abroad, in a new city, or traveling home after college, why is joining a local alumni club so valuable?

For Michigan alumni far away from home, a local alumni club is the home away from home, especially a relaxed atmosphere to meet with fellow alumni and bond over football watch parties and alumni club socials.

A local alumni club often has some regulars who have lived a decade or two (or more) outside of Michigan and can help navigate the new city/country with tips and advice e.g., on international taxes, job opportunities, etc.

It’s really the emotion of seeing fellow alumni wearing maize and blue that brings out the smiles and the happiness from within as it takes one back to beautiful days in Ann Arbor!

How do alumni typically get involved with the club once they arrive in the UK?

Alumni often join the UK alumni club’s WhatsApp community to be in the know of all local alumni events—sports watch parties at our designated pub, socials and common hobbies e.g., wine/coffee. 

Many alumni are regulars at our football watch parties in the fall.

Some go further and volunteer their time to our local alumni club by taking on key leadership roles in communication (via newsletter publications), organisation of watch parties, club socials, engaging with fresh alumni arriving in the UK, and welcoming them into our local community.
 

Name: Brad Hewlett
Title: Board Member, U‑M Club of the United Kingdom

Can you share how much money was raised or how the donations made an impact locally?
During our annual food drive against Ohio State, our UK-based alumni contributed £3,037 to City Harvest to help feed London’s most vulnerable citizens. Our donations meant 9,112 meals were delivered to those in need. Of course it wouldn’t be a rivalry if we didn’t also mention that we outraised OSU and retained the Tressel Trust Trophy for the second year in a row.

Why was it important for the club to pair one of college football’s biggest rivalries with a charitable cause?
Over 200 Wolverines showed up to watch Michigan take on OSU, by far our biggest watch party of the year. Not only that, but the game falls close to Thanksgiving and Giving Tuesday in the states. Given the attention the game gets and the time of year, what better time to raise money in a fun, competitive way. Plus we all want to beat Ohio State, no matter the event!