Alumni from First through Latest Class Gather in London for AUBG Evening
Tiny Carter Lane in the City of London felt almost like Skapto for an evening. Just steps away from the legendary St. Paul's Cathedral, AUBG alumni gathered on Nov. 19 to catch up and get the latest updates on their alma mater.
Interim President Dr. David Evans and Victoria Entwistle, newly elected Deputy Chair of the Board of Trustees, greeted graduates as they filled up the upstairs space at Patch St. Paul's. Guests included graduates from as far back as the class of 1995 to fresh alumni from 2019. Over wine and beer, Evans briefed everyone on the incoming Vice President for Advancement, the new accelerator program and the physics major AUBG introduced this semester.
"I’m very proud to be associated with the university and have learned a tremendous amount, although I’m still struggling with the alphabet," he said. "It is such an exceptionally good institution and I am deeply honored to have it in my charge this year."
Entwistle focused on the importance of alumni support for AUBG. Money, of course, is the easiest way to contribute, she said, but time and engagement with the community are just as crucial. "You have left, but you really are all shareholders of this university so please support it. Because you are the people who can make a difference," she said.
Ivan Skabrin ('95), a graduate working closely with the AUBG Alumni Association, noted that the AAA is fully on board to work with the university. Following the Alumni Pledge Gala in October, which gathered hundreds of alumni and current students in Sofia, the association is now working on the upcoming Mega Reunion in April. The event will mark 25 years of alumni returning to campus.
Despite living all the way across Europe, graduates still have a special place for AUBG in their hearts. "That’s where my second home is, that’s the best connections I’ve had with the people and [where I met] all of my friends that I now consider family," said Aylar Batyrova ('13). Originally from Turkmenistan, she moved to London about three years ago to work for marketing research company Kantar.
The connection to AUBG is very important to Dmitri Staycov ('11), too. Even eight years after his commencement, he remains close to the friends he made in Blagoevgrad. "I think these are some of the strongest connections I’ve built and I think it’s very important to cherish them and carry them through our lives going forward," he said.