On Saturday, 22 August 2026, our alumni in Penang had come together for a small gathering at Some Place Else in Georgetown.
This gathering was initiated and hosted by our North Malaysia Alumni Ambassador, Saw Li Ying (in the photo: purple shirt, holding Gilbert!). She is a registered and licensed counsellor at Peninsula College Malaysia and had graduated from UNM in 2018 with a degree in Psychology.
Li Ying had brought on the But Honestly team as the facilitator at the event, making the networking part of gathering even smoother and more meaningful. But Honestly is a local conversation card deck company that offers various decks of cards that apply to different situations where getting to know each other is the main goal.
“I felt excited after meeting old faces as well as new at the alumni gathering back in 2024, at the E&O Hotel in Penang,” said Li Ying. “As an ambassador, I wanted to connect everyone and keep the Notts spirit alive, and I hope to create the sense of belonging by organising this mini gathering.”
According to Li Ying, the founder of But Honestly, Davin Ngu, may not be from Nottingham, but as a Psychology graduate, she resonated with his goal of creating safe spaces with meaningful conversations using the decks of cards. These cards have been reviewed by mental health professionals during their productions.
With But Honestly’s help in facilitating the conversations at the gathering, Li Ying had hoped that the guests were able to deepen their relationship with each other as fellow alumni.
During the gathering, our alumni guests were able to network using the original card deck with the help of the facilitator. This brought about thoughtful conversations and sparked questions to get to know each other more, beyond the usual ice breaking sessions.
“Adulthood can be hard, as is our careers—be it new or still building—and growing responsibilities, and with this network, we can grow alongside and expand our community in North Malaysia,” added Li Ying.
Since the event ran from 10am to 12pm on a Saturday morning, the alumni guests’ conversations did not end when lunch time rolled around. We are delighted to have witnessed the alumni reconvening afterwards to have lunch together at Restoran Sup Hameed.
It was a simple, casual time, and yet it held so much meaning and trips down the memory lane as UNM graduates.
At Alumni Relations, we are grateful for our ambassadors who take the initiative to host gatherings and come up with meaningful events that bring the alumni in their region together.
Don’t miss out on future alumni events! Join our official WhatsApp community today and connect with the ambassadors in your region.
Posted on 28th August 2026