Alina Nuta (2018, PPE), Donor Relations Officer

Alina is Donor Relations Officer at Univ. She is an Old Member herself, graduating last year after three years studying PPE at Univ.  

What did you study at Univ?
PPE, specialising in politics and philosophy.

How do you think you changed since you walked through Univ’s doors for the first time?
The first time I came to the College was for my interviews, and that was certainly an experience like no other. The University seemed very intimidating, as I had never experienced an institution like it, but after just a few days here I had made friends and even explored the city and a few other colleges. This, I feel, is representative of my wider experience here because I have gained a lot of confidence, met tonnes of inspiring people and developed so many lasting friendships since I started studying at Univ. My time as a student at Oxford has been very challenging, especially with the pandemic affecting our study and final exams, but I have learned so much from the people around me, in both an academic sense and on a personal level.

Why did you apply for the role of Donor Relations Officer? What does it involve day to day?
I applied for the role as I knew first-hand the benefits of donor support. I gained my place here through the Opportunity Programme and received College support in the form of bursaries throughout my time as a student. I wanted to play a part in the process which ensures others continue to have access to similar opportunities and support. Not to mention that I just enjoy meeting and chatting to new people, especially when we have such an important thing in common.

I spend my days thanking our Old Members and Friends for their generosity towards the College, helping put on events to celebrate good times had here and working on publications which keep the Univ community informed about College developments. I also work a lot on ensuring our donors are being recognised in appropriate ways for their support, particularly with respect to the Univ North development.

Have you had any particularly great interactions with alumni?
Yes, all the time! I’ve been involved in two Univ North tours, spoken on the phone to several OMs to answer their queries and attended meetings with alumni and donors just in my first two months of being here. They are always keen to hear about my time at the College, once they realise I am also an alumnus, and relate it to the years they spent here. One particularly lovely Old Member decided to support the College once again after chatting to me on the phone for a while. This was memorable because my role is not explicitly to fundraise, but I realised how much a good conversation can mean to Old Members and therefore, how it can help to continue support for the Univ community.

Do you have any favourite moments from your time at Univ?
There are far too many to choose from! Subject dinners, long library sessions, seasonal formals, watching the snowfall on Main Quad, balls, punting, lunch in Fellows’ Garden, tutorials with friends, pub trips, concerts and working on outreach programmes would all have to feature. Graduation was particularly special, though, and we were very fortunate to have one this year. It allowed us to celebrate our time at Oxford together one final time.

Describe Univ in three words.
Quite an experience.

Published: 7 December 2021

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