ISSUE 3

ISSUE 3

SOUTHAMPTON SOLENT UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE

WINTER 2009

SAILING GOLD A RENDEZVOUS WITH

CRAIG DAVID STEPPING OUT IN STYLE

CONTENTS

1.

STAR STAGS

2.

DR DAVID

4.

STEPPING OUT

6.

BRIGHT SPARKS

8.

BROADCAST NEWS

10.

CLASS COLOURS

11.

ROCKING UP

12.

14.

SOLENT PEOPLE

16.

FIRST VOYAGE

17.

MILLAIS GALLERY

SAIL FORCE

WELCOME Southampton Solent University is an exciting place at the moment.

We seem to have captured the zeitgeist and developed an academic portfolio that is firmly in tune with our times. Demand for our courses has never been greater, and this year we have recruited more students than at any time for more than a decade.

What we do is illustrated in this edition of ISSUE, through a number of snapshots that capture a university that is comfortable with itself because it is different.

You might say our students start their careers as soon as they enrol here. They become involved in real life projects, such as helping the BBC provide footage of the final departure of the QE2 from Southampton. They have the chance to hear the stories of those, like Craig David, who are at the height of their careers, and learn to emulate them through their own successes. For instance, Fashion graduate Stef Heydecke helped to design a foldaway shoe that is a hot favourite with celebrities and is flying off the shelves in the UK and abroad. Our students also get the opportunity to benefit the wider community through initiatives like Melissa Towers’ work with Bevois Town Primary School, which gave the school an impressive new facelift.

HOW TO CONTACT US: Send your news, views, queries and comments to: the Press and PR Officer, Southampton Solent University, East Park Terrace, Southampton SO14 0RB T. 023 8031 9040 E. press.office@solent.ac.uk

Designed and published by: Southampton Solent University’s Marketing and Communications Service.

Printed by: Cedar Press.

Sport – in particular, watersports, given our coastal location – also allows our students, present and past, to reach the pinnacle of excellence. Maritime Studies graduate, Paul Goodison, was crowned Olympic champion in sailing’s Laser Class at the 2008 Olympic Games in Qingdao. Our staff can be interesting, too. In this publication, you will read of a mountaineering dean and a dare-devil chaplain!

I hope you enjoy reading this latest edition of our story as it unfolds across the pages, and you get a clear impression of a vibrant, youthful university, whose students and staff are making a distinctive and meaningful impression on the world around it.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Van Gore

SPORT | ISSUE 3

NEWS IN BRIEF

STAR-SPANGLED STAGS Stumbling across the Southampton Stags on a Sunday afternoon, it’s easy to imagine you’re on the other side of the Atlantic – and the unwavering success of the University’s American football team is drawing increasing support from English spectators keen to enjoy a star-spangled slice of the action.

The Southampton Stags American Football team – made up of students from both Southampton universities – wrapped up last season with an unbeaten run and the British Universities American Football League championship title.

With around 45 teams in the UK, that’s an amazing achievement, and while the team continues to shine on the field, it is also keen to increase the profile of the sport in schools, colleges and universities.

People would say: ‘Oh, watch out, that’s the team with that big American guy.’ ” “When I came to Solent, I saw the Stags and I thought – wow. I was out of shape and I’d forgotten how physically demanding American Football is. I went to the first training session, but didn’t come back for a month. When I finally returned I joined a Stags training camp. It was tough, but I thought, this is where I want to be.”

Head coach, Graham Thorpe, said: “The game has a real buzz about it. There are big crowds, big hits and big collisions. Anything can happen – and it usually does.”

As well as razzmatazz (the Stags have their own university cheerleading team, the Vixens), the Stags embrace the American Football ethos of respect and teamwork and there is no shortage of pride in the players.

It’s this kind of buzz that kept BA (Hons) PR and Communication student, James Powers on the field. Born and raised in LA until he was seven years old, James missed playing and watching America’s biggest sport – but settled on playing prop in rugby when he moved to the UK.

Former Stags player and coach, Martin Hume, was snapped up by the Miami Hurricanes – becoming the first British coach to work with a prestigious American Football team in the USA.

“I’d been brought up on Little League at Junior High and my style was unconventional. I played rugby like an American Football player – aggressively.

He said: “I was drawn to American football by its competitive physical nature and captivated by its tactics. I love the Stags. The team has a great camaraderie.”

Picture: Leigh Morris Photography

Lisa Wilson Scholarship A charity dedicated to providing 150 years of education is helping seven new Southampton Solent University students with the cost of higher education. The annual bursary award of up to £1,000 is available to students who have overcome adversity or can demonstrate why they need extra financial help with their studies. It is provided by Clive and Tricia Wilson, in memory of their daughter, Lisa Wilson, a Southampton Solent University graduate who died tragically in 2002 while travelling round the world.

