For more than half a century, Warwick has forged a deep relationship with the city. The Faculty of Arts has taught generations of our students during their Venice terms. Since 2007, we have had a physical base in the Palazzo Pesaro Papafava.

From May 2023, our undergraduates, postgraduates and staff will have a new base - a wonderful late 17th century building in Palazzo Giustinian Lolin, right on the Grand Canal of Venice. As we get ready to open the building, we would love to share some alumni memories of studying in Venice over the years.

We caught up with Dr Kimberley Thomas (BA History 2010, MA History 2011, PhD Caribbean Studies, 2020) to talk about her time at Warwick, ahead of her return to deliver a Caribbean seminar series.

Features writer and editor for The Boar, Vice President of Warwick HisSoc and Deputy Editor of Warwick Politics Society’s Perspectives, alumna Celia Bergin (BA History and Politics, 2022) certainly made the most of her time at Warwick. Graduating with a first-class degree, she jumped straight into the world of journalism. Now working as a reporter for Bloomberg News, Celia reflects on how these experiences helped her get there.

Ruth Ntumba (BA History, 2021) has spent her first 18 months since graduating helping drive engagement and culture at one of the world’s leading media corporations, Warner Brothers Discovery. Ruth shares why you should go at your own pace and trust your gut instinct when searching for your next role.

What do a golden retriever called Bowie, women’s rights in history and a start-up supporting later living have in common? They all set arts alumna and marketing expert Harriet Stanger’s (BA History, 2016) heart on fire.

A veteran of the City of London, Chris Wheeler (MA Modern History, 2021) spent more than 40 years in banking, working, and travelling across the globe. But he swapped investment banking for US antebellum history and Irish diaspora and fulfilled his childhood dream when he began furthering his education journey, first studying History at the University of Oxford before completing an MA in Modern History at Warwick. Chris embarked on his PhD at the University of Edinburgh in September 2022.

From becoming the first in his family to go to university, Mike Burnett (BA History, 1975) has continued to evolve throughout a career in which he’s worked all over the world.

As a five-time Paralympic medallist, Kare Adenegan’s (BA History, 2022) sporting endeavours have played a big part in her university experience. No stranger to making history, Kare graduated with a first-class honours degree a week after claiming silver in the T33/34 100m at the Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games. Here Kare reflects on her studies and how we can all learn a lot from history.

Having just graduated in her MA in the History of Medicine, Kirstie reflects on the course and why she chose Warwick for postgraduate study.

Having joined as a trainee for just three months, Dr Andrew Whitehead (MA Social History, 1989; PhD History, 2013) went on to spend 35 years with BBC News. In his last role as Editor of BBC World Service News, Andrew was responsible for programming on the BBC's most widely listened to radio network with a global weekly reach of about 100 million listeners.

Sarah is the longest serving member of the department having joined in October 1988. She takes a fond look back at her time at Warwick.

Final year Patrick (History and Politics, BA) is the co-founder and co-artistic director of Shoot The Messenger – an independent, student production company. Together with Ella McQueen, (Politics, Philosophy and Law, BA), he founded Shoot the Messenger in February 2021 as a way of keeping spirits up and creativity flowing during lockdown.

Have you ever wondered how people in the past dealt with their periods? If Queen Victoria coasted* through her cramps? What if period dramas really were about…periods?

Comedy, cabaret and tap collide in this hilarious one-woman show, teaching the history you never learnt at school. Armed with glitter, blood, some history books and an arsenal of embarrassing stories, History alumna, Heather Milsted is on a mission to push through the menstrual taboo and change the way we think about bleeding.

Audiences are invited to embrace themselves fully, let loose and have a BLOODY good time!

*Obviously she didn't. It was 1837.

Book: Period Dramas - The Hope Theatre & Period Dramas | Pleasance Theatre Trust

Former trade union activist and political advisor Nita Clarke OBE (BA History and Politics, 1974, MA Comparative Labour History, 1977) had her first experience of public speaking and activism at Warwick. Nita was awarded an OBE for her services to employee engagement and remains a prominent speaker on the subject.

“World Book Day is about literacy and its place in a modern, equal society.” So believes Jane Burke (BA History, 1975), whose career has fuelled a passion to promote the joy of reading and access to books for all.

Hear from Warwick alumna and former professional services staff member, Charlotte Beesley (BA History and Sociology, 2014)

Hear from recent PGT alumnus William Harrop (MA Global and Comparative History, 2022)

Warwick Scholar and student, Ruth Adesanya is studying at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, USA.