Alumni Issue 6

ALUMNI

edgehill.ac.uk/alumni

Kerry Howard The accidental actor

Memories of Ormskirk

Celebrating 80 years of Edge Hill in Ormskirk

Rewarding Excellence How scholarships are helping some of our extraordinary students

Issue 06

Kerry Howard

Comedy girl came to acting by chance

Memories of Ormskirk

Celebrating 80 Years of Edge Hil in Ormskirk

How scholarships are helping some of our extraordinary students

Rewarding Excellence

covEr story KErry howArd

edgehill.ac.uk/alumni

ALUMNI

Issue 06

34 obituAry KErry ogdEn

20 Alumni profilE cArys brAy

18 fEAturE mEmoriEs of ormsKirK

17 Alumni profilE AmAndA oAtEs 38 lEttErs Alumni storiEs And nEws

36 univErsity nEws cAmpus lAtEst

35 Alumni support postgrAduAtE

32 fEAturE A pAssion for compAssion

16 fEAturE whAt A diffErEncE 20 yEArs mAKEs

14 Alumni fund rEwArding ExcEllEncE

30 fEAturE pArt of thE union

26 fEAturE growth of mEdiA

25 Alumni support support for nEw tEAchErs

23 Alumni study tEAching AbroAd

22 Alumni support EmployEr EngAgEmEnt

12 fEAturE A drAmAtic rElAtionship

10 grAduAtE EmployAbility dEgrEEs thAt worK

08 Alumni profilE stuArt stoKEs

06 vc’s mEssAgE building futurEs

03 intErviEw with KErry howArd funny girl

Contents

Alternatively you can update your personal details via the Edge hill Alumni network at edgehill.ac.uk/alumni

if you have any comments, changes to personal details, or wish to be included in future editions, email alumni@edgehill.ac.uk or write to caroline mitchell, Alumni team, Edge hill university, st helens road, ormskirk, l39 4Qp.

Editor: caroline mitchell Copywriter: sophie wilcockson Photography: stuart rayner, daniel monaghan Design: Andy butler, mark molloy

Published by Edge Hill University

Edge hill university Alumni magazine

ALUMNI

Welcome to the latest edition of Alumni – the magazine for, and about, former Edge Hill students.

In this edition we are celebrating the careers of graduates who have made an impact in a wide variety of fields. Read about funny girl Kerry Howard and her success as a comedy actress; Olympic athlete Stuart Stokes, the oldest member of London 2012 men’s track and field team, and award-winning author Carys Bray.

We have a glimpse inside the growing Department of Media, a recap of 20 years of Social Sciences, and take a look around the new Students’ Union with SU Presidents past and present.

As always there are lots of alumni profiles highlighting the range of jobs our graduates enjoy – from teaching and filmmaking to theatre production – plus a feature on your Memories of Ormskirk.

As always, we welcome your feedback, stories, memories and ideas for articles – please keep them coming.

I hope you enjoy the magazine.

Best wishes,

Caroline Mitchell Caroline

Affinity Officer

Edge Hill University Alumni Magazine

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Funny Girl

Interview:

Kerry Howard She’s known to millions as Laura, Becky’s highly strung younger sister in hit BBC Three comedy Him & Her, starred alongside Rafe Spall in her first feature film and has just finished recording the pilot of her very own sketch show.

But Kerry Howard, acclaimed comedy actress and star of Sky’s new sitcom, Give Out Girls, came to acting almost by chance.

“I wasn’t expected to get the grades to go to university but, much to everyone’s surprise – including mine – I did quite well in my A-Levels,” recalls Kerry. “I hadn’t even applied to university but suddenly everyone was talking about Clearing. I’d always been interested in drama, so my mum and my cousin got on the phone and started ringing round. I went out and by the time I came back I was enrolled on a Drama course at Edge Hill.”

Two weeks later, a slightly apprehensive Kerry travelled 200 miles from her home in Somerset to Ormskirk, a place she’d never heard of, to start a degree she didn’t know much about.

“I was quite conflicted because I’d never been away from home before,” says Kerry, “but Edge Hill was perfect for me. I’m a country girl at heart and I think a big metropolitan university would have completely overwhelmed me. Edge Hill felt manageable. You were near Manchester and Liverpool so you could experience a bit of city life – but you weren’t right in it.

“My parents were pleased I was getting a degree but I don’t think they thought acting was a serious career.

My mum made costumes for the local amateur dramatic club, so me and my brothers always had bit parts in pantomimes, and I was in school plays, but I’d never had lead roles. No-one had ever picked me out as a future star or anything.

“It wasn’t until I got to Edge Hill that I discovered my voice as an actor and met people who encouraged me and told me I was good enough. I learnt so much, about playing characters and about writing comedy, which has helped me get where I am today. It really was the best three years of my life.”

Edge Hill University Alumni Magazine

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After graduation Kerry moved to London to look for work. Like many aspiring actors, she took unpaid acting jobs, did open mic slots and worked as an extra to make ends meet and get her name known. Her big break came in 2009 when she was cast as Martin Clunes’ receptionist in Reggie Perrin.

“I’d grown up loving Men Behaving Badly so I was ridiculously overexcited to be working with Martin Clunes,” she recalls. “Every scene I had was with him so in rehearsals I was just bright red the whole time.

I’ve been fortunate to work with some amazing actors and I always try and learn as much as I can from them; I’m like a limpet, stuck to their side taking it all in.”

After Reggie Perrin, Kerry was offered the role of Laura in BBC Three’s Him & Her, now on its fourth series. Since then she has appeared in Channel 4’s Comedy Showcase and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps on BBC Two. She also recently made her movie debut in British comedy I Give it a Year, starring Rafe Spall, Minnie Driver and Stephen Merchant.

“Seeing my name up there on the big screen was an incredible, surreal moment,” says Kerry, “but the best thing was walking up the red carpet at the premiere. It was such an amazing experience. Even if I do nothing else in my life, I can say I’ve been photographed on the red carpet at a movie premiere!”

Give Out Girls is Kerry’s first leading role, and she believes there isn’t a better time to be a woman in comedy.

“There are some brilliantly funny female writers and actors around at the moment,” she says. “People like Lena Dunham (writer and star of controversial US comedy Girls) have really opened the door for actresses like me. She’s proved the ‘girl next door’ type, which is normally a supporting role, can carry a show – and I hope I can do the same in the UK.” Give Out Girls starts on Sky Living HD later in the year. Kerry’s pilot sketch show, Kerry, is available on the BBC’s Feed my Funny website (www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p010x9sm).

Building Futures Vice-Chancellor’s message:

Edge Hill University Alumni Magazine

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Once again, Edge Hill finds itself in a strong position, despite everything an uncertain economic climate and a declining market could throw at us this year.

We entered the year as one of only four English universities to see a growth in applications for 2012 entry – up 18% overall – an upward trend that has seen applications to study at Edge Hill increase five-fold in the past ten years.

To be enjoying a record number of applications is particularly encouraging against a national decline in student numbers of 14% – a result of rising tuition fees and the on-going recession. However, it was only our third best year for entrants, and I believe in a different year we would have done better. Still, Edge Hill remains one of the fastest growing universities in the UK, and that growth looks set to continue in the coming year.

Financially, the University is in good health. Our income was £106 million, with a surplus of £16.5 million, allowing us to invest £42 million in capital projects this year. Extensions to Founders Court and Chancellors Court have added 400 new study bedrooms, bringing the total on-site bed spaces to 1,750. This means we can now offer all first years accommodation on campus for the first time.

We’ve also invested £18 million in Creative Edge, a new flagship building for Media and Computing, £4.5 million in a Biosciences Building to house the growing Department of Biology, and a further £11 million in our new sports complex – which will give Edge Hill the best sports facilities north of Loughborough by 2014. Alongside these building projects is a major landscaping operation, including the introduction of a second lake, complete with a beach – making Edge Hill the only university with beachfront apartments!

Another sign of growth is our investment in staff this year, particularly at professorial level. According to the Times Higher Education Supplement, Edge Hill’s professorial wage bill rose more in percentage terms than any other UK university, which bodes well for our submission to the REF 2014 [Research Excellence Framework, the Government system that assesses research performance and allocates funding]. We are entering two or three times as many staff as last time, across more subject areas, which shows the increasing quality of our research.

An important measure of our success is the satisfaction of our students. The National Student Survey 2012 again ranked Edge Hill in the top three in the North West for overall satisfaction. We were also rated top in the region for personal development and assessment and feedback, and in the top three for satisfaction with the Students’ Union.

So, all in all, it’s been another positive year for the University despite increasing external pressures. There will be challenges ahead for all Higher Education Institutions: there will be less money to go round which will probably lead to less generous student support; a declining age cohort; and a more aggressive market.