Recipient Sabeen Ditta, said: “I feel honoured to receive the scholarship. I was deeply touched by the presentation and Mr and Mrs Wilson’s strength and ability to provide something so positive from such tragic personal circumstances.”

Sports partnership Southampton’s prospects of producing the Olympic sports stars of tomorrow have been given a boost thanks to a new partnership between the City Council and Southampton Solent University.

Since September, coaching staff and students studying for sports degrees have been teaching everything from athletics to rugby in a number of schools across the city. The scheme aims to increase physical activity and participation in team activities, as well as allowing students to pick up important leadership experience.

Southampton City Council has invested £50,000 in the first year of the scheme, with long term plans to roll out student coaching to schools across the city from September 2009.

WINTER | 1

ISSUE 3 | MUSIC

DR DAVID DROPS IN Craig David has sold more than 13 million records. He holds three Ivor Novellos, four Mobos and two MTV Europe Awards – but when he took to the Guildhall stage like thousands of Solent graduates before him, it was all about making his mum and dad proud!

Watched by his beaming parents, Tina and George, the UK’s biggest selling R&B artist put on his best bib and tucker to spend a day at Southampton Solent University to collect an Honorary Doctorate of Music and take part in a Q&A session.

He said: “I am overwhelmed and honoured. I never thought I would get a degree, because I left college to concentrate on my music career.

“Southampton Solent University’s degree courses in music production and performance would have been great for me. I studied electronics at college because it was the closest thing you could get to music production. But I didn’t want to know how a guitar was made – I was more interested in how Dr Dre made a trip hop track.

“Education is about being able to recognise where you need to go and what needs to be done, and it’s great that youngsters today can study for a degree in something they love.”

Craig is passionate about music. A mixed 2 | WINTER

race background – his mum is from Southampton and his dad from Grenada – exposed him to different music styles, and his open minded and determined professionalism ensured that, after he burst on to the garage scene with Artful Dodger in 2000, he had the longevity and innovation needed to carve a global career.

Aged just 19, Craig stormed to the top of the UK charts with Fill Me In, making him the youngest solo male to reach the top spot. He has since released four albums and had 13 top ten hits. His Greatest Hits album has been released amid a plethora of complimentary reviews – and album number five is eagerly anticipated.

Craig’s first album, Born To Do It, went multi platinum in more than 20 countries and went down a storm with the notoriously hard to crack American public.

Slicker Than Your Average produced a crop of top ten UK hits and The Story Goes…, produced the top three UK hit All The Way, and Don’t Love You No More (I’m Sorry), Craig’s longest running chart single since Rewind. Trust Me which was partly

recorded in Cuba, produced the exciting top ten single, Hot Stuff, sampling David Bowie’s Let’s Dance with his blessing.

Freshly back from a stint in Mexico for Jack Osbourne’s ITV programme Adrenaline Junkie, and just hours away from presenting an MTV Europe Music Award to Britney Spears in Liverpool, Craig was more than happy to hit the home turf for his graduation ceremony.

He mingled with students outside the Guildhall, took in the university’s facilities, and cast an experienced ear over student performances during an intimate concert in the Millais Building.

For Craig – a former Bellemoor Boys School pupil who grew up on Southampton’s Holyrood estate – has always been keen to keep it real. Living by the mantra ‘you are only as good as your last record’, he has never forgotten his roots.

“I was able to focus in Southampton. It has beautiful parks where you can lose yourself in your thoughts. But the city was like a sleeping giant – there was so

MUSIC | ISSUE 3

much talent. I hope local youngsters take inspiration from me, that they think, you know what, here is a guy from Southampton. He wasn’t a London lad.

“I grew up on a council estate and wrote most of my first album there. I went through the struggle. I was just some overweight kid doing my thing.

“I had a great collection of friends and good support. When I was DJing in Southampton people gave me an opportunity to perform in mixed sets.

I only went to London to buy records.

It was great, but it was always good to come home to Southampton.”

Craig has the backing of a great manager, Colin Lester, who was also honoured by the University with a Visiting Fellowship.

Colin is keen to share his vast experience and expertise with Solent’s students and he gave them a taste of that valuable insight and advice when he shared the mic with Craig during the Q&A session, hosted by Senior Lecturer in Music Production, Paul Rutter.

“You need the right attitude. Be ready to hustle. Show off your talent. Hone your craft until you’re confident about what you’ve got, and then get out there, take to the stage. Get involved with open mic nights. If you have talent, people will swarm to you. If you want to produce, get out there and watch people perform.

