University News Last updated 11 February
Whilst most people leave university with a degree, new friends, and more independence, a lucky few can find their soulmate on campus too.
Research conducted by Accommodation for Students found that 23% of UK couples got together whilst at university, with 32% of graduates going on to marry their university partner.
We caught up with a group of couples who were lucky enough to find their other halves right here at BCU.
MILLI AND AAMIR
Aamir: 鈥淲e met in Jennens Court Student Accommodation on the 11 September 2012. Milli had just moved into Flat 24. Her flat mate had moved in a few days earlier, so took Milli to another flat to meet some of her new friends. I was a Freshers Rep and happened to be at the flat at the time. Milli caught my eye straight away.鈥�
Milli: 鈥淎amir introduced himself and we got chatting. I was worried as Freshers started the following day and I didn鈥檛 have any tickets for any of the events, but Aamir said, 鈥淭his is your lucky day because I鈥檓 a Freshers Rep and can get you all the tickets you need.鈥�
鈥淲e exchanged numbers so he could sort the tickets out for me, and next thing we know, we're married with two kids. I never expected to meet the man I would spend my life with at University. Especially within the first 30 minutes of being there!鈥�
Aamir: 鈥淚 graduated with a degree in Sound and Multimedia Technology in 2013, and Milli graduated two years later with a degree in Textile Design. Nowadays, I鈥檓 a full-time DJ, musician and the Founder of 鈥楤eats and Smiles鈥�. Milli worked as a Fashion Buyer for both Next and Morrisons after graduating, but after having children, her priorities changed, and now she is a Yoga Teacher alongside raising our children.鈥�
Milli: 鈥淲e are happily married. Since meeting, we have backpacked around the world, got married, bought a house and of course, welcomed our two beautiful children into the world. We聽love聽to reminisce most days about random University memories. Aamir still gets his regular dose of nostalgia too, travelling back up to BCU once a month to host a karaoke night at the SU! It鈥檚 his favourite gig of the month.鈥�
Aamir: 鈥淚 love how Milli makes me belly laugh. I love watching her as a Mum, her love is unconditional. As a couple, we have always recognised and accepted what is important to each other, and we tag team, when one us needs a break, the other steps in.鈥�
Milli: 鈥淚聽love聽Aamir鈥檚 drive and commitment, infectious bubbly personality and his dedication to his family. I know me and our boys always come first. Our biggest achievement to date is the beautiful life we have built together. Not many couples meet at 19 and 22 and make it work! We have grown up together, supported each other and聽loved each other the whole time. We are now living our dream.鈥�
CLARE AND ROB
Rob: 鈥淚 studied BA (Hons) Economics from 1987 until 1991, and聽Clare studied BA (Hons) Business Studies from 1988 until 1992. We vaguely knew of each other through mutual friends. We first spoke to each other in the Crowbar, which was the student union bar on Westbourne Road in Edgbaston, on 19 October 1990. We then went on our first date at The Duck on Hagley Road. We鈥檝e now been together for 31 years!
"It was great meeting at university when you're young, free of responsibilities and both skint! Neither of us really expected to meet our future partner at university, but I knew that Clare was the one for me when I realised that she had the same music taste as me. We still go to concerts together now.
"We got engaged at Burgh Island, Devon, while on holiday in 1997. I did the whole traditional thing of asking Clare's dad in advance. Luckily, he agreed, and I proposed on one knee. We got married in March 1999 at Boarhunt Church in Hampshire, followed by a reception at Port Solent Yacht Club.聽
"There were several other BCU graduates there from both mine and Clare's friendship groups. I went onto work at BCU in the Finance Department for a year, so there were also several friends who worked at the university at the wedding too. One of the best things about the day was having the DJ playing all our favourite music, which was mostly indie music from the late 80s and 90s, a lot of which we had spent our student days dancing to in various clubs around 探花直播.
"Nowadays, I am Finance Director for The Royal Naval Benevolent Trust, which is a charity that supports current and former members of the Royal Navy and their families. Clare is a Careers Advisor at Oasis Academy Sholing, a secondary school in Southampton.
"In the time we have been together, I鈥檓 most proud of when we spent two years living and working in St Helena, which is a remote island in the South Atlantic, from 2008 until 2010 with our two young children. It was an amazing opportunity for the four of us and we had a great experience settling into the local community.
