Become a part of our global alumni community

We encourage you to maintain a lifelong, mutually beneficial, relationship with our university, and provide many ways for you stay in touch with us and each other. Leeds Beckett boasts many notable and prestigious alumni, some who have gone on to work as professional athletics, in film and television and within the music industry.  

Our University is particularly well known for its pedigree of sporting stars, many of whom have qualified for this year’s Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro.  This includes Triathlete Alistair Brownlee, 1500m runner Laura Weightman and Springboard Diver Yona Knight-Wisdom.    

Alistair Brownlee, Olympic Triathlete  

Alistair graduated in 2013 with an MSc Finance. He won gold in London four years ago and was unsurprisingly named in the GB squad for Rio alongside brother Jonny and Leeds-based Gordon Benson. In 2012, Alistair received an MBE for his contribution to the field of British Athletics.

He still trains on campus under the guidance of Leeds Beckett Triathlon Head Coach Jack Maitland and former Director of Sport Malcolm Brown. 

Laura Weightman, 1,500m Runner  

Laura, BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science 2013, secured one of the two quota places after finishing in the top two at the British Athletics Championships in Birmingham.
Her appearance in Rio comes four years after she made the 1,500m final at London 2012.

Yona Knight-Wisdom, Springboard Diver

Yona became the first ever Jamaican diver to qualify for the Olympics when he won a silver medal at the Diving World Cup, in Rio, back in February of this year. Yona graduates this summer with a BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science. 

Other notable alumni include: 

Alexander Skarsgård, Actor 

Alexander has received notable recognition as an actor in the award-winning TV show True Blood which aired from 2008-2014. Whilst appearing in True Blood, Alexander also appearing in two feature films in 2011. He was cast as the lead role in the new Tarzan film which was released earlier this summer. In 2011 our University awarded him an honorary award for his contribution to acting.

Piers Agget and Kesi Dryden, Rudimental 

Piers and Kesi make up half of dance act Rudimental, both of whom graduated with BSc (Hons) Creative Music and Sound Technology in 2008. Since forming Rudimental in 2010 the group have gone on to receive worldwide acclaim. With their platinum album topping the charts in 2013 and three number one singles, Rudimental have gone from strength to strength since graduating from our University. In 2014 they received an honorary award from our University for their contribution to music. 

Kanya King, MOBO founder

Kanya graduated with a (HonsD) Music and is now the CEO of MOBO (Music of Black Origin) - which she foundered in 1996. Kanya has transformed the face of urban music, bringing it from the outskirts of British popular culture right to the heart of the UK mainstream. Under her leadership the MOBO’s have celebrated an abundance of talent throughout their 20-year history, including artists such as Tina Turner, Dionne Warwick and Destiny’s Child. Our University awarded Kanya an MBE in 2009.