Put your music on MySpace. But make sure it’s quality. Work hard on it. You don’t know who’s out there listening.

“Don’t think the world is waiting for you – you have to make it happen. I stood by so many DJ booths, watching and learning, thinking: ‘I can do what this guy is doing’. I was driven. I remember Friday nights when my friends were out clubbing, drinking like crazy. I would be trying to finish a song.”

Colin has always had faith in Craig. The two have an unmoveable ethos of hard work, which they are keen to pass on to students.

The hard graft paid off for Craig. Pivotal moments came when he played Wembley Arena and glanced up at the ‘sold out’ signs. And just as Craig was blown away

by Terence Trent D’Arby at the Guildhall years earlier – “it wasn’t lost on me when I came back and played there myself” – students, staff and youngsters from the city’s schools and colleges, were inspired when Craig performed an impromptu version of ‘Walking Away’ at the Q&A session after the graduation ceremony.

“I had to work hard. When you are thrown in the deep end, as I was, you are exposed – it’s now or never. You have to get on with it,” said Craig.

Southampton’s brightest R&B star still has plenty to give. “I’m so happy that after 19 years I’m still doing my music.

I’m pleased to have released my Greatest

Hits, aged 27, and I’m looking forward to the future,” he said

CRAIG DAVID •

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Craig was an ardent listener of his mum’s collection of Stevie Wonder, Terence Trent D’Arby and Michael Jackson albums.

He was the goalkeeper in the Bellemoor School football team.

He DJ’d at The Rhino Club in Bedford Place.

When Saints made it through to the 2003 FA Cup Final Craig wore a Saints shirt on stage at the Royal Albert Hall.

Sting finalised his decision to duet with Craig on Rise & Fall after checking his ‘cool’ credentials with his kids.

Craig’s dad played with the local reggae band, Ebony Rockers, which enjoyed hits in the 1980s.

At the age of 15, Craig won a competition to write a song for the R&B band, Damage.

Craig was named ‘Man of the Match’ of Soccer Aid 2008 in September at Wembley Stadium.

WINTER | 3

ISSUE 3 | GRADUATE SUCCESS

NEWS IN BRIEF

Skills Zone Southampton’s largest public sector employers have signed up to a city-wide scheme which will help the city’s unemployed into work and give thousands of existing employees the chance to gain new skills. The Southampton Skills Development Zone – developed by the Skills and Employability Board (SEB) of the Southampton Partnership – is supported by Southampton’s Further Education colleges, universities, public and private organisations and the voluntary sector. Employers will identify particular training needs and tap into colleges, universities and private sector organisations for a range of flexible and part-time courses that can be adapted to workplace demands. It aims to make Southampton’s workforce more effective and competitive, while improving people’s employability, job satisfaction and quality of life.

In the know The University hosted the world’s ninth European Conference on Knowledge Management last September. The conference brought together 178 world-renowned academics and practitioners from across the globe to debate ideas and present their latest findings and ongoing research. Delegates in areas ranging from advertising to Leukemia research gained a valuable insight into how the theories and practices could apply to their own work.

4 | WINTER

STEF Left: Stef with a range of After Party shoes

GRADUATE SUCCESS | ISSUE 3

STEPS OUT Fashion designer Stef Heydecke has never let pipe dreams get in the way of hard graft and real-life – but when footwear’s ‘prince charming’, Jimmy Choo, declared his love for a shoe she helped to design, it was a fairytale moment.

The refreshingly down-to-earth designer – a pivotal part of the team behind today’s most talked about shoe – was momentarily swept away by Choo, but her usual ability to keep her feet firmly grounded is the real source of her success.

York and Las Vegas, with Canada and Australia hot on their heels. Meanwhile, an increasing stable of well-heeled celebrities – Holly Wiloughby, Twiggy, Beth Ditto, Kim Wilde – are stepping out in Stef’s shoes.

“Doing my degree at Southampton Solent University gave me great commercial grounding. It’s not realistic to think you’ll be the next Alexander McQueen – but, with the right credentials, you can have a dream career in fashion,” she said.

Still only 22 years old, Stef’s mixture of energetic enthusiasm and grounded maturity has enabled her to direct the eclectic skills she learned on her Fashion degree to the shoe’s development in the global market. Visiting China and meeting Choo are good conversation pieces, but Stef – a self-confessed slouch in jeans – is more gritty than glamorous.

That dream started to come to fruition before Stef had left the University campus. An external examiner marking her final-year project on the concept of a foldaway shoe saw Stef’s potential and directed her to the Manchester-based footwear design and manufacturer, Redfoot Revolution.

