Feature
Then and now: Pam Lawrence, Alumni Relations Manager
Our staff community has many of our alumni in its ranks - including our Alumni Relations Manager, Pam Lawrence...
Published on 24 November 2025
In the world of Alumni Relations, we love an anniversary: it’s always a great opportunity to get alumni together to reminisce. And that nostalgia is what really makes people feel part of something, part of a community.
I am of course no different! 2025 marks the 15-year anniversary since I joined the University of Dundee and 10 years since joining the Alumni Relations team.
My university story
As a student, I was quite shy, living at home and only travelling in for classes. I remember dropping Geography in second year as there was a residential field trip to Aviemore and I didn’t want to go away with people I didn’t really know!
As I moved into third and fourth year, I gained more confidence from presenting, working collaboratively, and meeting new people. More than 20 years on, I’ve represented the University across the world, a far cry from the shy 18-year-old girl from Perthshire who didn’t want to leave home!
Starting with a reunion
Joining the Alumni Relations team in the summer of 2015, my first reunion was the Class of 1976 medics in July 2016, organising a visit to Clinical Skills at Ninewells, a campus and city tour, and a dinner at the Students’ Union. I’m now looking forward to welcoming the group back to Dundee for their 50 year reunion next year!
I love meeting people and it’s been great to build lovely relationships with our alumni over the years who continue to come back and support the University.
We’ve had all sorts of reunions over the years - from classes with dentists, medics, lawyers, engineers - to sports clubs: volleyball and boat club in particular are great at getting alumni together.
One of my favourites was a group of friends who returned to Dundee to celebrate meeting in their first year at Queen's College fifty years before. They were keen to return to Chalmers Hall, it was great to hear their stories as I didn’t know that Chalmers Hall had existed!
Carrying the flame for Dundee...
Before Covid-19, the wonderful Eddie Small provided fantastic reunion tours of both campus and the city. Sadly, Eddie passed away in 2020 but I learned so much from him.
A couple of months ago, I did a campus tour for a group of medics, incorporating the history of the University with the many successes and achievements of the University now. At the end of the tour, one person came up to me and said the pride in Dundee she felt because of the tour and that my passion and love of Dundee really shone through. That was really lovely to hear, especially as it has been a tough year for the University of Dundee and its community.
Reunions really are one of my favourite parts of the job. Next year marks 20 years since I graduated, so I might be on the other side of one!
Join us for a reunion with the people that matter to you - whether a friendship group, a "Class of", or a sports club or society, we'll help you organise a return to campus to relive your uni years!