How alumni volunteers are fostering belonging for Black and other Global Majority students in our School of Engineering
Members of our alumni community are giving back to current students by creating a supportive network for our Black and other Global Majority engineers of the future.
27 March 2025
The Belonging in Engineering Network (BEN) is open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students.
They provide events and activities on topics including career guidance, study skills, industry networking and managing racism and microaggressions, as well as social events, supported by a dedicated committee of alumni, staff and students.
Recent research from our School of Engineering uncovered that around a quarter of all Black students from the UK arriving on campus were studying in the faculty. BEN was established in 2023 to foster a sense of belonging for this cohort, facilitate peer networking and create a supportive space for students’ lived experiences. Local politician Chi Onwurah MP, who herself has an Electrical Engineering degree, delivered the keynote address at the launch event for the network.
As well as having support from Engineering graduates who volunteer their time to support students, activities hosted by the network have also been funded by alumni donations through the Newcastle University Student Fund.
We recently caught up with some of the alumni and students who lead BEN to find out more about the network and how our Engineering alumni community can get involved.
“I wish BEN existed when I was a student”
Lightness Kings (MEng Mechanical Engineering, 2022) has been an alumni supporter of the network from the very beginning, supporting our student cohort alongside her career at Cramlington-based Merit, the UK’s leading offsite construction and manufacturing specialist.
When asked why she first got involved with BEN, Lightness told us:
“I was on board from the very beginning because it's something that I believe should have been there to begin with. It would have made life so much easier if we had that there when I was a student, because there were so many things that happened where I didn’t know who to reach out to. I needed to talk to somebody who knew exactly where I was coming from.”
Lightness has attended numerous events hosted by BEN to share her experience in the workplace, and how she got to where she is today. One of the things she considers to be most important is knowing how to market yourself as a graduate, so she champions developing LinkedIn skills while still at university to find work placements and apprenticeships.
As well the satisfaction of paying it forward and “making it better for the next person so they can be better”, Lightness has found her role with BEN pay dividends in her own career development as a recent graduate, thanks to the opportunities provided for networking and stepping out of her comfort zone.
“Through BEN, I get to meet new people in different areas of engineering and find out how they’re bringing about change in their companies. It’s the opportunity to learn, evolve and understand how people from different backgrounds can integrate and bring something new to their organisation.”
“BEN is a safe space”
Kiri Yogaratnam is a final-year MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering student and is one of the Co-Chairs of the Belonging in Engineering Network. For her, BEN has been a “safe space” where she can “connect with like-minded people who understand and support each other”.
When Kiri first joined Newcastle University, she was part of a Student Advisory Board working with university colleagues to understand how the institution can narrow the degree awarding gap between Black and White home students. A network like BEN was one of the key recommendations from this research, and so to now be so involved in the network fills Kiri with pride. She said:
“It’s been a big part of my journey, from someone shy and quiet to someone who now leads and supports others. BEN has made my time at university better, and I’ve made amazing friends who are helping me through my final year.”
Kiri has also enjoyed the opportunity to connect with our alumni community while still a student, and has found hearing from fellow engineering graduates like her motivating. She said:
“Their stories help us see what’s possible after graduation. Many have offered mentorship, revision support and career insights – such as the recent ARUP on-site visit – that we students truly appreciate.”
“I’m bringing diverse talent to my employer”
Liam Obuobie (MEng Hons Mechanical Engineering, 2022) has been involved in BEN from its conception, taking part in an interview on the research into the degree awarding gap.
“The conversation ended up being over two hours long,” he said. “I came to Newcastle from Bournemouth University primarily for the basketball and found that the North wasn’t as diverse. There were regular incidents of racism and discrimination myself and my peers faced where we felt no one was doing anything about it.”
Now, Liam is using his experience and connections in his multinational employer Arup to fight for future generations of Black engineers. “Arup provides me with resources to help the students in BEN because they understand that this is a pool of diverse talent that we would love to have on our team,” Liam explained.
As well as regularly travelling back to campus to attend BEN events, Liam has hosted 40 Black students from the university in the Arup office, providing them with an insight into what their future might look like. “A lot of the leaders at Arup took the whole day off to get involved and came away feeling inspired from the day,” Liam said. “They’re hoping to make the visit an annual thing going forward.”
As well as the benefits for his organisation, Liam has found satisfaction in giving back to the student community. He joked, “I don’t have younger siblings, but it feels like I do now with the BEN students! The next generation see the world completely different to us and their diverse experiences has helped me to learn a lot too.”
The inspiration I drew from the alumni sharing their experiences in both industry and academia instilled a sense of hope in me during a challenging time. It’s so encouraging to see people who look like me land jobs in such big companies.
How you can get involved in the Belonging in Engineering Network (BEN)
Any Black or other Global Majority alumni from any engineering discipline is encouraged to get involved and support BEN. Your involvement can be as small or as large as you are able to offer, from sharing your story to inspire students, to mentoring and providing work placements in your organisation.
To discuss the opportunities open to alumni with BEN, please get in touch with the Staff Lead for the network, Amina Razak.