“The company had been working on something similar – and they were impressed with my project.

When Redfoot asked me to help develop their After Party shoe, I was absolutely delighted.

“The After Party shoe is a simple idea, borne from many women’s experiences of going out in high heels and longing for something comfortable to change into. Basically, it’s foldaway footwear – pretty and practical. What’s really fascinating is the work that goes into it. The shoe was the result of two year’s research and development, and Redfoot’s designers, technicians and manufacturers are constantly refining it.”

The After Party shoe has been a runaway success. There are more than 130 stockists in the UK and 60 in France; eagerly awaited launches set for New

“

I’m just one of a successful bunch of Solent students. The degree gave us all so many options. We had the chance to learn from people in the industry, and to consider the variety of careers open to us.

I’ve always been artistic, but I’m realistic too – and that’s helped me focus on making my dreams an attainable reality.

” Above: Holly Wiloughby and Natasha Beddingfield with the After Party shoe WINTER | 5

ISSUE 3 | MARITIME

BRIGHT SPARKS From video to web, outside broadcast to photography, animation to journalism, Solent Productions works across the disciplines for a range of top businesses including Phillips/NXP, Skandia, Glastonbury TV and the Lawtons Communications Group.

Under the guidance of staff from the Centre of Multimedia Production and Management and the Faculty of Media, Arts and Society, students develop practical experience using digital technology and original media content through real-life projects.Tony Steyger, Academic Leader, Television, said: “It’s all about professionalising students for industry through encouraging enterprise, critical thinking and innovation. Future job prospects for our talented Associate Student Producers in today’s mediaconscious world are incredibly bright with companies including Phillips/NXP, Skandia, Glastonbury TV and the Lawtons Communications Group.

Tamarah Ackland, BA (Hons) Film Studies graduate Tamarah, 23, has worked on various projects with Solent Productions, including filming Craig David and Jeremy Irons as they visited the University to receive their honorary degrees.

She said: “Even though I’m very practical, I’m a theory-based person who enjoys the whole filming process. Managing projects for Solent Productions has been brilliant. I studied at Southampton Solent University because I loved the mixture of theory and practice. My ambition is to be a film producer like Christine Vachon, who makes controversial films like Boys Don’t Cry. Ian Attard, MA (Media) BA (Hons) Film Studies graduate, Ian, is studying for an MA in Media at 6 | WINTER

Southampton Solent University.

He said: “I love the scope and variety of the projects that I have been involved in with Solent Productions. My ambition is to be a Creative Director in advertising.

Liam Camps, Level 3 BA (Hons) Film and Television Studies Liam has worked on various projects with Solent Productions. His favourite so far is Tales of The Polygon, a tonguein-cheek film with a serious message for students to reduce noise and rubbish in the community.

Liam, who dreams of eventually running a film production company in his native Trinidad, said: “I love the craft of film production, and working with music scores and scripts to pull it all together.”

Maj Hartmann, Level 2 BA (Hons) Television and Video Production Maj, who hails from Berlin, loves the practical side of her course and relishes the opportunities she gets to hone her craft with Solent Productions.

She said: “I love variety. I’m planning to go on to the New York film Academy for further study before going to Japan where I want to fuse western and Japanese film ideas.”

From left to right: Tamarah Ackland, Ian Attard, Maj Hartmann, Liam Camps

MARITIME | ISSUE 3

WINTER | 7

ISSUE 3 | BROADCAST

‌There is no better way to learn how to do the job than by doing it for real.

8 | WINTER

BROADCAST | ISSUE 3

BROADCAST

NEWS

When the QE2 made her final departure from Southampton, leaving British shores for the last time, the world’s media was on the dockside, beaming pictures of the historic event across the globe.

Southampton Solent University’s Outside Broadcast truck was at the forefront of that iconic footage, as BSc (Hons) Media Technology students shared their enthusiasm and expertise with the BBC.

support Solent’s Media Technology and Outside Broadcast courses, the truck, built by Total Audio Solutions, provides multi-channel audio recording, as well as mixing and multi-camera video.

The BBC-SSU collaboration, organised

by Academic Leader in Entertainment Technology, Sean Lancastle, is just one of the impressive partnerships which have seen Solent students rise to an incredible range of challenges, working in stunning situations and making a genuine impact on the industry.

“For us, it is essential that our students get hands-on, practical experience, working in real world situations using professional equipment. The Outside Broadcast truck has helped us expand our programme considerably,” said Programme Leader for the Entertainment Technology Programme, Dr Chris Barlow.

