Mark Ace shares the priceless feeling he got from being reunited with some of his friends a year ago – to celebrate four decades since their graduation.
With our summer 2024 graduation ceremonies currently taking place, it’s heartwarming to see how alumni who graduated 40 years ago are still meeting up, keeping friendships and their connection to Reading alive.
Mark studied geology graduating in 1984 and lived in St Patrick’s Hall (St Pat’s) during his time at Reading. The reunion – which took place on 1 July 2023 in London – included alumni from the class of 1984 and 1985 who had lived in St Pat’s.
Mark said: “A bunch of us from St Pat’s got together – myself, Mark Cox, Mark Nije, Mark Andrews, Ralph Browning, Maria Kane and Anthony Lavelle. We had some afternoon drinks overlooking the Thames, and after drinks we went for a meal in Borough Market.
“We’ve mostly stayed in touch over the last 40 years. However, we haven’t seen much of Mark Nije as he lives in the Netherlands. He came over to London especially for the reunion. Ralph Browning also joined us and he’s someone who most of us haven’t seen in over 35 years.
“It’s absolutely priceless to still be meeting up with the St Pat’s gang after all these years. The friendships made at university really do last a lifetime.
“We picked up as if it was yesterday that we were all together at Reading. We had great banter and lots of laughing. We’re all approaching 60 but it felt like we were 20 again! A wonderful feeling. It was a great day spent reminiscing and we all behaved a lot more maturely than we did back in the day!”
St Patrick’s Hall offers a range of self-catered and catered accommodation and is located a short walk from academic buildings, shops, and the local Cintra Park. The older parts of the hall were first built in 1908 and were home to the Royal Air Force during both world wars. Did you live in St Patrick’s Hall during your time at Reading? We’d love to hear your memories too.
Organise a reunion
Organising a reunion is a great way to reunite classmates who have lost touch with one another. Re-ignite old friendships, make new professional contacts or celebrate a milestone anniversary.
Reading alumni regularly organise their own events, from relaxed campus visits to weekends full of activities. We would love to hear your story and memories if you have attended a reunion.
If you are thinking about arranging your own alumni event and would like some advice and support, please email alumni@reading.ac.uk. You can also find out more information here.
