HUMANS OF UWCA: Meet Kate Gibson from the Class of '94 "Growing up in Toronto, I’d never been to Europe before stepping into a castle in Wales surrounded by students from all over the world. My time at UWC Atlantic was truly transformative, it opened my eyes to new cultures, inspired deep curiosity and taught me the value of resilience and taking initiative. One of my first lessons? If you see something that needs changing, don’t wait , take action. When I arrived, there was no recycling program on campus, so I started the first environmental society, introduced recycling and composting and organised AC’s first sustainability conference. That “just act” mindset has guided my career ever since. After AC, I spent years guiding biking and hiking trips around the world. Listening to senior business leaders talk about their lives and concerns, I realised they weren’t so different and many cared deeply about social and environmental issues. That insight led me into corporate sustainability, where I eventually led global teams focused on climate and social impact. Today, I’ve launched my own consultancy to help companies turn sustainability promises into accelerated action. The next five years are critical and I’m determined to help businesses drive real, measurable change when it matters most. I also give back through AC’s United Women for Change Programme mentoring young women to lead with confidence and purpose. AC gave me the foundation. Purpose gave me direction. And now, I’m committed to paying it forward. To find out more about our United Women for Change Programme contact carissa.bardsley@uwcatlantic.org #UWCAtlantic #SustainabilityLeadership #ClimateAction #WomenForChange #PurposeDriven #SocialImpact #UWCAlumni #SustainableBusiness #Mentorship #Leadership #ChangeMakers (fb)

“17 Again!” – A UWC-USA reunion at UWC Atlantic 💫 It started with a simple message in a class WhatsApp group: “What if we did a reunion in Europe? In Wales even? In a properly old castle?” New Mexico was far. Life was busy. Many of us had missed past reunions and were craving the chance to reconnect, not just with old friends, but with that spirit we shared at 17. And so, a year later, more than 150 alumni from UWCUSA gathered at UWC Atlantic, hosted out of term time and who warmly opened its doors to us. The result? A whirlwind of nostalgia, laughter, learning and late-night noodles. 🎤 We kicked things off with a Montezuma-style “Coffee Table” debate on The New Age of Fascism, moderated by our own former history teacher (and AC parent!) Ivan Mustain. 🎶 At the “Blue Moon Café”, alumni and their kids jammed, read poetry, cracked jokes — just like in our 90s open mic days. 📚 We heard from classmates who presented books, others who now work at UWC-USA, and got a peek into what campus life looks like in 2025. 🏰 And of course, we soaked in the exotic charm of another UWC: castle tours, coastal walks, murder holes, dimholes (!), a BBQ on the top lawn, a pub crawl… and the legendary ladies’ toilets in the dungeon. Every night we danced to our collectively curated ‘90s playlist. Every morning we felt a little more like our 17-year-old selves again. We laughed, we cried, we hugged a lot. By the end, we were exhausted, but also refueled, re-energized, and refilled with the UWC spirit. It felt like coming home to each other, to our younger selves, and to that sense of global idealism that brought us to UWC in the first place. Thank you, AC, for making this gathering possible. Diolch yn fawr from all of us. ❤️🌍 — Katrin, UWC-USA alum If any other UWC Alum would like to host a self organised reunion at UWC Atlantic, please contact info@uwcatlanticexperience.com (fb)