Can we continue to enjoy year on year growth as we have for the past seven years? Possibly not. Can we improve our position relative to other institutions over that time? I think we can. Edge Hill is well equipped for the future, and I expect us to continue to go from strength to strength.

Dr John Cater

Stuart Stokes Alumni profile:

BA (Hons) Sport in the City, 2000

After 12 years as an elite athlete, Stuart Stokes finally realised his sporting ambition last year when he stepped up to the starting line for the 3,000m steeplechase at the London 2012 Olympics.

As the oldest member of the men’s track and field team, 36-year-old Stuart realised this could be his last chance to represent his country at the world’s biggest sporting spectacle. Despite being a full-time teacher and father of two young children, Stuart was determined to qualify for Team GB and put everything into his training.

“I got the call at school,” recalls Stuart. “I went in to tell the Head and just burst into tears. It was a really emotional moment. I’ve competed in three Commonwealth Games and at European and World Championships, but the Olympics is the one that really matters because it's the one that everyone watches. I was gutted to have missed out on Sydney and Athens, but I got the best one in the end.”

Stuart’s Olympic dream began early. As a sports-mad child he would compete against his two brothers in every available school sport. Ironically, athletics was his least favourite discipline.

“I preferred team games but I was ambitious and knew I wasn’t good enough to play football or cricket at the highest level,” admits Stuart. “I also found it frustrating that you could have a brilliant game individually but still be on the losing side. I wanted to be in control of my own destiny. I was a good runner so I found my niche in the 3,000m steeplechase.”

Stuart competed in the European Junior Championships in Hungary in 1995 and continued competing when he started University, making full use of Edge Hill’s excellent sporting facilities.

“I wasn’t a typical student,” says Stuart. “I didn’t drink, I ate properly and I would be out on the running track when other students were just getting in from a night out. I was totally committed to training and competing, but I studied hard as well. A sporting career can’t last forever and I knew I would need my degree one day.”

That day came three years ago when Stuart enrolled on Edge Hill’s ground-breaking Teacher Training Partnership programme, in which trainee teachers learn entirely in schools.

“Running paid the bills but it wasn’t exactly a stable income,” says Stuart. “I was married with two children so it felt like time to get a proper job. I knew Edge Hill had a great reputation for teacher training from when I was there, and the partner school is ten minutes from my house, so the programme was ideal for me.

“I really enjoy teaching but I can’t help but have one eye on the next big competition. My heart says continue, but my body says no. I’ve had too many injuries – I was patched up for the Olympics but I’m not sure I could do that again.

“For me the journey to the Olympics was as important as competing. It wasn’t just the pinnacle of my career, it was also a reward for my family for all the sacrifices they’ve made to support me,” adds Stuart. “It felt like the last piece had slotted into place – I’d achieved what I’d set out to do and could finally move on with my life.”

Stuart now works as a PE teacher as part of his teacher training programme, and often gives motivational talks about his sporting career to young people.

“Now, when I talk to kids, I can say I am an ‘Olympic Athlete’, he says. “If that inspires one kid to aim high, I’m happy.”

Edge Hill University Alumni Magazine

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Picture: Associated Press

Graduate Employability:

Degrees that work Employability is right at the heart of the Edge Hill experience – everything we do is designed to equip our students to succeed in their future careers.

Our reputation is underpinned by latest figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), which place Edge Hill top in the North West for graduate employment, with 93.4% of our students in employment or further study within six months of graduating.

This is no accident: major employers are involved in the design of our degrees, and over 75% of our programmes carry additional professional accreditation.

Our award-winning Careers Centre helps students from the moment they start their degree, with friendly, expert and objective guidance that continues well after they graduate.

Here are some examples of Edge Hill graduates who have secured great jobs with some of the UK’s top employers.

Holly Heslop

Search Executive, Online Marketing, John Lewis

Holly Heslop started working at John Lewis, one of the country’s best-known retail chains, in April 2012 and, as far as she is concerned, there is no such thing as a “bad day at the office”.

Holly joined the online marketing team at John Lewis as a search executive, responsible for increasing visibility across search engine result pages (SERPs) through optimisation and advertising.

“My job is to ensure we are immediately visible to anyone who is researching a product or category that falls within our remit,” explains Holly, who is based at John Lewis’ head office in London.

“I can honestly say that I enjoy every day,” she says. “I realised I wanted to join John Lewis when I read about the business before my interview. Learning about the history of the company and its partnership model really filled me with enthusiasm.”

Holly is convinced that her time at Edge Hill, where she gained a BA in Sociology and an MA in Marketing and Communications, prepared her well for the world of work.

“The encouragement to work closely with other students, plus the community feel, allowed me to express myself with confidence. I can now apply this as a ‘can do’ attitude to my job,” she says.

“During my masters I took a work experience opportunity at Coca-Cola’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, where I shadowed and interviewed global marketing managers. Both my university experience and the work placement allowed me to pursue my career aspiration to work in a large company.”

Edge Hill University Alumni Magazine

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Eamon Karpuska

Tope Sadiku

A degree from Edge Hill in Computer Software and Systems helped Eamon Karpuska to win a place on Barclays Bank’s prestigious graduate scheme, ahead of hundreds of other applicants.

After graduating last year with a First Class degree in Accountancy, Tope Sadiku is making enormous strides on the Asda Graduate Buying Scheme.

Unix Technician, Barclays

Eamon is a Unix Technician responsible for supporting live systems that host a variety of Barclays services, including PingIt, Personal Internet Banking and many other critical functions used all over the world.

Originally from Jonava in Lithuania, Eamon applied for the Barclays scheme to pursue a career in commercial software and systems – and has already been promoted to a higher grade.

“I thoroughly enjoy my role – every day has been different and challenging, which has made it very interesting,” says Eamon, who is based at Barclays Technology Centre in Knutsford. “My ambition is to develop further skills at Barclays that will be transferable across different business sectors.”

Eamon believes that the realistic nature of his degree programme was good preparation for employment.

“Much of the course was based on the kind of deliverables and deadlines expected in the workplace,” he says.

“At the end of my last year in university I was given an opportunity to complete a paid business project, which involved delivery and set-up of a computer network in a paper-based company,” says Eamon. “I was able to add the success of this project to my CV which greatly increased my ability to get interviews with different employers.”

Graduate Trading Assistant, Asda

Tope started on the supermarket chain’s trading scheme and later took an option to move onto the finance graduate scheme. This means she can use her accountancy degree as part of her training to become a chartered accountant, while drawing on her experience on the supermarket’s trading floor.

“My role brings theoretical knowledge from university into practice as I’m now responsible for several things I’d learned about at university, such as balances sheets and profit and loss accounts,” says Tope. “At first it was slightly overwhelming, getting my head around nine-figure balances, but the scale of variation and intricacy is exciting.

“My main ambition was always to work for a large company with a huge range of opportunities. Working for Asda has surpassed all my expectations because we’re part of the Wal-Mart family – the biggest retail group in the world.”

Tope took full advantage of Edge Hill’s career support.

As well as seeking advice from the Careers Service, she also did the Institute of Leadership and Management’s employability module, an additional, optional course designed to boost employability.

“That was a great experience because it prepared me for assessment days and graduate level interviews,” she says. “I also had great support from the careers team, who opened my eyes to the opportunities available. I’m certain the team significantly contributed to me gaining a place on a graduate scheme.”

A dramatic relationship Feature:

Despite only leaving university last year, two ambitious Drama graduates are already running their own successful theatre company, and providing support and opportunities for the next generation of Edge Hill students and alumni.

Philip McGuinness and Emily Frodsham set up Edge of Your Seat Productions in 2010 while still studying for their degrees. The idea to form a student-led theatre company came from a shared desire simply to see if it was possible to organise a full production on their own.

“There wasn’t anything else like it in the Performing Arts department at the time,” says Philip. “There were lots of opportunities to perform, stage manage or work backstage during the course, but nothing completely led by students for students.”

In 2011 Edge of your Seat put on its debut production of Willie Russell’s Our Day Out in the Studio Theatre, featuring an all-student cast and crew, including Philip as Artistic Director and Emily as Production Manager.

“It was quite an intense experience for Emily and I because we were at classes during the day, rehearsing in the evening then going home and doing all the planning and admin for the show ready for the next day,” recalls Philip. “I don’t know how we did it, but both of us still managed to get First Class degrees.”

Since then Edge of Your Seat has gone from strength to strength. They took their next production

Wonderland: The Trials of Alice on a mini tour of festivals in Liverpool and Llandudno, where it was seen by around 10,000 people. Word about the company is obviously spreading: auditions for their last show attracted 120 people for a cast of 20.