The truck’s arrival at Glastonbury bolstered the multi-faculty coverage of what has been tagged ‘Britain’s best work experience’, with Solent being the only university with a placement pitch.

The Outside Broadcast truck, which was commissioned by the Entertainment Technology group, was delivered in March 2008. Since then it has covered at least one major event a month, with many smaller gigs in between. It’s a formidable force. As well as the QE2 departure, this year’s highlights have ranged from the muddy mayhem of the Glastonbury festival to the National Youth Choir’s Silver Jubilee concert at Birmingham Symphony Hall, ‘Formula Schools’ at Silverstone, Glade electronic music festival and the BBC’s live Children in Need event.

Designed as an educational tool to

Students used high definition multicamera rig, recording equipment and digital network to film and edit commissioned documentaries, as well as live camera coverage of the UK’s top music acts. The footage was used by the BBC’s Radio One website, Reuters news agency, and Glastonbury TV for its wellthumbed archives.

Tony Steyger, Senior Lecturer in Film and TV Studies, donned his wellies and

joined the crew. He said: “We produced an incredible range of content for the festival, filming events in high definition using the Outside Broadcast truck.

Students had to work hard and fast and think on their feet in an unpredictable environment. This kind of experience is invaluable.”

The truck is a huge hit with the industry.

The coverage of the QE2 gave the BBC headline content on its regional news programme, live pictures on its national news programmes and world-wide images via its online services.

Outside Broadcasting Course Leader, Tony Wade, said: “The QE2 event heralded a new age of collaboration between the University and BBC regions. I was proud to see Southampton Solent University on the quayside, shoulder to shoulder with the top names in broadcasting.”

Dr Barlow added: “We always knew the Outside Broadcasting truck would open new opportunities to provide services for our partners in exchange for work experience opportunities for students.

There is no better way to learn how to do the job than by doing it for real.”

WINTER | 9

ISSUE 3 | COMMUNITY

NEWS IN BRIEF

A blast from the past An emotional and educational exhibition formed part of the University’s celebrations of Black History Month. The Windrush… and Beyond was a collection of African and Caribbean photographs marking the 60th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush – the old troop-carrying steamship that arrived at Tilbury Docks in 1948 carrying 490 Caribbean men and women.

The exhibition – in the University’s Andrews building concourse – drew much interest from visitors, staff and students. Vice-Chancellor Professor Van Gore said: “This was an engaging and emotionally moving exhibition about something that was not simply an historical event, but a powerful symbol of post-war Britain. It summed up the courage of the people who made the journey on The Windrush.”

Black History Month Celebrations continued with the Back to Black fashion show, organised

by Spy Baby Vintage and hosted by the University.The audience was transported back in time as models represented the 1940s right through to the 00s in a visual demonstration of black women’s artistic, social and political expressions through fashion and hair.

10 | WINTER

PRIMARY COLOURS Pupils at Southampton’s Bevois Town Primary School are facing the future with renewed vigour – after Southampton Solent University’s Melissa Towers gave their school a fantastic new facelift.

Melissa worked with the school’s 4-11 year old pupils – and top architect Matt Dearlove, of Blocwork – to redesign the school interior, which had barely seen a lick of paint in 25 years!

The project – supported through the government’s Creative Partnerships – was designed to improve performance, parental engagement and self worth by giving pupils a chance to choose their school environment.

More than a year after the challenge began, children, parents and teachers are delighted with the results. One pupil exclaimed: “Melissa was fantastic. The classrooms are cool and funky.”

The innovative project kicked off with pupils coming up with words and colours to describe their year groups. Melissa, a final-year BA (Hons) student in Interior Design, then used the concept to design and decorate the classrooms.

“I used the voice of the children through the specific words and colours they had chosen. They have great imagination. We had stripy flowers and rainbow ceilings,” explained Melissa.

“It was crucial that the children had real input, but it had to be workable. For instance, although one of the chosen classroom colours was red, no teacher could work in a wall to ceiling covering of it. I had to use it carefully.”

Bevois Town Head Teacher, Harrie Atkinson, said: “The school was in desperate need of re-decorating, and to do it through such a pupil-led project has been incredible. Pupils and parents are so proud of the school – and their crucial part in its decoration has fostered a real sense of belonging.”

CLASS THEMES Year R – rainbow (‘hello’) Year 1 - yellow (‘enjoy’) Year 2 – red (‘learn’) Year 3 – magenta (‘together’) Year 4 – blue (‘respect’) Year 5 – cyan (‘community’) Year 6 – green (‘responsible’)

MUSIC | ISSUE 3

All hail

Hawkins!

