For many staff, volunteering at UCL’s Open Days is a unique chance to step outside their usual role and experience the buzz of campus from a different angle - one filled with energy, ambition, and real impact. As a first-time volunteer, I saw first-hand just how essential our staff are in pulling off this large-scale event, and how incredibly rewarding it is to support prospective students and their families at such a pivotal moment in their lives. From welcoming guests to guiding them through sessions, Open Day volunteering offers a front-row seat to the life-changing decisions students are making - and reminds us just how special our UCL community is.
Across Friday 27 and Saturday 28 June, more than 16,000 prospective students and their guests visited our Bloomsbury and UCL East campuses. Over 400 activities ran across 40+ buildings, showcasing all 11 faculties and our incredible student support services. It was a monumental team effort.
Watching the faces of our prospective students (and their parents!) light up as they interacted with robot dogs, heard from inspiring academics, or tested out current student-designed wearable tech reminded me why these days matter. One prospective student even joked he was disappointed he couldn’t start in July.
That sense of purpose was shared across campus. Rachel Dargan, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, captured it perfectly:
"There’s nothing quite like meeting our future students and their families. Volunteering at Open Day was such a rewarding experience - I’m definitely signing up again!"
With our iconic Portico and Quad out of action due to bicentennial works, we had to rethink how to make our spaces welcoming and navigable. Add in the usual technical curveballs (in my case, a broken projector) and it’s clear these events are a true test of coordination, flexibility, and patience.
Thankfully, UCL staff rose to the occasion. The Events and VPEE teams quickly arranged a new room, dispatched extra ambassadors to guide attendees, and helped me turn what started as a stressful glitch into a seamless experience.
And while tote bags were a hit, it was the people behind the lanyards who made the biggest impact. Lucia Qureshi, Events Manager, said:
"We’ve been flooded with positive feedback - visitors were so appreciative of the warmth, energy, and support from UCL staff. Thank you to everyone who helped, from checking in guests to running sessions and fixing the air conditioning on those very hot days. These Open Days were a success because of you."
To everyone who supported this year’s Open Days - thank you. You embodied our values of care, respect, rigour, and innovation. You made future dreams feel possible.
- University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT (0) 20 7679 2000