“In the Performing Arts industry you can’t just sit back and wait for opportunities to come to you,” says Philip. “You have to be proactive. Like any industry it’s very difficult to get a job without professional experience and you can’t generally get that experience without having a job.

“Edge of your Seat aims to fill that gap for students and alumni by giving them the opportunity to take part in professional productions in a public theatre while they’re still studying or recently graduated.”

Many couples would find living and working together quite difficult but, for Philip and Emily, the partnership seems to work perfectly.

Edge Hill University Alumni Magazine

“We work really well together because we have complementary skills,” says Philip. “I usually have a hundred mad ideas flying around in my head and I want to do them all immediately. Emily is the one who says, “maybe we should just try this one first.” She keeps my feet on the ground. If it was just me, the company would have gone bust ages ago.

“Sometimes, when we’re in the middle of a production, we do have very little downtime. But we do have clear switch modes and try hard to keep a definite line between work and home. It’s not always easy, but we understand each other very well and we have a shared ambition which brings us closer together.”

Not content with living and working together, the pair are soon going to be studying together again as well.

Philip started a PGCE in post-compulsory education in January, while Emily begins her PGCE in September – both back at Edge Hill.

“We’ve always been interested in the educational side of theatre. We do a lot of drama workshops for schools through Edge of Your Seat, and also help international students explore the English language through drama.

Being qualified teachers will help us expand our

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educational provision, as well as giving us more options in the future.”

In between writing and performing, running the company and preparing for his PGCE, Philip found time to take part in a photo shoot for the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool as part of its ‘Everyman for Everyone’ project. Philip is one of just 105 people chosen from the hundreds that took part to have his photo included on the Portrait Wall, a giant artwork that will cover the front of the newly renovated theatre.

“I’ve performed at the Everyman several times and, for me, it represents what theatre should be about – it’s accessible to all, it’s not elitist, it really is for everyone.

I feel very proud to be part of the project. “When I achieve my ambition of becoming the 13th Dr Who, people will say “I thought I’d seen him somewhere before.”

Edge of Your Seat Productions will be performing at an event in Coronation Park in Ormskirk in October, and at the Llandudno Christmas Parade in December. www.edgeofyourseatproductions.co.uk

Rewarding excellence Alumni fund:

Juggling full-time study with outside commitments can be difficult. Whether they’re keen volunteers, sportspeople, performers or artists, many students have to fit what they love around their lectures.

Edge Hill recognises the positive impact extra-curricular activity has, not just on students but on the communities in which they live, and offers a range of Excellence Scholarships to support and reward aspirational and inspirational students.

Helen Byrne

Sporting Excellence Scholarship winner, 2012

Lots of students spend Saturday afternoons watching football – not many are on the pitch, come rain or shine, being shouted at by the crowd and keeping 22 players in line. Even fewer are women.

Passion, commitment and a love of the beautiful game have seen Sport Development student Helen Byrne become one of a growing number of female football referees. After rising through the ranks, she is now assistant referee in the Conference Premier League, which sees her keeping teams like Luton and Wrexham in line each week.

Her determination to succeed, along with her ability to inspire the next generation of young female footballers, won her an Edge Hill Excellence Scholarship in 2012.

“The men’s teams were a bit sceptical about a female ref at first but I’ve never heard any negative comments,” says Helen. “There are a lot more women coming through now, so it’s becoming less of a novelty.”

She began training aged 14, becoming the youngest woman in the country to qualify as a level three referee.

She is currently working towards level two, and hopes to become one of the few women to officiate at that level.

“My dream is to go right to the very top of the profession and be the first female referee in the Premier League,” says Helen.

Helen played football for more than 12 years for Everton and Liverpool Ladies football clubs, and at 16 gained her coaching badge. She has a long history of football volunteering in schools and has coached the Liverpool Girls’ team for the past four years. Helen is also helping to organise Liverpool’s contribution to the Sir Bobby Robson National Football Day, which will showcase grassroots football in the city.

In May she was selected by the FA to act as assistant referee in the women's FA cup final, and recently travelled to Iceland to referee in the Nordic tournament, an eight-nation UEFA competition.

“The scholarship has helped me pay for things like equipment and travel,” says Helen, “but, most importantly, it’s given me recognition for what I do and inspired me to achieve more.”

Edge Hill University Alumni Magazine

Thomas Holt

2011 Alumni Scholarship winner and UK Student Volunteer of the Year 2013

Volunteering has not only changed the life of Children’s Nursing student Tom Holt – it has made a difference to thousands of children across Britain. His outstanding commitment to others won him a scholarship from Edge Hill in 2011 and has now gained him national recognition as UK Student Volunteer of the Year.

Tom, who has been volunteering since school, dedicates four hours a week to ChildLine as a telephone counsellor, plus a further four hours to an Action for Children mentoring scheme in Knowsley. He is also a Beaver, Cub and Scout leader, working with more than 50 children a week aged between six and 15. As if this isn’t enough, he regularly takes part in CHICKS respite weekends in Cornwall for disadvantaged youngsters.

“Winning UK Student Volunteer of the Year was absolutely fantastic – I really wasn’t expecting it,” says Tom. “The award reflects what I’ve achieved and I hope it will inspire other people to put an hour or two aside a week to volunteer.”

Supporting the next generation

Each year Edge Hill graduates help current students realise their ambitions by contributing to the Alumni Fund, which supports the Alumni Excellence Scholarship programme, and the University’s hardship fund.

Established in 2009, the Alumni Excellence Scholarship helps to nurture budding leaders in sport, entertainment, the creative industries and the voluntary sector.

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Alongside his volunteering activities Tom is an active blogger and has had an article published in the international online magazine The Huffington Post about winning his award.

“I blog about volunteering, but also about children’s nursing, because there are very few men in this area of the profession,” says Tom. “It’s partly a traditional thing but I also think guys feel children’s nursing isn’t masculine, that they’ll be ridiculed, even if they do it at a voluntary level.

But there’s a real need. I’ve heard employers say that one male nurse on a children’s ward totally changes the dynamic.”

Tom is often asked what motivates him to give up so much of his time. “I just enjoy every second of it,” he says. “I’m hugely passionate about getting involved.

No matter how badly I feel a session has gone, I look at the children’s smiling faces and think of the difference I’m making.”

on

You can donate to the Alumni Fund online at: edgehill.ac.uk/alumni/support. You don’t need to give a fortune – just £5 can make a real difference to a student’s future.

To see the full range of scholarships visit: edgehill.ac.uk/scholarships/guide

What a difference 20 years makes Feature:

In 1993, young lecturer Mark McGovern joined Edge Hill to teach Irish Studies modules in what was then known as the Department of Applied Social Sciences. As he approaches his 20th year at the University, Professor Mark McGovern spoke to Alumni about what has changed and what has stayed the same in the past two decades.

“I think the most significant change for Social Sciences is the physical environment,” says Mark, on the phone from Belfast where he is carrying out research into community perspectives of state violence and collusion.

“There’s been an extraordinary change in the University’s infrastructure in 20 years. The view from my office window is unrecognisable from 1993. Back then we were housed in what we laughingly called ‘the penthouse’ – the top floor of a decrepit building behind what is now CMIST –and my office looked out onto the old Law & Criminology huts.”

The building has long since been demolished and the Department of Social Sciences now occupies the former Business School, extensively refurbished and kitted out with the latest labs and equipment, which brings all Social Sciences staff and students together in one building for the first time. Mark’s office now looks out over the piazza, giving him a good view of Edge Hill’s ever-changing campus.

The name has also changed over the years. Applied Social Sciences gave way to Social and Psychological Sciences, then when Psychology became large enough to sustain its own department, simply the Department of Social Sciences.

“The Department has grown immensely,” says Mark, “which reflects the growth of the University as a whole.

We now have more than 400 students so we’ve lost the intimacy of teaching in a small, close knit group, but growth has given us better equipment and facilities and more opportunities to contribute to national thinking and education in the field of Social Sciences.”

The days of a single undergraduate Applied Social Sciences degree have also gone. “Students used to study a choice of subjects within Applied Social Sciences, which I think gave them quite a broad education,” says Mark.

“The employment market now demands early specialism so there’s been a necessary shift towards more vocational courses.”

Today the Department of Social Sciences offers three undergraduate degrees in Childhood and Youth Studies, Early Childhood Studies and Sociology, as well as two MRes programmes in Childhood and Youth and Sociology.

Technology has also moved on. Face-to-face contact is now supplemented by Blackboard, an online learning system that allows staff and students to share information and communicate, and students can access electronic journals at any time of the day or night.

Whatever shifts and changes the department has been through in the last 20 years, one thing remains the same according to Mark.

