The University of Exeter holds a special place in the hearts of our alumni community, particularly for those who fell in love whilst studying here:
Carrie and Joe Reevy
Carrie (English and Latin, 1975).
Joe (Psychology, 1975).
Joe shares: “Carrie and I met through a group of school friends from Somerset. As well as Carrie’s excellent dress sense and great humour, I was impressed by her ability to drink schooners of sweet sherry! We did post-graduate work at Southampton, married at Guildford Register Office in 1977 and moved back to Devon at the first opportunity – our house overlooks the Streatham Campus! I still worship the ground Carrie walks on.”
David and Nerys Bint
David (Mathematics, 1998).
Nerys (Accounting and Finance Studies, 1998).
David shares: “I moved into Haldon House in Birks Hall at the start of October 1995. On the first Wednesday, I was in the Boot Bar in Birks Central Block chatting to friends on my Mathematics course. One of them was joined by their neighbour, Nerys Crosby, studying Accountancy and Finance. We became friends straight away with a shared love of 80s music and football. By the end of the month, we had started dating and, in our second year, we shared a house in Brunel Close with four other students. We got engaged aged 20 and graduated on the same day in 1998 with first class degrees, before joining KPMG in London. We married in Watford in 2001 and are looking forward to celebrating our silver wedding anniversary in 2026.”
Edward and Gillian Wagner
Edward (Physics, 1968).
Gillian (Maths and Physics, 1968).
Gillian says: “Eddie and I met in October 1965 at the Freshers’ Hop. After graduating, we married in September 1968 in Leeds. Eddie became a Physics teacher, and I became a radiographer in a cancer hospital. Eddie and I have recently visited Exeter for a couple of days to visit our ‘old haunts’.”
Edward comments: “I will be forever grateful to the University of Exeter for giving me the opportunity to make a living as a Physics teacher in Leeds, as well as meeting my very posh wife Gill who came from Haywards Heath! During my time at the University, I was also introduced to Bob Dylan by a fellow student. I still listen to Bob Dylan’s greatest hits, and they remind me of my time at Exeter.”
Elizabeth and Craig McPherson-Staples
Elizabeth (English, 2017, and MA Education, 2024).
Craig (BA Education (Secondary) with History and PE, 1993, and MA Education, 2024).
Elizabeth says: “Craig and I met at work; we’re both secondary school English teachers. The ‘Beast from the East’ of 2019 brought us together when Craig valiantly rescued me from being stranded in the snow! One of our first dates was at the Ram Bar where I used to work. We’re both Exeter graduates, albeit at different times. Once we’d established a relationship, we took the plunge and signed up for our MA in Education with Language and Literacy, which we graduated together in July 2024 (on my birthday!). We got engaged at Exeter Cathedral in April 2024 and married in Cornwall in May 2025. Our wedding was attended by our university buddies, of course!”
Bibi and Steve Rodley
Bibi (Greek/Roman Studies and Italian, 1995).
Steve (Geography, 1995).
Bibi says: “I was introduced to Steve by a friend in 1993 after returning from my year abroad. We were in the Ram Bar. We became friends before we became a couple that year. Our son Ben also attended the University of Exeter and stayed in Birks in 2020 (where I resided in 1991!). Ben studied Geography (the same subject as Steve) and graduated in 2023, so we had the opportunity to come back to spend time on the beautiful Streatham Campus and celebrate another graduation.”
Steve comments: “I had heard of Bibi from her friends in second year, but we only met in our final year when she returned to Exeter after her year abroad. I limped across to speak to her in the Ram Bar with a leg in plaster having broken it playing for the University football team!
“The University of Exeter holds special memories for us. We always stop to run down memory lane every time we are passing. I often visit to support the Exeter Football Club alumni events.”
