“The friends I made at the University of Reading have been the most important, and the most long-standing, friendships of my life,” shared alumnus Simon Gordon.
Simon, who graduated from computer science in 1987, recently reunited with his fellow Reading alumnus, mathematics graduate David Goff. This reunion sparked the realisation for Simon of just how significant his University friends have been to him over the past 40 years.
Simon said: “Earlier this year I met up with a great friend, David, and his wife. David reminded me that it’s been 40 years since we met in our first week at Reading, during a maths module we were both taking.
“Since graduating we’ve stayed in touch. We used to regularly meet on campus to play squash and have a pint. We also house-shared for several years, took some holidays together, and I was even his best man at his wedding.”
The pair recently met up in 2024 to reminisce over lunch in Chichester, while Simon was on a visit to the UK from the USA.
Simon shared: “We spoke fondly, but sadly, of another friend from our University days – Sean Ellis, who studied computer science and cybernetics – who passed unexpectedly a few years ago.
“As we talked I couldn’t help but think of two things: one – the friends I made at the University of Reading have been the most important, and the most long-standing, friendships of my life; two – I couldn’t imagine back then the life I would have over the next 40 years.”
Taking risks and seizing opportunities
Simon’s career has seen him travel all around the globe, and he now works in Silicon Valley in the USA as Director of Product Line Management at Dell Technologies. He credits his time at Reading, and the support of friends, with helping him to achieve his career goals.
He said: “I chose to study at Reading because I liked the rich content of the computer science degree.
“It was my time at Reading that gave me the confidence to take risks in life and see where they would take me. Some didn’t work out, but even events such as being made redundant always led to great opportunities.
“My career started fairly humbly as a programmer in the defence sector. Over the last four decades it has evolved in terms of industry, job function, location and travel, in the most surprising ways. I’ve gone onto work in systems integration, consultancy, presales, sales, marketing and product management for a number of technology companies.
“I’ve done things I never thought I would do – I’ve stood on stage in front of hundreds of people to talk about tech; I wrote code for space rockets – or, more correctly, launch vehicles; I made a coffee cup holder out of the printed circuit board of a ground-to-air missile; I’ve collaborated with the people mapping the human genome. It’s all been an incredible experience.
“I learnt so much at University, but I have never stopped learning. Reading gave me the insight to see opportunities, the confidence to take risks, and the self-knowledge to know that I don’t know it all and to be able to ask for help.
“I learnt that what matters are the people you spend time with on the journey, and enjoying each day and each situation for what it is.”
Treasured friendships
Simon’s story of how his friends have supported him and even changed his life over the years is heart-warming to hear, and is an important reminder of how positive it can be to stay in touch with people.
He shared: “It’s 40 years since I started my undergraduate degree at the University of Reading, and this year I will be 60 years old. As a student I had no idea where my decision to study at Reading would take me.
“Life threw us curve balls along the way, but no matter how bad things seemed at the time, we got through those events. My friends have always been there for me.
“The people I met along the way also changed my life – I became friends with one of the founders of a start-up I worked at and he persuaded me to move to the USA in my 40s. It was here in the States that I met my wife and had my son who is now in high school. I now live in the heart of the Silicon Valley where I have worked for the last 15 years.”
Simon shares his advice for students and graduates in the hope that others can take what he was able to take from his time at University, into life after graduation. He said:
“My advice for the students of today and to new graduates leaving the University – enjoy the journey, take risks, follow your heart, take help when its offered, give help to others when you can, and stay in touch with people from Reading.
“Above all I learnt that you don’t know what you are capable of unless and until you try. I have no regrets and I will always treasure my time at the University of Reading and be thankful for where life has taken me.”
If you are thinking about organising your own alumni reunion and would like some advice and support, please email alumni@reading.ac.uk. You can also find out more information about organising your own reunion here.