"We have always encouraged each other in our careers, as well as in our own interests and worked together to try and be the best parents we can to our children too. Clare is the most caring person I know, and she makes me laugh a lot.聽Clare just says that I鈥檓 much better at managing money now than when I was as a student.鈥�
DANIELLE AND STEPHEN
Danielle: 鈥淚 started studying BA (Hons) Primary Education QTS in 2002. Stephen had started at BCU a couple of years before me to complete a HND before deciding to study the Business Management course. We聽met at the University鈥檚 Christmas Ball at Aston Villa football ground in 2003 and we made things official a few months after meeting.
鈥淚 graduated in 2006, and Stephen stayed on at the university to manage the BCU football team. I never thought I would meet my soulmate at university, especially at the age of 19. Stephen was super popular. He was captain of football teams, ran for student union president and I was so proud that he was mine!
鈥淪tephen said within weeks he knew that I would be his wife. I just knew after months of the butterflies not disappearing after each time, I saw him. He made me wait 11 years until he popped the question, but we finally got engaged in 2014 at BCU, at the old Perry Barr campus. We walked by the library and were reminiscing on the old days, and Stephen got down on one knee. We then headed to the Hare of the Dog for a pint.
鈥淲e got married a year later in my hometown of Rugby. The venue, Dunchurch Park, was a childhood dream of mine. Walking down the aisle and saying I do was the best moment for me. Seeing all our friends and family together celebrating us was amazing and there were lots of other BCU grads there with us too.
鈥淣owadays, I work at Walkwood Middle School in Redditch as the Assistant Principal, and Stephen is currently Head of Bid Management at Novus Property Solutions. We have both helped each other a lot. Stephen has managed to open his own business and I have reached a senior level in teaching. We have believed in ourselves and achieved so much together, both personally and professionally.
鈥淲e are still as in love as we were at university, and now we鈥檙e raising a family with our two young boys, Charlie who is five and Henry who is nearly two years old. Our biggest achievement is going from the crazy going out all the time couple to parents, while we still appreciate each other at the same time.鈥�
DANIELLE AND JACK
Award-winning alumna Danielle Pinnock, who graduated from the Royal 探花直播 Conservatoire in 2012, met her husband Jack Wallace whilst studying here in Brum.
Danielle grew up in New Jersey before choosing to study at the Conservatoire and gained more than just an Acting degree whilst here, after she met Jack from Warwickshire who completed an MA in Professional Voice Practice.
Nowadays, the couple live in Los Angeles, with Jack working as a dialect coach and Danielle becoming a Hollywood star thanks to her roles in Ghosts, Young Sheldon and most recently in Candy Cane Lane.
The couple got married in 2013, with it taking place in an intensive care unit after Danielle鈥檚 mother Joan suffered a stroke the night before the wedding was due to take place.
In April 2023, the couple were finally able to have the wedding day of their dreams with a vow-renewal on their 10-year anniversary.
INESSE AND CLIFFORD
"Me and Inesse met at BCU in March 2016. We had both started at university just two months before, I was studying Mental Health Nursing and Inesse was studying Adult Nursing. We were talking during a joint lecture and realised that we both understood each other鈥檚 language. We are both from Cameroon. Inesse is from the French speaking part of Cameroon, and I鈥檓 from the English-speaking part. I never expected to meet my soulmate at university, but we made it official a few months after meeting and we鈥檝e been together ever since. We are the perfect match.
"We had a wonderful time together at university. There was never a dark moment, we helped each other and shared ideas together. It was like finding my best friend. Having spent so much time together whilst at BCU, as we were approaching graduation, I knew I had to spend the rest of my life with her.
"On her birthday in March 2019, I gathered around 20 classmates from BCU at Marco Pierre White鈥檚 in 探花直播. During the meal, I proposed. We got married on the 25 September 2021 at 探花直播 Register Office followed by a reception of over 200 guests. The best moment of the day was when I made my speech and referred to her as my wife for the very first time. The fellow BCU graduates who celebrated our engagement with us were also there on our wedding day.
