Finding love on campus
We hear from four couples who met while studying, taking part in student societies, and working at the University of Birmingham.
Our alumni, staff and students have achieved so much during – and since – their time at Birmingham. We are proud of Birmingham as a place where genuinely life-changing research and education takes place. While it’s brilliant to see careers flourishing, we are also proud of the communities we build and the connections we make.
In our 125th anniversary year, we will be sharing plenty of your stories and for Valentine’s Day, we’re focusing on those where romance has flourished on campus. Here is a small selection of reminiscences from couples who met while studying, while joining our student societies, and while working here.
Ryan Adams-McGlasson (Conferences and Events)
Ryan says: ‘The year is 1987. My mom, June, worked for catering and my dad, Dave, was a porter. My dad was having lunch in what is now the Uni Centre Food Court and my mom served him his food one day. After a few more lunch breaks to build up his courage, my dad asked my mom out on a date. 37 years later, they’ve been married for 35 years this year!
‘I've now worked at the University for 20 years and now work in the office above the very location where they first met, and my dad asked her out for that first date!
‘Whenever I walk through the Food Court, which is most days, I smile to myself thinking of them as 21-year-olds meeting for the first time and the awkward encounters before my dad plucked up the courage to ask my mom out.’
June and Dave on their wedding day (left) and today, 35 years later (right).
Chris Curtis (MSc Physics, 2005; PhD Physics and Astronomy, 2010) and Alex Rendall (BA French and Hispanic Studies, 2007)
Chris says: ‘We met on campus on an LGBT Society bar crawl in 2004 and have been together ever since! After graduating, Alex worked for the University admissions office while I finished my PhD - we used to meet under the clock tower and walk home to Harborne. We've lived in London now for 12 years and we (finally) got married on the 4 March - our 20-year anniversary.’
Chris and Alex recently got married on their anniversary.
Baljinder Singh Atwal (LLB Law, 2015) and Cadhla Atwal-Corrigan (LLB Law, 2015)
Bal says: ‘We met in 2015 in final year during a Civil Evidence and Procedure module; Cadhla asked me if she could borrow a pen and the rest is history. We’re both qualified solicitors so put our degrees to good use in our careers and I’m proud to be a mentor to students at Birmingham! We got married in June 2024 and Cadhla’s parents met at the University too!’
Bal and Cadhla on their wedding day.
Bryony Allison (BA History and North American Studies, 2018) and Matthew Allison (MSc Geology, 2019)
Bryony says: 'I met my husband Matt in the same building as my grandparents [the Guild of Students] at a Guild Musical Theatre Group rehearsal in 2014. Just as we started to get to know each other, Matt suffered a serious head injury and had to take some time out of University.
'We were reunited in 2015 and became an item shortly after. I worked out that the reason Matt was building all the sets for the show I was choreographing and was always in the front row of my tap rehearsals was because he was interested in me, not the show!
'We married in June 2023 and live in Birmingham with our rescue dog Zoe. Matt has remained at the University studying for a PhD in Geology. After a career in arts marketing, I have returned to the much-loved Edgbaston campus as well and am now working in the Development and Alumni Relations Office.'
Bryony and Matt’s story on BBC Midlands Today
Share your story
Our alumni magazine, Old Joe, regularly features campus romance stories. If you met on campus and would like to share your story, please get in touch.