Bangor University Students’ Union English Language Newspaper
April 2015 Issue No. 247 FREE
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CUCUMBER INTERVIEW
SEXY SEREN EDITION
GE2015 SPECIAL
WhatUni? Bangor Uni
Bangor named best University for clubs and socieities in the UK
by HANNAH YOUD
B
angor University’s recent success has continued by receiving the award for Best University Clubs and Societies in the 2015 WhatUni Student Choice Awards. Over twenty thousand students from Universities across the UK were able to post their views on the WhatUni Student Rankings website, and the views from Bangor students reflected their experience so positively that the University was nominated for six awards.
The nominations Bangor received were: University of the Year and awards for Accommodation, Courses, University Facilities, Student Support and Clubs & Societies. Aside from winning the award for Clubs and Societies, Bangor was also placed third in the UK for Accommodation, fourth in the UK for Student Support and seventh for the overall University of the Year. Bangor has previously been placed top in Wales and seventh in the UK for student satisfaction this year.
The recognition for Bangor indicates the work the Students’ Union puts in to create a positive and well-rounded student experience. Bangor was the first University to ensure its clubs and societies were free to join back in 2010, and still remains one of the few Universities to have made this investment. It is crucial that clubs and societies are accessible, as they give students the chance to learn skills outside of their University course. Captain of the University’s horse riding club, Rachel Billington, explains
how the role has helped her: “The role as club captain has helped me become a much more confident person. It has given me excellent organisational skills, the ability to deal with people and a sense of responsibility which I will be able to transfer to a job when I graduate.” Being part of a society or club can also provide a much needed break away from the stress of University deadlines. As a member of the University equestrian team, Lucy Kitchen describes her involvement with the club:
“Riding as part of the Uni team has provided a way of relaxing away from work, making new friends and also a sense of achievement at competitions.” The success at the WhatUni Awards firmly places Bangor University on the map. This latest achievement should encourage prospective students to consider the University as one of their options and motivate existing students to make use of the invaluable experiences our clubs and societies can provide.