Raucous rock star, Justin Hawkins – former frontman of the multi-award winning band, The Darkness – came onto campus to open Solent’s rehearsal studios.

Students were thrilled to meet the flamboyant singer songwriter and his new band, Hot Leg, who were visiting the University before playing a much anticipated support slot for rock band, Extreme, at Southampton Guildhall.

As he toured the studios, Justin listened to some of Solent’s student bands performing. He said: “Solent’s facilities are very, very good. A lot of the bands in the studios and rehearsal rooms were making some great noise.”

well loved as the enduring glam rock Christmas classics by Wizzard and Slade.

Known for hitting unfeasibly high notes and donning a stunning range of spandex, Justin proved hugely inspiring for Solent’s students. He is candid about his personal difficulties, including a drug and alcohol addiction which led to a tough rehab programme. Justin is now tee-total, and enjoying the challenge of starting again with a new band. He’s happy going back to smaller gigs, after the whirlwind of huge venues with The Darkness.

Justin had his big industry break by chance, when a disc he’d made for friends and family for Christmas was overheard by an executive at Rondor Music.

“Playing club shows again is good. It’s your bread and butter and it’s how it all started out.

Ironically, one of the band’s best known hits, Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells Ring), became a popular anthem, as

“I’ve been through quite a bit in the music industry and I have a lot I can pass on to students. I’m really excited

…I’ve been through quite a bit in the music industry and I have a lot I can pass on to students… about Hot Leg. Musically, we are tighter than The Darkness; we have more drive and more focus, and the songs are more channelled to the ‘Man Rock’ vibe we’re giving out. We’re better all round.”

Dr Pete Wilson, Course Leader in Popular Music Performance, said: “Justin Hawkins’ visit gave students a great insight into what being a famous musician is all about.

Justin opened the BA (Hons) Popular Music rehearsal rooms with an official ‘power chord’ – so it’s now legal to rock on the premises!”

Words contributed by: Ian Easton, BA (Hons) Music Jounalism WINTER | 11

ISSUE 3 | ENTERPRISE

…a petrifying experience that nothing in the world could prepare me for…

ANDY’S SOARING SPIRIT When you’ve faced giant jumping spiders, endured the world’s highest commercial bungee jump, walked barefoot across hot coals and abseiled, water-skied, glided and sky-dived your way through life – you’ve got to have faith.

And although Southampton Solent University Chaplain, Andy Marshall, has a day job that brings him closer than most to his maker – the self-confessed adrenalin junkie spends much of his leisure time on a wing and a prayer!

The Anglican priest, who hails from South Africa, is no dusty pews preacher. As well as the bungee jumping – “a petrifying experience that nothing in the world prepared me for” – he has grappled with venomous snakes, witnessed the brutality of apartheid and faced his nemesis: the spitting cockroach-like Parktown Prawn.

Raised on a Cape Town farm, Andy, 33, took to the pulpit as a Sunday school teacher in Port Elizabeth when he was just 17. A stint on a residential youth project near the Mozambique border followed, sealing Andy’s plans for an ecumenical career.

12 | WINTER

“It was an eye opener. There was tremendous poverty. Some children had never been able to go to a youth group.

Whatever their background or faith, they got a lot out of it.”

Growing up under apartheid gave Andy a strong commitment to social justice. He is passionate about tackling prejudice of all forms, and is a keen advocate of interfaith working partnerships.

“I remember, as a child, witnessing a black man being beaten by police for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was aware that this was terribly wrong, but also that I was powerless to do anything.

I developed a very strong sense of the importance of non-judgement, equality and fairness.”

In 2002 Andy came to the UK, where he spent a year as part of a theological college and monastic order in Yorkshire,

followed by a stint as a Parish Priest in Bracknell, before taking up his post as Chaplain at Southampton Solent University.

“It was a very different experience for me.

I’d worked just about every evening and weekend of my adult life and discovered the joy of ‘regular’ work hours for the first time.

“I don’t wear the ‘clergy kit’ much at Solent – I’m on more neutral footing.

My job is more focussed on pastoral care and integrated work with other student services. I quite often find myself referring a student on for counselling or housing support, for example.”

Andy is keen to develop a strong working alliance with different religions. He’s part of the inter-faith forum, which discusses University policies and he’s passionate about faith provision for students.

ENTERPRISE | ISSUE 3

ANDERSON

AIMS HIGH

Whether it’s trekking to the heart of the Himalayas or reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, the newly appointed Dean of the Faculty of Business, Sport and Enterprise (FBSE) likes to push boundaries and take on fresh challenges.

