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Alumni celebrate in Seattle
Alumni celebrate the University's 50th anniversary in Seattle
Alumni Consul Graham Evans (MAPS 1965) brought a group of alumni together in Seattle earlier this month to celebrate the University's anniversary. Here, he reports on the evening:
On Friday May 4, a small but energetic group of University of Sussex alumni gathered with their spouses in a private room at Sazerac in Seattle to celebrate the University's 50th anniversary. We amazed ourselves by first our commitment to being there (everyone turned up!), second the diversity of both our experiences of Sussex and our routes to Seattle, and third by our shared focus on spending more time getting to know each other and not-so-much time on reminiscing about our Sussex days. We agreed that what we missed most about Britain were good Indian restaurants.
Present were:
Zimbabwean Bruce Cowper (ENGG/1991-94/Computer Systems Engineering) now focused on global cyber security strategy for Microsoft with his spouse Clare who reached Seattle via a spell in Ottawa and Toronto, Canada.
Gareth Nevitt (EngAm /1979-82/English Lit. ) is the CFO of Portland (Oregon) Art Museum having moved to the region following his marriage to Lisa (an Oregonian). They confirmed that Portlandia paints a true picture of the life and characters of the city.
American David Dallaire and his Japanese wife Yasuyo are resident in Seattle having after a 15 year stay in Japan. David returned to Seattle to work for Microsoft and now has his own consulting company, Fennec Consulting. David spent a year in Brighton during 1987-88 doing a Masters in International Relations and lived off campus near Brighton station. He has rapidly found us some good news on Indian cuisine in the Seattle region.
Kim Margolin (another American) is now Professor, University of Washington and Member, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. She describes herself as a very SENIOR alumnus of the University of California's Education Abroad Program (when students actually did a whole year abroad in the third year), was a student in MOLS 1972-73 visiting from UCLA. Now married to Stan Herold, she remembered to bring along some mementoes of her year at Sussex, including the 'welcome guide' for students. Among other things, this mentioned some restaurants in Brighton including one that was 'rather expensive' - a meal for two would be £5.00.
Graham Evans (MAPS 1965-1968 Physics, Maths and Economics) and his wife Linda. They reached Seattle via Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Washington DC. Graham now has his own management consulting business Aqua Consulting. He remembered that while he was at Sussex the Halls of Residence were gender segregated - and the Head of Roedean banned 'her gals' from applying to Sussex when a picture appeared in the Evening Argus of a female student clad only in a towel in a male Hall of Residence.
Also we noted that UoS regularly sends exchange students to the University of Washington in Seattle - there are believed to be four there this year. One thing they are anxious for is to find local sources of Marmite, good tea and Horlicks. Rest assured - these are all available locally - but do bring your own mint sauce.
We are aiming to stay in touch with each other and arrange another get together before the 100th anniversary. Please contact Graham Evans at grahamev@me.com if you are interested in joining the group for another meeting.