“I remember a HEFCE inspection not long after I’d arrived which rated the department as ‘excellent’ and described it as having ‘a curriculum with attitude’ – I think that is still true today and that’s part of what keeps me at Edge Hill.

“Our progammes give students the tools to critically evaluate the world around them. We encourage diverse views in our classrooms and we try to help students discover different ways of viewing a subject – showing them perspectives and theories they may not have been exposed to before.

“The one quality that characterises Social Sciences students down the years is an openness to new ideas and a willingness to stretch themselves,” adds Mark. “One of the best things about teaching is seeing that sudden sense of revelation on people’s faces when they understand something for the first time.

“We’re not asking students to see a different world, but to see the world differently – and that hasn’t changed.”

Edge Hill University Alumni Magazine

Amanda Oates

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Profile:

Even if she wanted to, Amanda Oates would find it hard to break her ties to Edge Hill University.

As a local NHS Human Resources Director, she is responsible for recruiting a large number of nursing and healthcare students, both for clinical placements and graduate jobs - and many of them come from Edge Hill.

Amanda didn’t go straight into the NHS after leaving Edge Hill. She initially secured a place on the NatWest graduate scheme, working in its Liverpool office, where she got her first glimpse into the world of HR.

“After the initial training and doing my banking exams, I became an HR Assistant, then PA to the HR Director, which gave me loads of experience and insights into what it was like to work at director level,” says Amanda. “It was a good foundation for my career.”

She eventually left NatWest to become Deputy Head of HR at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, and has stayed working for the NHS ever since.

“There is a big difference between working in HR in the public and private sectors,” says Amanda. “It’s not just about money, there’s a moral and ethical difference.

Everything we do in the NHS - whatever position we’re in, whatever area of the organisation - is geared towards maintaining frontline care for those who need it.”

Previously HR Director at the Walton Centre in Liverpool, the only specialist neurosciences NHS Trust in the UK, Amanda took up a new role in August as Director of Workforce at Mersey Care NHS Trust, a leading provider of mental health services. She is tasked with helping to improve the quality of services through engaging and empowering staff – no easy task given the current economic climate.

“The Trust’s aim is to provide the best in-patient and community services to help people recover from mental illness,” says Amanda, “ and informed, committed, caring staff are key to delivering that. It is challenging to try and reconcile increasing demand for services and rising patient expectations with cuts in funding. But there is lots we can do – and I enjoy a challenge.”

Despite graduating in 1992, Amanda still has strong connections to Edge Hill.

“We take a lot of Edge Hill students at the Walton Centre simply because the calibre is so high, and Mersey Care has very strong academic, health and social care links with the University too,” she says. “If the candidates weren’t strong enough, I wouldn’t give them an advantage just because they’re from my old University. The standard at Edge Hill is just very high.”

Amanda also worked with Edge Hill on a collaborative project to provide bespoke training and CPD courses for the Walton Centre’s clinicians and executive team, and is keen to use her HR knowledge to support the next generation of healthcare professionals.

“I’ve spoken to the careers team about how I could support graduates when applying for jobs, help lecturers with employability issues or give talks to students,” she says. “I’m delighted to still be involved with the University as an alumnus, as I received so much support myself when I was looking for jobs. The hints and tips I got from the careers team are still relevant to me today.”

Memories of Ormskirk Feature:

Celebrating 80 years in Ormskirk

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In October 1933 the staff and students of Edge Hill College left the cramped conditions of Durning Road in Liverpool and relocated to leafy Lancashire – and generations of students have since made the Ormskirk campus, and the town, their home.

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Alumni recently went on Facebook to ask former students for their memories of life in Ormskirk…

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I remember someone painted footprints leading from the statue across the road.

Roy Fisher

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The Ropers for cheap tea and a pint, the Loose Moose, chips and gravy from Acropolis – there are so many good memories of Ormskirk.

Most of mine appear to relate to food and drink, though.

Kayte Cronin

Midland Bank telling me I had the highest overdraft of the branch, Ruff Wood and doing the Ormskirk Mile.

Rick Moore

Playing hide and seek round the rose garden and long, long chats sat in the corridor of John Dalton Hall.

Louise Hawxwell

The roller-blading granddad in the town centre.

Lisa Perkins

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Top 10 best student haunts*

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The Acropolis (for late night chips) The Ropers Arms (for the music quiz) The Cricketers Arms The Loose Moose (and its sticky floor!)

Ormskirk Market The Buck i’th Vine (for Scrumpy cider) Cheung’s Fish and Chip Shop Styles bar Arriba Disraeli’s (Dizzies)

*Well, that’s what the people on Facebook said.

Disagree? Of course you do. Let us know your Top 10 – and any other memories of Ormskirk - and we may feature them in a future edition of Alumni.

Carys Bray Profile:

Undertaking an MA in Creative Writing transformed a need to read into a compulsion to write for prize-winning author and Edge Hill graduate, Carys Bray.

The Southport mother-of-four won the MA category of the Edge Hill Short Story Prize in 2010 before going on to scoop the Scott Prize for Short Stories in 2012, an international award for a first collection of short stories by a single author.

Carys, who has also had stories published in numerous literary journals and magazines, is currently completing her first novel as part of a PhD in Creative Writing at Edge Hill.

“I’ve always loved reading, and for some people it’s a natural progression for this to develop into a love of writing, which is what happened to me,” says Carys.

“I started writing stories when I was about nine and spent hours on Famous Five-inspired adventures starring myself and my friends. Many years later, when all my own children had started school, I did a BA in English literature at the Open University and there was an option to do creative writing. I decided to have a go and discovered that I really liked it.

“I began creative writing in earnest when I started my MA at Edge Hill. I was very shy about my writing when I started the course, but I’d hit my thirties and saw this as a last chance to find out if this was something I could do.”

Carys’ tutors soon spotted her talent and urged her to send her stories to literary magazines. Her first story to be published was The Ice Baby, which appeared in New Fairy Tales. More stories were published and Carys won the Edge Hill MA student prize with a short story called Just in Case.

“I found the course fantastic and really inspiring. I particularly love writing short stories because it’s amazing what can be achieved in such a condensed space. Sadness, humour and many other emotions can all be expressed in the short story,” says Carys.

After completing her MA Carys continued writing until she had enough material for a collection of stories called Sweet Home, which went on to win the Scott Prize – and be published in the UK, Australia and the USA.

“It took me about 18 months to write the stories,” explains Carys. “The driving element of the book is a preoccupation with family, and with the things that go wrong, and right, when people live together. The collection explores a variety of dark familial ‘failures,’ but it’s also meant to be funny and, ultimately, optimistic.

“Some of my favourite short story collections have been written by previous Scott Prize winners and I’m really thrilled to join their ranks.”

Now midway through her PhD, Carys has completed the first draft of her as yet untitled novel, which is about miracles and explores themes of guilt, grief and loss of faith in miracles.

“Although the novel sounds heavy, it’s not entirely pessimistic and has a fairly upbeat ending. It’s about how people try to engineer miracles and fail, then there’s a miraculous coincidence that no one could have predicted,” says Carys.

So how does her literary activity fit in with the hectic demands of raising four children?

“I write while they’re at school and in the evenings and squeeze it between the unavoidable things,” says Carys.

“My children have been great. They forgave me for crimes against progeny, such as forgetting mufti days and hogging the computer, and they cheered my successes.

“My husband, Neil, made extra time for me to write by doing the ironing and cleaning the bathroom. He sometimes cooked – until we all decided that it was better if he didn’t – and he read all of my stories, even though he prefers non-fiction.”

Looking ahead, Carys’ ambition is to finish her novel, along with the thesis for her PhD, a research project exploring the development of myths and sacred stories.

“Eventually I’d like to do another short story collection,” she adds. “My first one had a lot of children and young families in it so now I want to write some material with more adult themes.”

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Employer Engagement Alumni support:

Alumni have always been an integral part of the Edge Hill student experience. As well as giving inspiring talks to students about gaining employment, many who are now employers themselves are able to offer opportunities for placements, internships and even jobs to the next generation of graduates. Now, Edge Hill has a new team in place dedicated to improving engagement with employers – with alumni set to play a major role.

The seven-strong Employer Engagement team aims to increase the number of University links with external organisations to raise the profile of Edge Hill among the regional business community and improve the employment prospects for generations of future Edge Hill graduates.

Lisa Knight, who heads up the team, says: “It’s not all about what alumni can do for us. We offer a range of Continuing Professional Development courses that can help alumni and their employers to stay ahead of the game. We work closely with businesses to understand their training requirements, then develop a tailored programme that will deliver exactly what they need.

Clients can choose from a range of ‘off the shelf’ short courses, accredited training programmes or Masters programmes, or we can develop a completely bespoke product to meet their needs.”