She may not have been the first to reach the Everest base camp or scale Africa’s highest peak, but in the academic field she has never been afraid to lead the way.

Jenny was one of the UK’s first students to get a degree in Physical Education and a Master’s in Tourism and – as part of a ground-breaking scheme introducing college courses to football apprenticeships – she taught the fledgling Alan Shearer, Matt le Tissier and Dennis Wise.

“It’s not always easy to lead the way and you need time to acclimatise to a new environment,” said Jenny.

“If you’re getting up at 1am to make the stiff trek to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro you need to take a deep breath, make use of the experience and support around you, and have a go! The same principles apply if you’re introducing a ground-breaking new course and the rewards upon reaching your summit are always worth it.”

Jenny believes FBSE enjoys continued success thanks to the faculty’s strong links with industry and local organisations, which draw upon each other’s knowledge and expertise. The Amateur Rowing Association, England Hockey and Friends Provident have all benefited University staff research and enterprise, while students have enjoyed eclectic work placements at companies ranging from PricewaterhouseCoopers and B&Q to David Lloyd Leisure.

Jenny – who has worked on industrybased consultancies for Southampton City Council, Sport England and the Royal Yachting Association – continues to stay ahead of the game.

Off campus, she is preparing to scale Mount Kenya, while back in blighty she’s getting ready to add an exciting new course to the FBSE portfolio. “It’s in Extreme Sports Management and I know it’ll do well. I have an affinity,” smiled Jenny.

WINTER | 13

ISSUE 3 | SAILING SUCCESS

SAIL FORCE WINS

…Dream big and with focus and hard work anything is possible…

Southampton Solent University students, alumni and honorary graduates have excelled under sail this year. At a university where you can almost taste the salt in the sea spray, it’s hardly surprising…

Paul Goodison, BA (Hons) Maritime Studies graduate, was crowned Olympic champion in sailing’s Laser Class at the 2008 Olympic Games in Qingdao.

Paul, now based in Weymouth, where the London 2012 Olympic sailing will take place, was understudy to Southampton Solent University Honorary Doctor Ben Ainslie at the Sydney Olympic games in 2000. “We trained together and I got to see what I needed to do to get gold,” said Paul.

Waters haven’t always run smoothly for Paul. While training for the 2008 Olympics he broke his wrist, but that setback was nothing compared to the mental strength Paul needed to bounce back after the disappointment of finishing fourth in Athens in 2004. “It is very hard when you are so close to a medal and then to just miss out. But, for me, the only way to put that right was to prove to myself I could do it,” he said.

Ben Ainslie MBE, Honorary Doctor of Sport became the most successful sailor in British Olympic history after a gold medal win at the Beijing Olympics made him a triple gold medal holder.

Ben added the Finn gold in Beijing to the Laser silver he won in Atlanta in 1996, a gold in the Laser at Sydney 2000 and a Finn gold in Athens four years ago.

Solent University’s student yachting team won the 2008 British Universities Sailing Association (BUSA) Yachting National Championship for the third year in a row.

The crew braved the elements and 14 | WINTER

successfully defended its national title after an exciting and challenging week of eight races on the Solent. By winning the long inshore race, it ensured Southampton Solent University was crowned national champions for the seventh time in nine years!

The winning team was coached by Niall Myant, and skippered by Chris Evens and crew – Paul Childs, Shane Hughs, Henry Bagnell, Ben Pym, Nick Blevins, Laura Newnham and Hannah Burywood.

Katie Miller, a final-year BSc (Hons)Yacht Production and Surveying student won the bluQube 1000 solo race and is about to embark on her next adventure as the youngest ever female entrant in the 2009 OSTAR race.

The 2006 Raymarine YJA Young Sailor of the Year – an official Boat Show ambassador – has just signed a sponsorship deal with Southampton Solent University to help her get her boat, Hot Socks, in mint condition for the OSTAR. She said: “With the University’s support I can take the OSTAR campaign to the next level.”

Alasdair Boden, BA (Hons) Watersports Studies and Management, sailed into the record books when he became the youngest man to circumnavigate Britain single-handed.

The intrepid 21-year-old was given a hero’s welcome when he sailed into

Southampton having completed the epic voyage after only two months.

He had battled to save his boat after it started to sink off Milford Haven, and contended with 30ft waves in the Irish Sea. He said: “Milford Haven was terrifying, I was four miles from land, water was coming in faster than I could bail out, the radio had died and I couldn’t get a signal on my mobile. I got out out the whiskey and a cigar deciding, that if my number was up, I would go a happy man!”

