Nicole Rosik (MSc Chemistry with Business Management, 2020; EngD Formulation Engineering, 2025) and Javier Rodriguez (EngD, 2025)
Nicole says: ‘I am Polish and completed my Master's degree at the University of Birmingham before deciding to stay on to pursue an Engineering Doctorate. Javier, originally from Spain, moved to the UK in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic to start his Engineering Doctorate.
We shared the same supervisor and met on the very first day of our PhDs during a lab induction—standing one and a half metres apart, hidden behind masks. That was only the beginning. What followed were lunches on campus, shared workspaces, and the occasional encounters in the supermarket. Until we decided to start a relationship.
Coming from different countries and backgrounds, the University of Birmingham put us in the same path and four years later, we graduated together.
Javier now works as a Design Engineer at NSG group, while I am an Application Chemist at Innospec. Although our careers have taken us further north, Birmingham will always hold a special place in our hearts.’
Varun Sarna (MEng Mechinical Engineering, 2009) and Rominique Sarna (née Vilkhou) (BSc Natural Sciences, 2007)
Varun says: ‘We met at the Vale Fireworks in November 2005 and started dating in January 2006. In 2012 I took Rominique to Paris and proposed at the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre; we married in 2013.
We have two beautiful children; a daughter who is aged nine and a son who is aged five.
Rominique works as a Group Financial Accountant for Sertec, an automotive manufacturer. I work for E.ON, as a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, involved in the UK's energy transition and its infrastructure solutions.
We recently returned to Paris to celebrate our 20 year anniversary as a couple, relive the moment I proposed, see a Moulin Rouge show and take part in an eclair & choux pastry cooking class.’
Suzie Kramer (née Pead) (LLB Law, 2004) and Dean Kramer (BCom Commerce, 2003)
Suzie says: ‘We met when I was in my second year and Dean was in his final year. We both worked behind the bar in the Students’ Union and enjoyed many nights at Fab’n’Fresh! We have been married for 15 years and took our two children back to campus last year to show them where we met!’
Hasnain Hudda (BSc Accounting and Finance, 2018) and Serena Hudda (BA Education, 2018; PGCE Education, 2019)
Hasnain says ‘I met the most wonderful girl in my halls during a Halloween party in 2015, one month after I'd started University. Neither of us drank, so we drained the party's supply of mixer and orange juice and chatted the night away. This year it will be our sixth wedding anniversary! We have two children together (a five-year-old and a three-year-old) and have settled down in Coventry. We are in Birmingham all the time to see friends and family, and the University holds a special place in my heart for this.’
Thomas Theodore Martin (MEng Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering, 2004) and Charlotte Martin (BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences, 2004)
Thomas says: ‘Love, love and love! We met at this fantastic University. I was the first team and Club Captain of the men's football team, and Charlotte the same of the netball team and a Sports Scholar and three times BUSA champion. We left in 2004, married in 2011 and now have three wonderful children - Leo (10), Dom (8) and Annie (6).’
Laura Anderson (BA Modern Languages, 2020) and Henry Reavey (BMus Music, 2019)
Laura says: ‘Henry and I met in 2016 when I moved into Flat 26 at Elgar Court on the Vale, and he moved into Flat 27. Henry, being very sociable, knocked on our door to invite us all to pre-drinks during Freshers’ Week and after a few months being in the same friendship group, our love story started.
Since then, we have been so lucky to travel the world together and buy our first home. Henry now works as a répétiteur in the opera industry and I work for a global bank. At our wedding last summer, we were lucky enough to have many University friends join us who we’ve stayed close to over the years, which brought back so many memories. We are very grateful to the University of Birmingham for bringing us together all those years ago!’
Anne Albrecht (née Woodford) (BSc Physics, 1975) and Anthony Albrecht (BSc Engineering Production and Management, 1975)
Anthony says: 'We are a group of 10 friends who date back to 1972/73 when eight of us began our studies at the University of Birmingham. Five were residents of High Hall, two of Ridge and one of Wyddrington. We are still great friends, meeting regularly.
My wife, Anne and I met during our first year and married in 1979.
Our daughter followed in our footsteps - Lauren (BSc Psychology, 2014) met William Dengate (BSc Accounting and Finance, 2014) whilst working front of house at the Bramall Music Building and they married in 2023.'
Alain Chevalier (BSc Mechanical Engineering, 1975; MSc Reactor Physics and Technology, 1976) and Jayne Chevalier (née Dunning) (BSc Geography, 1975; PGCE Geography, 1976)
Alain says: ‘We met in 1972 in our first term at Birmingham at a disco at High Hall Vale site. Jayne was living at Wyddrington Hall whilst I was staying at High Hall.
We both graduated in 1975 and then went on to stay at the University for a further year. We were married in 1978 in Leicester where we were both working after university. We are currently retired and happily living in Cheshire with our children and grandchildren nearby.’
Steve Elliott (BSc Mechanical Engineering, 1975) and Janet Smith (BA German, 1977)
Steve says: ‘We met at Birmingham in late 1974 and married in 1983. We have lived in Camberley, Surrey, since 1986.
We have kept in contact with Tony and Anne (née Woodford) Albrecht, Alain and Jayne Chevalier (née Dunn) [both couples also being featured in this Old Joe], David Swinnerton and John Walpole, meeting up most years for a reunion. In September 2025 we returned to the University for a guided tour on the occasion of it being 50 years since seven of us graduated (Janet graduated in 1977).'
Holly Young (BA English Literature, 2019), Kieran Read (BA English Literature and Creative Writing, 2019)
Holly says: 'Kieran and I met during our first week of university, after being allocated the same block of flats in Maple Bank and both studying English-based degrees. Ironically, Kieran’s room was directly above mine - but aside from a (very brief) room tour for me and my flatmate during Freshers, we didn’t have much contact outside of seeing each other around the Vale or the Arts Building. But he was always someone in the wider periphery of my University experience – whether in group photos or kitchen pre-drinks crossovers, there was lots of invisible string.
Aside from an unsuccessful first date during third year, our paths remained apart until we reconnected completely by chance last spring. Fast forward a year, we've bonded over our shared music taste, friendships and experiences here in Birmingham and unexpectedly (but very excitingly) fell in love! I couldn't be happier that our post-graduate paths re-aligned.'