Darren Mackey, Employer Engagement Marketing Manager, is keen to emphasise the range of benefits that working

with the Employer Engagement team can bring for alumni. “We want alumni to see Edge Hill as more than the place they got their degree,” he says. “We want them to consider the University as a touchstone for their continuing professional development. All employees need to keep their skills up to date and we can help alumni with their future CPD, whether they are looking as individuals or as people with responsibility for the development of others in their organisations.”

Several companies are already seeing the benefits of working with the University. Recycling, renewable energy and waste management company, Viridor, worked with the Faculty of Education to develop a bespoke foundation degree programme for its workforce; while a collaboration between the Faculty of Health and Social Care and service provider Care UK has resulted in an innovative e-learning programme providing essential training for employees across 50 sites.

As well as getting involved in CPD, alumni can also support Edge Hill’s employability agenda by offering student placements or internships at their organisations.

“The benefit to alumni of working with Edge Hill is that they know what they’re getting,” adds Darren. “They already know the quality of our staff and students – what might surprise them is the wide range of services we can offer them as employees and employers.”

Teaching abroad

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Alumni study:

In the current economic climate, newly qualified teachers are increasingly looking further afield for job opportunities. But it’s not all about paying the bills – teaching abroad offers the chance to experience a different culture, meet a diverse range of people, learn a new language and develop skills and knowledge that are prized back in the UK. Louise Rolf is one of many teachers who saw the opportunity to teach abroad as a once in a lifetime experience – and is now enjoying a challenging and rewarding international career.

After completing her PGCE at Edge Hill in 2004, Louise got a job in London as a History teacher and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming head of department at the school within two years.

“I enjoyed my job, but I’d always wanted to live abroad at some point,” says Louise. “My boyfriend got offered a job in Trinidad so, when we went over there to visit, I took the opportunity to look at some international schools.

Trinidad turned out not to be for us, but it planted the idea of teaching abroad in my mind and I started regularly checking the Times Higher Educational Supplement for international teaching jobs.

“I wanted a change of scene, so when a job came up in Dubai, I jumped at it.”

Louise has now been teaching at a private international school in Dubai for the past five years. Despite taking a step down career-wise to move to Dubai, within a year she was promoted to her dream role – head of sixth form – a position that would take a lot longer to work up to in the UK. “In Dubai you follow the same curriculum as in the UK but you have more freedom to teach it your own way and there is much less paperwork,” says Louise. “Because Dubai is such a melting pot of cultures, you also work with a really interesting mix of children who all want to learn.

“It can be challenging but it’s very rewarding,” she adds, “and how many other jobs give you the chance to go camping in the desert or have barbecues on the beach in your spare time?”

Louise’s top tips for international teaching

1. Get some experience first. Most good international schools will ask for at least two years qualified teaching experience. If a school doesn’t ask for that, it’s probably not the type of school you would want to teach in.

2. Start looking early. The top international schools will have filled their positions by February, so you need to start applying in November to give yourself the best chance.

3. Teach a shortage subject. As in the UK, teachers in Maths and Science are highly sought after abroad and can generally take their pick of the best schools.

4. Don’t be afraid to take a step down.

Opportunities for promotion are often greater than in the UK.

5. Be open-minded. Teaching abroad takes you out of your comfort zone and forces you to think differently. Only the adventurous need apply.

Support for new teachers Alumni support:

For many teaching graduates, making the transition from trainee to Newly Qualified Teacher can be a daunting prospect. Now, a new programme, devised by Edge Hill’s Faculty of Education, is supporting hundreds of NQTs through their first year at work, and helping others get their foot on the first rung of the ladder.

The NQT programme, developed with input from alumni, provides mentoring, practical advice and networking opportunities for graduates. One of the main features of the programme is a series of conferences, held three times a year, which bring together recent graduates, alumni and school practitioners to share knowledge and develop practical skills for the future.

The theme of the latest conference, held in June 2013, was Leadership and aimed to support newly qualified teachers looking to move into positions of responsibility.

Alongside keynote speaker, Adrian Packer, former senior artistic director at the Brit School for Performing Arts, now Principal of the Everton Free School, were many Edge Hill alumni. They gave up their time to give talks and run workshops on subjects ranging from outdoor learning in Early Years to great ideas for primary science to behaviour management.

Edge Hill graduate Faisal Ahmed, who completed a PGCE with RE in 2011, has presented at two NQT conferences and sees his continuing connection with the University as vital for his professional development, as well as being a way of giving something tangible back.

“When I graduated there wasn’t a specific programme of support for NQTs like there is now,” he says, “so I found moving into the classroom quite a big jump from being a student. I realised how valuable it would be to hear from recent graduates about the challenges of being a new teacher, so I was more than happy to get involved.”

As well as the conferences, Faisal has maintained his links with Edge Hill in other ways including sharing his experiences with the current PGCE cohort and working with the course leader to bring trainees into his school, Stretford High School in Manchester. He also regularly brings his own students to Edge Hill events such as the Holocaust Study Day.

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Faisal has recently been appointed Director of Academic School at Stretford High, with responsibility for Humanities. He believes his involvement with Edge Hill was pivotal in securing his new role.

“It was useful to be able to talk about education in a wider context and draw on some of the knowledge and ideas I’ve gained from the NQT conferences.

“I fully intend to keep attending the conferences as they are a great way of sharing knowledge with peers and building subject networks.”

“The feedback from the conferences has been outstanding,” says Paul Spencer, Senior Lecturer in Professional Development and one of the NQT programme team. “This year, more than 30 NQTs who attended the conference have asked if they can come back and be involved next year. It’s creating a fantastic network of new teachers who want to support each other.

“The NQT programme highlights the importance of aftercare once students have finished studying.

Graduation should not mark the end of a university’s role in a teacher’s development; the NQT programme is a clear expression of Edge Hill’s commitment to supporting new teachers through what can be a difficult transitional period.”

The next NQT conference is on 9th November 2013 and is free of charge and open to all Edge Hill University QTS graduates. For more information about the NQT programme visit: edgehill.ac.uk/education/newly-qualifiedteachers

The University also hosts a range of conferences and events for those in the teaching profession. For more information please contact the alumni team on alumni@edgehill.ac.uk or call 01695 584861.

Growth of Media Feature:

With more than 700 students and a brand new flagship building set to revolutionise teaching, research and industry engagement, the Department of Media has come a long way since Edge Hill welcomed it’s first Communications and Information Media students back in 1992.

Students can now choose from 13 undergraduate courses and three postgraduate programmes. While modules in Media Studies remain popular, students can now take degrees as diverse as Film & TV Production, Animation, Public Relations, Advertising, and Music and Sound.

The range of subjects within the Media Department reflects the changing face of the creative industries and the skills today’s employers are looking for. As well as working on the latest, industry standard equipment, students have lots of opportunities for practice-based learning out in the real world, making them highly employable when they graduate.

Carol Poole, former Head of Department and now Edge Hill’s Ambassador to MediaCityUK, has seen the department go from strength to strength.

“We got a brand new £3 million building – CMIST – in 2003 to accommodate 300 students,” she says, “but the interest in our programmes intensified at such a rate that we had outgrown it within a year. By 2012 we were trying to accommodate over 600 students on campus, so there was clearly a need for development.”

Creative Edge, the Media Department’s new £18 million purpose-built accommodation which opens in September 2013, gives the department the space it needs to grow and develop long into the future.

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“Creative Edge will be a catalyst for creative collaboration – both within the University and with external partners from the creative industries,” says Carol. “We now have the space to do things we’ve never been able to do before like large scale events, festivals and conferences.

“It really knits the ‘creative campus’ idea together. Creative Edge sits alongside the Arts Centre and the Performing Arts building to give Media a new unity and creative identity that will give Edge Hill weight among its peers.”

In her role at MediaCityUK, Carol has been instrumental in developing closer links between Edge Hill and external media organisations, particularly the BBC. Over the past year more and more students have been winning prestigious work placements at the corporation, demonstrating its confidence in the quality of Edge Hill students. Ten students worked on

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the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year, for example, while others enjoyed placements with the BBC Philharmonic and CBBC, and several have subsequently secured full-time employment at the BBC.

Two Media students won this year’s BBC Learning Zone challenge, a national competition which gives them, and several student crew members, the opportunity to make a real live BBC production with a £1,000 budget. Three students from Media also won the prestigious Liverpool Sound City International Student Award in May. The judges were so impressed by the students that they are supporting the development of their idea, Fanbase.

“I believe our success is down to the vocational nature of our courses and the proactive, forward-looking attitude of the department,” says Carol. “We are always looking to break new ground in what and how we teach, and Creative Edge is symbolic of that ambition.”

