If you’ve ever wondered, “What does alumni mean?”, you’re not alone. It’s a word that’s used a lot in professional and educational settings, but it’s not always clear what it means. At Italia Conti, we’ve given the traditional term, alumni, a more modern and inclusive twist, AlumnX, to better reflect the diversity of our community. In this blog, we’ll explore alumni meaning, and we’ll give you a look at our own inspiring AlumnX network. So, What Does Alumni Mean? Going back to basics, the term “alumni” comes from Latin origins. It refers to former students of a particular school or graduates of a particular college or university. It’s usually used as a plural, alumni, for a group of people, then alumnus for a single man or alumna for a single woman. Here at Italia Conti, we’re all about celebrating diversity and inclusion, which is why we chose to use the unique term AlumnX. This is our gender-neutral way of referring to everyone who has trained with us, regardless of gender or identity. What Does Alumni Mean in College? In a college or university setting, alumni are much more than just former students. They’re people who have walked the halls, taken the classes and performed in the same spaces. After that, they’ve gone on to make their mark on the world. Alumni often play a big role when it comes to giving back to their institution, whether that’s a school, college or university. Often, this is through mentoring, networking, sharing experiences, or even just continuing the legacy of the school they trained at. At Italia Conti, our AlumnX community is a vibrant, growing network of performers, artists, creatives and change-makers. From the West End to the recording studio, our AlumnX are out in the world doing the things they love! Celebrating Our AlumnX We’re incredibly proud of the talent that has come through our doors over the past century. Here are just a few of our stand-out students: Bonnie Langford: Stage, screen and musical theatre icon. Newton Faulkner: Chart-topping singer-songwriter with incredibly soulful vocals. James Nelson-Joyce: Star of Shameless, Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant, and Netflix’s Black Mirror. Kedar Williams-Stirling: Star of Sex Education and one of the UK’s rising talents. Layton Williams: Celebrated all-around performer known for his role in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Bad Education. Pixie Lott: Pop icon with multiple top 10 hits. Daniel Mays: Acclaimed actor known for his powerful roles in Line of Duty and White Lines. Martine McCutcheon: Actor and singer, loved for her role in Love Actually alongside Hugh Grant. Mimi Keene: Actress best known for her roles in Sex Education and Eastenders. Naomi Campbell: Global fashion icon and one of the original supermodels. Mark Ballas: American dancer and choreographer, known for Dancing with the Stars. These AlumnX students, and so many others, are proof of what’s possible when the right talent meets the right training. Whether they’re making moves in the West End or starring in groundbreaking TV, each of these creatives started their journeys right here at Italia Conti. If you’d like to follow our AlumnX’s journeys in more detail, check out our brand-new AlumnX page, where we celebrate some of our most notable past students.