Top: Paul Goodison – Laser Class Olympic Champion 2008 and four-time European champion. Taken by Richard Langdon Skandia Team GBR Bottom: Katie Miller onboard her Figaro II, ‘Hot Socks’. Picture by Mark Lamble

SAILING SUCCESS | ISSUE 3

NEWS IN BRIEF

Problem solving Dr Carolyn Mair, Senior Lecturer in Psychology has secured a research grant from the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council.

The one-year collaborative research project – with partners Professor Martin Shepperd from Brunel University and Dr Mark Stephens from major software development company EDS UK – will investigate an aspect of analogical, case-based reasoning.

They hope the findings will lead to a deeper understanding of problem solving and more accurate cost prediction. In the spring a funding bid will be submitted for a fouryear interdisciplinary international collaboration

Successful scribblers Recent journalism graduates Dean Samways and Seamus Swords won first prize at the Periodical Training Council’s Magazine Academy Awards. They scooped the award for best New Magazine Concept for The Scribbler – a publication aimed at young writers – despite tough competition from students on other accredited university courses across the UK.

WINTER | 15

ISSUE 3 | MARITIME

…It takes you away from everyday life and into a whole new world…

ADVENTURES AT SEA When a career in physiotherapy failed to live up to expectations, Nicola Whelan decided to jump ship and embark on a career in the merchant navy.

Nicola made her life-changing decision after seeing an advert on TV. “I thought all careers in the Merchant Navy were engineering-based,” she said. “But once I realised the variety of jobs on offer I put my application in and arranged an interview with Maersk shipping company, who would sponsor my training. Before I knew it my bags were packed and I was heading south.”

Nicola, 30, from Tyneside, is now halfway through her three-year training as a deck officer at Southampton Solent University’s Warsash Maritime Academy.

She is also one of the raw recruits featured in a new Scottish Television (STV) series examining the lives of the people behind the Merchant Navy.

The STV cameras followed Nicola during her first five months at Warsash. They were with her as she conquered her claustrophobia during an exercise to put out a dangerous fire in a smoke-filled 16 | WINTER

hothouse, constructed a painter stage, and sat her first exams.

During her first voyage, Nicola showed nerves of steel as she manoeuvred a 300ft container ship, The Gateshead, through the notoriously narrow Panama Canal. With only half a metre leeway either side there is no margin for error.

“When I first took the wheel it was a bit nerve wracking. The ship was so big,” said Nicola. “I got a real feel for the huge responsibilities of a deck officer – looking after expensive vessels, cargo and crew.

But by the time we’d got to the Panama Canal I felt quietly confident.”

Now Nicola can’t wait to finish her training and get out to sea full-time. “I love it. You get to see amazing places, you are always busy and there is a real sense of camaraderie with the rest of the crew.

It takes you away from everyday life and into a whole new world.

“The training is intense, but at the end of it I’ll be en route to an exciting, well-paid career with great prospects.”

Anyone wanting to know about a lucrative career in the Merchant Navy can visit www.warashacademy.co.uk or call 01489 556 295.

WATCH •

Scottish Television’s six-part series about careers and life in the Merchant Navy can now be viewed online at www.stv.tv/merchantnavy

MILLAIS GALLERY | ISSUE 3

Tha Click Paper Rad and Paul B. Davis (Beige) 16 January – 21 February 2009 Tha Click is a group exhibition by the American art crew Paper Rad and founding member Beige – two collectives with a shared history stemming from their time at art college in America.

Spawned by the advancements in computing over the last three years, Beige tinkers with the inner workings of ubiquitous digital platforms past

and present. Paper Rad are drawn to the gaudiest fixtures of pop culture, amplifying them into a Kaleidoscopic universe of their own.

This touring exhibition – curated by Heather Corcoran in association with SCAN, the media arts agency for the South of England – offers a rich collaboration that blurs the lines between art, music, computer programming and design.

Top: Complete Beige and Rad vinyl catalogues Bottom: Part of my thoughts are in effect, Still from video,

Opening times: Mon 1–5pm, Tue/Wed/Fri 10am–5pm Thurs 10am–7pm Sat 12pm–4pm, Sun closed.

Closed on bank holidays.

Admission is free

millais gallery WINTER | 17

ISSUE 3 |

*

Find out more about Careers in the Merchant Navy • Deck, Engineering and Electro-technical officer careers • Opportunities to travel worldwide • Get paid to train

Warsash Maritime Academy

OPEN DAY Friday, 23 January 2009

For more information: T. 01489 556 295 E. wma.openday@solent.ac.uk

www.warashacademy.co.uk

18 | WINTER Warsash Maritime Academy, Newtown Road, Warsash, Southampton SO31 9ZL