Kyle Ogden

Media, Film & TV, 2008

Kyle Ogden puts his successful career as a freelance editor down to good training, hard work and perseverance. But, his first experience of working in TV was simply a question of being in the right place at the right time.

“We knew someone on the course whose dad was working with LA Productions in Liverpool,” says Kyle, “and they needed some students to help out on a documentary. I must have done something right because I ended up going back every few weeks for the next year and a half.

“It was a great experience and taught me so much.

Although I was working as a runner, being on set gave me insights into a range of jobs and I became really interested in editing.”

After graduation Kyle got a job with LA Productions as a trainee Assistant Editor on the acclaimed BBC drama series Moving On, created by Jimmy McGovern. He

stayed with LA Productions for three years, working on two more series of Moving On as well as BBC legal drama, Justice.

“As a trainee I was picking up rushes from the set and logging them ready for the editor to work on them,” explains Kyle. “You don’t realise at the time how much you’ve absorbed and after three years I felt ready to do it on my own.”

Ironically, his first job as a freelancer was with LA Productions. Colin McKeown, LA’s founder and Edge Hill honorary graduate, offered him an assistant editor role on an episode of the CBBC show Stepping Up, before asking him to edit two episodes of the fourth series of Moving On. Jimmy McGovern continues to loom large in Kyle’s career – he is currently working on McGovern’s new BBC film, Common, as well as editing two episodes of Moving On series 5.

“Edge Hill really encourages you to go out on your own and experiment; film things, write, meet people. It’s a good foundation for a creative career.”

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Alan Donohoe

Media, Film & TV, 2008

From making the tea to dismantling sets to driving film stars round Liverpool in a Hackney cab, Alan Donohoe’s time as a runner was certainly varied. It may not have been glamorous but it gave him the insight, experience and inspiration he needed to make his own film.

“I got a bit of a shock when I left Edge Hill because I suddenly realised you couldn’t immediately become a writer or director, which is what I wanted to do,” says Alan. “You get to do so many amazing things on the course – writing, directing, working in a TV studio, making films – but in the real world you have to start at the bottom.”

Alan’s first job was as a runner on the Liverpool film Reds and Blues – and it was the first of many. “It wasn’t always exciting but it paid the bills and built up my experience,” he says.

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“What I really wanted to do was tell stories. I’d made a short film during my course and I thought there was the germ of a good movie in there. So, one day I said to my mate, ‘we should make a film’ and once I’d said it out loud that was it, I knew we had to do it.”

Alan scraped together £300 to make a three-minute trailer then turned to crowd-sourcing website Indigogo to try and raise the money to make the film. The campaign raised $16,000 and the result was I have a bad feeling about this, a quirky, Star Wars influenced, sci-fi comedy, which has just finished shooting.

“When I started working I felt comfortable being on set because that was what I did at Edge Hill,” says Alan.

“My last two uni projects were crewed exactly like real films so when I came to make my own I knew what I was doing.”

Part of the Union Feature:

Whether they’re joining a society, becoming a Faculty rep or simply buying an Edge Hill hoodie, more students are engaging with the Students’ Union than ever before.

As the University grows, the SU is becoming increasingly important as the voice of the ever-increasing student body, and the President’s role is pivotal.

Alumni invited current SU President, Gareth Dowling, and Steve Parker, former President and external member of the Board of Trustees, for a chat in the Students’ Union’s new offices in The Hub to find out how much has changed in the past decade.

Alumni: I’m guessing one of the biggest changes is the SU offices?

Steve: Yes, it is a bit different. In 2004 we had four small offices off The Street plus a tiny cupboard/stationery store/photocopying room that was always full of sports kit.

Traditionally, the SU managed the student mail as well so we were constantly surrounded by parcels. Potentially, there could be 20 people in there at one time. Add the mail and the sports equipment and it was pretty cramped.

Gareth: We’ve obviously got more room in The Hub but we’ve expanded to fill the space already. There are two large open plan offices, two small offices, plus a private meeting room. It’s a very comfortable and flexible space for the SU core team to work in but there’s no accommodation for societies and no room for the radio station. However much space you have you can always use more.

Alumni: Is it easier for students to access the SU now?

Gareth: Definitely. The sabbatical team (sabbs) sit on the landing outside the offices to be more visible and approachable to students. They can come and chat to us without having to go into an office.

Steve: Coming into the SU in 2004 was like…

Gareth: Entering the bunker?

Steve: Yes, exactly like that. There was only one entrance and the front desk was manned by two non-student members of staff; the sabbs were in the offices at the back so it wasn’t great for people who wanted to discuss sensitive issues, but we were constrained by the space we had.

Alumni: Has the structure of the SU changed much?

Steve: Ten years ago, there were two sabbatical positions the President and an Academic and Welfare Officer. We also had a Community Action Officer, who co-ordinated student volunteering, and ten elected officers covering societies like the Athletics Union, Christian Union, LGBT, Mature Students, etc.

Gareth: I think the structure has changed virtually every year since you left, Steve. When I started at Edge Hill there was a President plus eight or ten elected roles but quite a few of those posts were vacant. I’d only been here four days when I became Societies Officer because the position was vacant - I’d only popped in to the SU to find out how to get involved.

The following year, two new Vice President roles were established, covering Academic and Welfare and Activities and Participation. Then, in 2010/11 we added a third VP for Communications and Campaigns and in 2011 introduced Faculty Vice Presidents for the first time. This year, we’ve also got a Student Advice team and a Marketing team.

Alumni: How do your election campaigns compare?

Steve: Mine was mainly paper-based as there was no Facebook or Twitter back then. I created some reversed posters that I put up opposite mirrors in the toilets – that got people talking. I also made a video that we played in the bar that involved me on screen having a conversation with someone I’d planted in the audience. It was pretty innovative for the time. I’d fractured my shoulder playing hockey so my arm was in a sling and this prompted the slogan ‘Don’t sling your vote away.’ Anything to get your name known.

Gareth: When I stood for President I relied heavily on social media, mainly because I got a chest infection just as campaigning started and was confined to bed. I used Facebook and Twitter to build up support and get my messages out there. When I stood for Vice President the previous year, I spent a lot of time talking to people on campus to explain what the SU could do for them. For example, if I saw someone with a child on campus I’d speak to them about support for student parents. I think the personal touch is really important.

Alumni: What were your campaign promises?

Steve: My aims were to deliver more live music events and more non-sport activities, and organise events for nursing students based in Fazakerley for first time. The introduction of Live and Loud, our live music night, was a big achievement.

Gareth: I promised to fix the little things that affect the student experience – like the speed of the wifi or the timeliness of feedback from tutors – and employability – getting more placement opportunities for students on less vocational courses like English and History.

Steve: I think there are more opportunities to engage with the SU today. In my day the SU was very campus-focused; it didn’t really cater for students based at other sites. We didn’t really have the resources to expand our reach.

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Gareth: That’s only been a recent change though. My predecessor, Elliott Hodgeon, was the first President not to come from Arts and Sciences.

Steve: I don’t think the overall percentage of people participating in SU elections has gone up much, but I think more people are involved with the SU, even if they don’t realise it, because the SU is able to offer a lot more.

Gareth: When I started as Societies Officer, there were 12 societies, now there are 75. Our new Student Advice Centre has also helped over 100 students in its first year, so there are new ways of interacting with the SU now.

Steve: You also have online voting which makes it much easier to get involved. We had a paper ballot in the bar. We had the option for proxy voting but I’m not sure how effective that was.

Gareth: Yes, I think the whole process is more democratic now because of technology. People don’t have to come onto campus to vote anymore so it’s opened the SU up to all the Faculties. We’ve also replaced the traditional hustings with a video of all the candidates answering questions based on what students really want to know.

That goes on the SU website and people can see it wherever they are.

Alumni: What was/is your biggest challenge as President?

Steve: Having lots of ambition but very few resources. We did a pretty good job with what we had but we didn’t have the people, money or space to do everything we wanted to do. The culture was very different then as well. The SU was primarily based around the big societies like the Athletics Union and was geared towards students who were physically on campus. Trying to get others involved was a challenge.

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Gareth: The biggest challenge for the SU today is the expectations of students now they’re paying £9,000 a year for their education. The SU is a major part of the University’s overall offer so there’s a pressure on us to deliver an outstanding service.

Gareth: The President is more involved in what I would call ‘complicated stuff’ these days, like the University code of conduct, the UK quality code and disciplinary procedures.

The sabbs also sit on more boards and committees than ever before – 48 at the last count – from Faculty boards to module approval committees. We’re more integrated with the University.

Steve: I’ve been involved in the SU for 22 years now in various roles and I’ve seen a fundamental shift in the President’s role. You’re responsible for creating a strategy for the SU that is consistent. What you do doesn’t just change according to the whim of whoever is the President that year. It’s more professional and driven by students now, which is how it should be.

