Our Alumni: Connected for Life
Our Alumni: Connected for Life
From Middelburg to the world. UCR alumni lead with curiosity, purpose, and impact
Your UCR Journey Doesn’t End at Graduation
Your UCR Journey Doesn’t End at Graduation
At University College Roosevelt, you don’t just earn a degree. You become part of a global, lifelong community. With over 1,700 alumni living and working across the world, UCR’s network reaches far and wide.
Our graduates go on to pursue meaningful careers, make a difference in their communities, and continue their academic journeys at top universities. No matter where life takes you, UCR is with you every step of the way.
Through professional connections, reunions, and mentorships, our alumni stay connected—to each other and to UCR. Together, we keep shaping the future.
%
Accepted into the graduate program of their first choice
%
Obtained, or expect to obtain, their master’s degree within three years of graduation from UCR
%
of students would choose UCR again
Where Are They Now?
Where Are They Now?
Our alumni work in diverse sectors, from international diplomacy and sustainable development to entrepreneurship, law, and the arts. Many continue their education at leading institutions such as Oxford, Harvard, and Sciences Po.
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I found an inspiring atmosphere with like-minded people and the shy me opened-up beyond my own expectations.
Alexander Siteur, Class of 2013
Our Alumni
Our Alumni
Bora Yücel (Class of 2008)
Bora Yücel (Class of 2008)
Nearly 20 years have passed since I graduated from UCR, and looking back on my professional career that followed, two words come to mind that are not classically associated with a liberal arts college: “technical” and “corporate.” This is also UCR’s strength—it opens doors, and you decide which one you want to enter. Personally, I chose to stay in the Netherlands and complete a master’s degree at the University of Leiden, which allowed me to start my professional career in Brussels as a consultant focusing on businesses subject to EU legislation. Afterward, I had the chance to work a decade long for a large corporation, where I lived in countries such as India, China, Turkey, and Germany, leading local teams. Needless to say, UCR’s “rule” of living on campus and sharing a home with people from multiple countries allowed me to experience different cultures from a young age. Today, I am a director at a firm focusing on human rights in the supply chain. I am happy to be able to combine two more words I associate with UCR: my personal “passion” and taking “responsibility.”
Alexander Siteur (Class of 2013)
Alexander Siteur (Class of 2013)
UCR has truly been the best time of my life. I found an inspiring atmosphere with like-minded people and the shy me opened-up beyond my own expectations. UCR is a caring community to which I would contribute through various committees. I followed courses in Maths, Physics and Computer Science which I combined with an Economics minor. The commitment and desire to improve of both students and teachers is phenomenal. Here I also realized that later I wanted a job with impact on society. I went on to do a master in Marine Physics. Today I work for a renowned research institute, studying the safety of ports, ships and offshore sites with a focus on ships maneuverability. The critical thinking and research skills that UCR is known for prove very valuable now.
Alexandra Alink (Class of 2015)
Alexandra Alink (Class of 2015)
I genuinely loved my time at UCR. It’s been 10 years and I still think back fondly to all the things I learned, experiences I had, and people I met. I find holistic education an important part of becoming a well-rounded person, and the liberal arts education at UCR definitely helped me become that person. My jack-of-all-trades persona meshed well with learning about a myriad of subjects at once; I was able to explore all of my interests and found that the social sciences suited me best. Since graduating from UCR, I’ve worked at NGO’s, charities, and obtained a master’s degree with a specialization in international development studies and sociology. Currently, I’m a producer at video game studio and while that may be the title of my job, I also manage the office, HR, the team as a whole, and have my hand in marketing, community management, and world building for the game. That holistic approach from UCR definitely helped me in being able to manage all of those roles at once!
Camilla van Kooten (Class of 2017)
Camilla van Kooten (Class of 2017)
Every mention of UCR or Middelburg brings a smile, evoking fond memories not only of academic challenges but also of lasting friendships formed there. UCR’s multidisciplinary approach and its vibrant close-knit international community of students and professors profoundly shaped my adaptability, open-mindedness and critical thinking. Under tight deadlines across the semesters, I honed time management skills that remain essential in my work today.
Graduating in 2017, I transitioned seamlessly to a Master’s degree in International Relations at Leiden University, feeling well-prepared thanks to my UCR foundation. Today, I serve as the International Protocol Officer at the Municipality of The Hague – the International City of Peace and Justice – , operating on the cutting edge of the local and international level. I liaise with the embassies and interact with people from a broad spectrum of cultural and professional backgrounds. My experiences at UCR instilled the confidence and competence needed to succeed in this global setting. Beyond academics, my involvement in extracurricular activities—such as student boards and event organization—played a key role in shaping my leadership, teamwork, and organizational abilities. These experiences were equally as valuable as my academic studies and significantly contributed to my career readiness and overall personal development.
Graduating in 2017, I transitioned seamlessly to a Master’s degree in International Relations at Leiden University, feeling well-prepared thanks to my UCR foundation. Today, I serve as the International Protocol Officer at the Municipality of The Hague – the International City of Peace and Justice – , operating on the cutting edge of the local and international level. I liaise with the embassies and interact with people from a broad spectrum of cultural and professional backgrounds. My experiences at UCR instilled the confidence and competence needed to succeed in this global setting. Beyond academics, my involvement in extracurricular activities—such as student boards and event organization—played a key role in shaping my leadership, teamwork, and organizational abilities. These experiences were equally as valuable as my academic studies and significantly contributed to my career readiness and overall personal development.