"We both now work for the NHS. I鈥檓 a Deputy Ward Manager at Mary Seacole House in Winson Green, and Inesse works at the City Hospital in 探花直播 as a Staff Nurse. We are proud about the experience we have gained since university, and we always try to be as supportive of each other as possible. My ambition is to complete a prescribing course and become a manager, and Inesse hopes to become a Health Visitor.
"But since BCU, we are most proud of becoming parents to our baby boy. Our son, Ethan, was born on 11th聽July 2020, and baby number two is due to arrive soon. We have always aimed to communicate well, have an understanding towards each other and spend time together too. But our most common goal is the love we share for family, and we can鈥檛 wait for our future together."
JULIA AND JOE
Joe: 鈥淢e and Julia both started at BCU in 2002. Julia graduated in 2005 with a degree in Textile Design, and I completed my studies in 2007 with a degree in Music Technology. Nowadays, we live in Ealing, London, and I work as a Distribution and Partnerships Senior Lead at Channel 4, and Julia works as a Senior Logistics Manager at Soho Home.鈥�
Julia: 鈥淲e first met at Bar42 on the City North campus in Perry Barr during Freshers Week. I think it was the second night, and it was a school disco theme. It took about a year of bumping into each other before we made it official! I never expected to get into a serious relationship at university, but we had lots of fun hanging out and combining our friendship groups.鈥�
Joe: 鈥淟ike Julia, I never expected to meet my other half at BCU. I was a bit late coming to university, only getting a place in clearing a few weeks before, so had no idea what to expect, and definitely wasn't looking for love! But as soon as I saw Julia at the bar, I knew we had a connection.
Joe: 鈥淎fter graduating, we moved to London, back to Brum for a bit, then back to London, before getting married, renovating a flat and a house, and having two kids, and two cats too. We have had lots of adventures too.鈥�
Julia: 鈥淚 love Joe's kindness, his confidence and how he gets on with everyone, he's also always been amazing with my family. He鈥檚 fun, adventurous and doesn't take things too seriously.
鈥淗e also gives me confidence and pushes me to believe in myself, he hugs me when I'm sad, shares parenting duties, is always there for me and the kids and is really successful in his career so can take us on amazing family adventures now too.鈥�
Joe: 鈥淚 love how Julia looks at me, it鈥檚 still the same as the first time in Bar 42! I also love how she鈥檚 stuck with me through over 20 years of ups and downs, and she鈥檚 a great mum too.鈥�
BONNIE AND CHRIS
Chris and Bonnie Hay met whilst studying together for an MA in Jewellery and Related Products at BCU鈥檚 historic School of Jewellery back in 2010.
Bonnie, who is from 探花直播 and starred on BBC Two鈥檚 All That Glitters in 2022, which was filmed at the School of Jewellery, soon fell for Chris thanks to their shared love of their chosen industry.
Chris, originally from Somerset, grew up around jewellery as his father had his own shop in Taunton. So, it wasn鈥檛 a surprise when Chris also chose to follow in his footsteps, and he soon enrolled onto an evening class in stone setting at the School of Jewellery in 2005.
This was followed by a HND in Jewellery and Silversmithing which he completed in 2008, a BA (Hons) in Jewellery which he graduated from in 2010, before additionally completing the Master鈥檚 course in 2011.
After getting married in 2013 and settling in to married life at their home in Bearwood, the couple both found work at BCU. Bonnie currently works as a Senior Metal Technician and until recently, Chris worked as a Knowledge Transfer Technician at STEAMhouse, alongside raising their daughter who is now four years old.
It is their joint passion of jewellery, as well their desire to leave a legacy and build a future for their family, that has led the couple to open their very own store; Hay Fine Jewellery, based in the Jewellery Quarter.
CHARLOTTE AND BENEDICT
Lottie: 鈥淚 studied Media and Communications as a Television specialist and graduated in 2017 and Benedict was in the year above me on the same course but as a Photography specialist.
鈥淭owards the end of my second year at BCU, I came out of a long-term relationship and started hearing from mutual friends of mine and Benedict's that he was interested in me. Time went on and me and Benedict still had never spoken properly, until one day when I was hungover! Me and my friend walked over from Curzon Gateway, the student accommodation where we lived, to the Eagle and Ball, because I really fancied nachos. When we headed over, we walked past Benedict, and despite looking like a hungover mess, we said hello and swiftly walked off. I took this as a sign and decided to message him that day. We have spoken every day since! We now also celebrate that day as nachos day.