Alumni: Does being SU President help in later life?

Steve: I definitely learned things in the role that have helped my career. It gives you an adaptable skill set – you learn about finance management and how organisations work. In my spare time I organise an annual hockey festival for 900 people – those skills have their roots in managing the SU.

Gareth: When I leave I can say I’ve led a huge organisation, chaired a board of trustees and sat on a board of governors – how many other 25-year-olds can say that?

A passion for compassion Feature:

Earlier this year, an independent inquiry into the failings at Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust revealed a culture of putting hospital business ahead of patient welfare and a hospital-wide tolerance of poor standards of care. The Government responded by launching a new national vision for nursing that aims to restore the ‘6Cs’ of the profession – Care, Compassion, Courage, Competence, Communication and Commitment – and student nurses are set to play a vital role.

Gill Neary, Natasha Carroll and Charlene Knox, three Nursing students from Edge Hill, are among 50 volunteer ‘care-makers’, selected from more than 250 applicants, tasked with communicating the 6Cs to their peers.

“Compassion has always been an important part of nursing,” says Gill Neary, a third year Nursing student who graduates this year. “It’s still there in the profession; I saw it every day while I was on placement in A&E at Aintree, which is a very challenging environment. I just think it’s been slightly lost due to all the other demands of nursing today.

“The idea of the initiative is to embed the 6Cs in nursing culture again and encourage people to value and demonstrate them in their own practice by acting as role models.”

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The trio was handpicked by Chief Nursing Officer, Jane Cummings, to act as ambassadors as they embody the professional values set out in the new strategy, Compassion in Nursing.

As part of their role Gill, Natasha and Charlene have spoken at a number of national conferences as well as giving presentations to their fellow nursing, midwifery and other health care students. They even have handy credit card sized reminders of the 6Cs that they hand out to colleagues to spread the word.

“People are always interested in my role and the message seems to be filtering through,” says Gill. “In huge organisations like the NHS, communication can be slow so care-makers can help speed up the process.”

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Being involved in the project is also beneficial for the trio’s personal and professional development. As well as looking great on their CVs, the care-maker role offers opportunities to network at the highest level, enhance their leadership skills and see how nursing policy is developed.

“It’s not easy against a backdrop of public spending cuts,” adds Gill, “but, at the end of the day, all patients need to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of external factors. It’s definitely a challenge – but one that I’m delighted to take on.”

Kerry Ogden Obituary:

On 10th September 2012 Edge Hill graduate Kerry Ogden was returning to Merseyside after a weekend at the Bestival music festival when the coach she was travelling in crashed, killing her and two other people.

A year on, her dad Rob remembers his “kind and beautiful” daughter and talks of his decision to attend Bestival this year in Kerry’s memory.

“I know I’m biased,” says Rob, “but Kerry really was beautiful inside and out. She was also a real people person who brought the best out in everyone. We always knew she had a lot of friends but, since the accident, we’ve been amazed, and hugely comforted, by the number of people who’ve paid tribute to Kerry.”

A Facebook page (The amazing Kerry Lynne RIP), set up by friends after the tragedy, has nearly 3,000 likes, while thousands attended a benefit concert arranged by the Bestival organisers in March 2013. The event, held at iconic Liverpool club Nation, home of Cream, featured local music legends Ian McCullough and Ian Broudie, as well as a spoken word set from Howard Marks.

“I was really touched when the event was suggested but Nation is so huge, I worried that there would be about a hundred people rattling around in there,” recalls Rob. “On the night, though, it was absolutely packed. It was a great night but very emotional.”

English and Media student Kerry graduated from Edge Hill in 2012 alongside her sister, Kirsty, who studied Animation.

“Kerry was supposed to graduate earlier,” says Rob, “but had to retake one module which meant she ended up graduating the same year as Kirsty. It wasn’t planned that way, but now I’m so pleased they graduated together as we all have the memories of a lovely family event.

“I graduated from Edge Hill myself in 2000 so there is a real family connection with the University.”

Rob and Kerry shared a passion for music and regularly went to gigs and festivals together. Earlier this year, Rob was invited to attend Bestival as a guest of the organisers.

“It was a big decision to go,” says Rob. “It feels a bit like a pilgrimage and I really don’t know what to expect, but I think it’s a fitting tribute to Kerry. I’m going with two of my closest friends who I’ve been going to gigs with for years, and I know some of Kerry’s friends are going, so I have a lot of support. In a weird way, I’m looking forward to it.”

The inquest into the deaths of Kerry Ogden, Michael Molloy and coach driver Colin Daulby revealed that the tyre that blew out causing the crash was nearly 20 years old. Existing guidance advises against using tyres over ten years old, but operators are not legally obliged to follow it. The Ogden and Molloy families have now set up a petition to campaign for legislation preventing public service vehicles from using aged tyres.

If you would like to sign the petition please visit: submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/ petitions/52867

Postgraduate

Edge Hill University Alumni Magazine

Alumni support:

In today’s uncertain economic climate, up-to-date, high-level skills are vital for improving the performance and prospects of both individuals and businesses.

This is particularly true in the fast-changing world of computing, and the need for businesses to keep abreast of developing technologies is the driver for a new range of postgraduate courses launched by the Department of Computing.

New for 2013 is a Masters in Research, which complements the department’s existing portfolio of five Masters programmes plus an MBA (Information Technology). The MRes can be studied on a full-time or part-time basis.

The department has also introduced a new range of Continuing Professional Development short courses, ranging from one to five days, to support industry professionals and help build computing and information technology capacity within local and regional businesses.

New short courses for 2013 include: • Introduction to Information Security with ISO27001 (1 day) • Principles of Information Security Management using ISO27001 (3 days) • Mobile Application Development (3 days) • Introduction to Embedded Systems (3 days) • Advanced Embedded Systems (5 days)

“The new courses have been designed with the needs of modern business in mind and reflect the rapid changes in technology and how it is used in society,” says Head of Computing, Dr Chris Beaumont.

“Our move to the new Creative Edge building also opens up further opportunities to collaborate with the Media Department. By focusing on parts of the economy that are growing we’ll ensure the continued employment opportunities for our students.”

Study and save

Edge Hill is currently offering discounts on postgraduate study:

• 20% reduction in fees for all Edge Hill graduates enrolling on an eligible postgraduate programme at the University in academic year 2013/14. See edgehill.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees/ reducedfees for details.

• 50% bursary on all Computing CPD short courses or individual MSc modules, including Information Security Management, Network Security, IT Management, Cloud Computing, Project Management or Computer Forensics.

Bursaries are available on a ‘first come first served’ basis and are open to full-time employees in private or third sector businesses. See edgehill.ac.uk/computing/ business-support/cpd for details.

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News

The latest news from around the campus

INVESTMENT IN BIOSCIENCES

Edge Hill University is investing more than £4 million in new accommodation and stateof-the-art facilities for Biology students and researchers.

A new Biosciences building will feature high-spec teaching spaces and dedicated laboratories, with brand new resources including DNA analysis equipment, a scanning electron microscope plus several insectaries for breeding and studying disease-transmitting bugs.

“Practical experience of molecular biology is vital for a range of careers, and essential for further study,” says Paul Ashton, Head of the Biology Department. “Our new facilities will give students the opportunity to work with the latest equipment, broaden their knowledge and develop skills that are highly prized by employers.”

Investment in Biology also supports two new degree programmes in September 2013 – BSc (Hons) Human Biology and BSc (Hons) Ecology – to complement Edge Hill’s successful BSc (Hons) Biology course.

Three new members of staff have also been recruited to strengthen the Biology team: mosquito expert Clare Strode, Anne Oxborough, who specialises in spider diversity, and microbiologist Dr Angela Ryan-Kewley.

“Our new staff bring significant new expertise into the department,” says Paul. “They will have a major impact on the breadth and depth of our teaching as well as opening up exciting new areas of research within the University.”

EDGE HILL GRADUATES MORE EMPLOYABLE THAN EVER

Edge Hill is once again the top performing university in the North West for employability, with 93.4% of graduates in work or further study, according to the 2013 Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey.

The annual national survey by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) also positions Edge Hill in the top 10% of mainstream English universities, in twelfth position.

Edge Hill outperforms the national average of 90.8% in work or further study after six months, with just 5.1% unemployed and 1.4% not seeking employment.

“The University works hard to ensure students have the chance to acquire professional qualifications or credits alongside their honours programme,” said ViceChancellor, Dr John Cater, “and provides substantial opportunities for careers modules, part-time work and volunteering to enhance an individual’s chances in the job market.”

The University is continuing to focus on employability in the coming academic year. The new Creative Edge building, which opens in September 2013, will enable students to work alongside the University’s industry partners, while employment-experience years will be available to all Arts and Sciences students. There will also be more opportunities for language learning and study abroad in China, Europe and the US.

Edge Hill University Alumni Magazine

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HEAD OF MIDWIFERY HONOURED

CREATIVE STUDENTS IMPRESS AT EXCLAIM!

Jane Morgan, Edge Hill’s Head of Midwifery, has been named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in recognition of her lifelong dedication to the profession.

Edge Hill hosted its most spectacular end-of-year show to date when students from departments across the Faculty of Arts and Sciences came together at The Lowry in Manchester to showcase their talents to friends, family and potential employers.

Jane was honoured for 30 years of outstanding services to midwifery both in the UK and in Rwanda, where her pioneering maternity services are saving the lives of pregnant women and newborn children every day.

After seeing the poor conditions in a maternity hospital in the village of Shyira in Rwanda, Jane raised £24,000 to build a new hospital and, as part of an on-going education project, has established two scholarships that will help nurses to train as midwives. Around 1,000 babies are now born in the hospital every year and, since the first midwife qualified in 2009, maternal deaths in the hospital have been reduced to zero.

Jane, who started her career in 1984 as a community midwife in Liverpool, said: “I was overwhelmed to hear that I am being given an MBE because I feel as though I’ve just being doing my job. I’m no good at shouting about my achievements but it’s lovely to be recognised for what you do.”

Exclaim! brought students from Media, Performing Arts, Creative Writing, Computing, Film, Television and Advertising together under one roof for the first time to exhibit work from across Edge Hill’s creative degree programmes. As well as film screenings, animation, dance, drama and readings, there was also a showcase for computing and web development activities, showing the breadth of Edge Hill’s ‘creative campus’.

The event drew praise from some of the biggest names in the region’s creative sector, including Helen Bullough, Head of CBBC Children’s Programming, Carol Crane, casting director and documentary maker, David Pichilingi, Director of Liverpool SoundCity, and TV producer Colin McKeown.

Carol Poole, event organiser and Edge Hill’s Ambassador to MediaCityUK, said: “In previous years we have had an end of year show within individual departments but we wanted to extend this to embrace the sheer diversity of our talented students within arts and culture. It was a great chance for students to demonstrate the quality of their work to the industry.”

You can watch the show on Edge Hill’s YouTube channel, visit: youtube.com/user/edgehilluni

LETTERS STORIES, MEMORIES, FAMILY NEWS

A DIFFERENT ERA

I enrolled as a full-time student in September 1968.

Edge Hill was then a College of Higher Education for those aspiring to be teachers there. My Halls of Residence for the first and third years was Margaret Bain. The warden was Miss Clarke, who ensured that all young ladies were locked into the hall by 10.30pm.

It was not unusual for her to make a tour of each corridor, knocking on doors and checking that no males had failed to leave the building. Also we had to kneel and have the length of our PE skirts measured from the floor to the hem of the skirt. I have very fond memories of a very enjoyable three years Ruth Gaulton (nĂŠe Callender) Via email

BADGE OF HONOUR

A group of PE students, who have kept in touch since leaving Edge Hill, met up recently in Southport at The Metro, Portland Street on the 4th July. One of the group was over from New Zealand and we wanted to celebrate us all turning 60 years old in this academic year. We had a great evening and the years just rolled away. It looks like it may well become an annual event especially as it's the 40th anniversary of us all leaving Edge Hill next year.

Thanks to the Alumni team for the badges and information you provided for the event - they were worn with pride and it was noted that they matched the colour of our PE uniform from all those years ago.

Lesley Holgate Via email

FANTASTIC VISION

It has been 50 years since I left Edge Hill and recently enjoyed a visit to campus. I was amazed at the enormous changes and congratulate all concerned with the vision Edge Hill has made in its expansion and endurance in difficult times in the last 50 years.

Lesley Woledge Via email

IMPRESSIVE REUNION

Lancashire Hall

I recently attended the alumni reunion weekend and it was a truly memorable event. Meeting up with my student friends from 42 years ago was fantastic.

I was greatly impressed by the scale of the recent development on campus, and the future plans look even more impressive. What it shows is that Edge Hill continues to be a first rate centre of excellence for teaching and learning with a wide range of facilities to help students become successful in their chosen specialisms.

Having spent two decades working in a 6th Form centre in Cumbria, I have had the opportunity to arrange visits to many universities for my colleagues and students through the AimHigher programme – sadly now ended.

Edge Hill is always seen as an outstanding institution that is well respected by students.

John Glaister Via email

Send your stories, memories, family news to:

Edge Hill University Alumni Magazine

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FROM OUR FRIENDS ON Facebook.com/EHUAlumni Would anyone else who started in 1971 like a reunion next year as we left 40 years ago. Carole Mavin, Dena Freem and and I (Rosie Ward) would.

Rosemary Wibberley

I did Social Science in 1999 and graduated with a 2.1 in 2002. I went on to do postgrad study at Edge Hill and am now a senior manager in the NHS. I loved every moment.

Shelly Stoops

In Lancs Hall I can remember canoes flying off the top floor and every time you went to the lift there was something different in it (a fridge freezer and real ducks to name but two.)

Martin Leigh My lecturer David Rootes - supportive, inspirational and nothing was too much trouble, I wouldn't be the nurse I am if it wasn't for him. Like today, I helped save a woman's life and I owe that to Dave. He encouraged me to keep going when things were rough. Keep up the great work.

Laura Leilani Norman

Thanks to Steve Suggitt and Gerry Lucas who put up with my hangovers every Thursday morning after rugby for three years in the mid 90s.

Peter Cottam

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

I would like to get in touch with some of the students I knew when I was at Edge Hill as a foreign exchange student in 1970. Here are some of the names of my lost classmates: Pam Miller, Helen Fayle, Rosemary Halsall, Frank Falkenstaffe, Peter Hedge, Eunice ?, Pauline Turner, Jenny Bradshaw, Penny Forbes, Liz Kingsnorth, Carol Fletcher, Liz Sweeney. Some of them were in John Dalton Hall with me as well.

Nancy Hennekens Helgerson Wisconsin, USA.

My fave lecturer was Carmel Stopforth, Adult Nursing.

After I missed a whole module due to surgery, she supported and encouraged me to continue right through it, and I eventually passed with a Distinction.

I owe a lot to this lady.

Christina Rogers

I was there in 2006-2007, did PGCE in MFL QTS. Would be nice if anyone from that time could get in touch.

Syed Ishrat Hussain

In Lancs Hall I remember when 'Stick' (can't remember his real name) had his room moved in its entirety from the 5th floor to the island in the middle of the pond (after the raft race, I think), by the others up on the 5th floor. I remember seeing all his shirts neatly hung up on the branches of the tree, above his bed. That was our final year 1980-1981.

Peter Robinson

I spent three years (1969-72) in Lancs Hall (rooms 405 and 201). In 1973 I was Union President and in room 201 again. The 3rd floor was always PE Mains, and Ground Floor short end was Walter Edge's warden flat. Could write a book of tales and pranks. Loved the inter-hall obstacle race which had to be banned as the obstacles threatened to kill someone one day.

Roy Fisher

I am hoping to get in touch with a former student from 1973 - my English partner exchange student, Elizabeth Bedford? She studied German and came to our college in Dortmund for one term.

Günter Plorin – Via email

I am trying to track down a former PGCE (Primary Education) student from 1990. His name is Simon Evans and he was a year above me. I'd love to know what's he's up to/where he's living. I'm contactable via Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Nicola Newman – Via email

If you can help please email: alumni@edgehill.ac.uk

Supporting your University

There are many ways alumni can support the University – and not all of them cost money. Giving your time, sharing your experiences, recommending our students to your employer – all of these can help future generations of Edge Hill students and give you the chance to make a difference.

Inspire current students Show what can be achieved with an Edge Hill degree by sharing your experiences, you could offer valuable tips and personal insights to inspire current students to achieve.

Provide a profile or case study Your success stories are our success stories so let us know how your career is progressing. Alumni profiles help us promote the value of an Edge Hill degree to prospective students and the wider public.

Support graduate employability Help students and graduates by using our website to advertise current vacancies at your company. You could also offer work placements or volunteering opportunities to current students to improve their skills and enhance their CVs.

Be an ambassador Just by spreading the word about Edge Hill you are helping to support the future of the University. If you thought your course was fantastic, tell people.

Update your details Help us keep our information up to date and make sure you don’t miss out on important communications.

Alumni Team, Edge Hill University, St Helens Road, Ormskirk, L39 4QP

t: 01695 584861 e: alumni@edgehill.ac.uk w: edgehill.ac.uk/alumni f: facebook.com/ehualumni t: twitter.com/edgehill