鈥淲e have dated ever since nacho day on the 18 May 2016, but Benedict officially asked me to be his girlfriend on 6 October 2016. Going into university in a long-term relationship, I hadn't thought about what the future would hold, but I couldn't be happier to have met Benedict there just before he graduated.
鈥淛ust before the pandemic hit, we were fortunate enough to be able to get our first home together in Shropshire. Now we have been in our home for over three years, and we have recently become a family of three, after rescuing our lovely lurcher Apollo late last year.
鈥淣owadays, I work as a Content Officer in the Marketing and Communications team at BCU and am loving it. Over the last few years, Benedict has built up his own wedding and events photo booth business, Made You Look. Benedict is also currently starting up a second business alongside, making outdoor joinery and gates, after landing a job at an outdoor wooden product business over covid which he really enjoyed.
鈥淢y favourite thing about Benedict is that we have so many traits in common, he is adventurous and wants to experience new things and places all the time, like I do. But most of all, he really cares about me and makes a real effort with me. He has helped me grow in every aspect of myself in all the best ways, whether it be adult things like our mortgage, helping me with my mental health struggles with his positive attitude, supporting me through my career since and he is great at finding new things for us to experience too.鈥�
Benedict said: 鈥淐harlotte is a very kind person, she will always help people out and genuinely mean it when she does, but it鈥檚 the simple things like always being up for an adventure and never saying no to a bag of crisps that are the best.
鈥淐harlotte is basically my business advisor and creative assistant, with everything I do with my business, she is always there to offer her opinion and feedback on how to make things better or look at things from a different perspective. On the down days, she will always make me smile and get me back on track, and on the good days, she always knows where to find a good place to eat.鈥�
Charlotte and Benedict got engaged in 2024, and are now planning their wedding too.聽
JESSICA AND ROBIN
Jessica: 鈥淚 studied Fashion Design at BCU, and Robin did Illustration, so although we both chose creative courses, we probably would never have met during university if it wasn鈥檛 for us being placed into the same flat in Jennens Court in our first year. We made it official shortly after we realised that there was something between us, and we were together for the duration of our time at BCU.
鈥淗owever, at the end of university in 2012, we decided to break up. I was moving down to London for an internship at London Fashion Week and we never spoke again. That was until late 2014, when I bumped into Robin鈥檚 brother several times in the same month. I thought it was odd, so decided to message Robin about it. He鈥檇 recently moved down to London too, so we decided to meet for a drink. We鈥檝e been together again ever since.
鈥淗aving that break was good for us and gave us chance to grow as individuals. Robin went to China for a year to teach, and then decided to become a teacher back in the UK and I was able to focus on my career and life in London. I don't normally believe in fate, but I feel like something must have happened, because the chances of seeing his brother so many times in a city as big as London are very slim, so it must have been meant to be.
鈥淲e're both very different people. He鈥檚 very determined and has a get up and go attitude, I鈥檓 much more relaxed and chilled, so we complement each other well. Robin is also very positive and encourages me to do new things. We鈥檙e both taking part in the Hackney Half Marathon soon, it鈥檚 something I would never do but he pumps me up. We are both very patient people though, so we work together well.鈥�
鈥淎fter working in the fashion industry for several years, nowadays I work as an Optimisation Executive at Channel 4 and Robin is a Primary School Teacher. In 2020, we both turned 30 and we were going to get engaged at his parents鈥� house at a big family party. However, lockdown happened. He cooked a meal for my birthday at home and invited me into our dining room for drinks beforehand. I walked in, and he was on one knee. I thought he was joking!
鈥淲e then got planning the wedding, and we were so lucky to have the best day in July 2021, not long after the restrictions on weddings were lifted. We got married at Robin鈥檚 family home in Hertfordshire. His dad did the ceremony for us, and we had a huge tepee in the garden, and everyone danced to Sweet Caroline. It was an amazing day, so relaxed and after the last 18 months, our 120 guests had the best time.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e both looking forward to the future. We moved into our first flat a couple of years ago and we鈥檙e doing lots of work to it and we鈥檇 love to start trying for a family of our own by the end of the year too.鈥�
Did you meet your partner at BCU? We would love to hear your story. Email us today:聽Alumni@bcu.ac.uk
