Campus fashionCarys Bray: publishing sensation£30m sports investmentPrepare for your Applicant Visit Day2014 preview

Issue Three - Spring 2014

meet our studentsSettling in at uni takes a bit of time. Fortunately you’ve got at least three years to find the right people to accompany you on your journey.

2014 will be a big year for m

any of you asyou begin the run-in to sum

mer exam

inations,and that crucial next step. This third editionof D

egree looks at the progress made by

Edge H

ill University –

better facilities,more student opportunities, increased

levels of support –not only to reassure, but

to inspire and enthuse potential new students.

If you’ve already applied, don’t forget to takeadvantage of one of our visit or open days.

If you haven’t been here yet, you’re missing

out on one of the UK’s m

ost picturesquecam

puses. We also give you an insight into

the kind of students who already attend the

University –

their style, their interests,their backgrounds, their hopes and dream

s.We strive to m

ake Edge H

ill a place where

everyone can feel at home.

Please get in touch and let us know what

you think of Degree, w

hat we’re doing

right, or if there’s anything you’d change.

01°

Welcome

Contents

01° Meet our Students

03° Sport Focus

05° The Boxer: The Man Who Would Be Khan

07° The Ice Hockey Player: To Hull and Back

09° The Cheerleader: Three Cheers for Edge Hill’s Newest Sport

11° Just Visiting: Applicant Visit Days at Edge Hill

15° The Art of Selling

18° Catwalk Campus

22° Home is Where the Heart is

23° Cash for Carys

25° Putting Legal Theory into Practice

27° Stay Positive

29° Bunch of Fives

Production Team Sam ArmstrongAndy ButlerNick LodgeMark Molloy

Cover ImageMuhammed Ali ZahidPhotographer: Stuart Rayner

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So let’s meet a few of our students. They’re a pretty diverse lot…and refuse tobe pigeonholed. Students aren’t interested in politics anymore? Think again.All they watch on tv are talent shows like X-Factor? Take another guess. Allthey care about are their phones? Well, you may actually be onto somethingthere. Anyway, we chatted to a few of our students during another busyFreshers’ Fair.

Tom, starting a course in Computing Systems and Software, thinks ‘X Factor’srubbish’, would vote for Ed Milliband because ‘the Conservatives are terrible’,and has no idea who Nick Grimshaw is. He’s pretty attached to his computer,though, and he’s looking into setting up a programming society.

Law student Luke thinks the likes of X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing are‘ridiculous and pretty fake’, preferring ‘the best thing on tv ever’ Breaking Bad.And you won’t catch him dancing a rumba, he’s a dubstep man.

Nursing students Lisa and Vicki are X Factor fans, ‘hate Cameron’ and like livemusic, such as Example, erm, for example. What else do they like? Tattoos onguys and the Gaelic football society, and the hardest part of living away fromhome? Living with their mates. We think they’re joking.

Game of Thrones fan and Creative Writer Kate laughs when asked about OneDirection – ‘My sister loves them. I’ve got a lot of metal on my MP3 player!’She’s quite cynical about politicians – ‘I can’t say what I really think of them’ –but believes you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover when it comes to tattoos,maybe because she has a few herself.

Psychology student Jolene has a slightly different take on body art: ‘when you’reold they go really wrinkly’, she’s equally turned off by modern politicians,though, preferring to listen to the bickering of Simon, Will and co in TheInbetweeners.

Freedom. That’s what housemates Jasmin and Edward think is the best thingabout living away from home. Cooking and managing money presented steeplearning curves, but Edward now describes his cooking style as ‘experimental’while Law student Jasmin has come to respect how her parents balanced thehousehold budget. They’re less agreed on what constitutes a good night out –clubbing v bands, but we certainly know where Edward stands on tattoos – hedesigned his own.

Whether tweeting friends or getting the latest news update, Law student Danielis never without his phone. Although a long way from home he finds livingaway easy – ‘I’m very sociable, and I like to meet people from differentcountries.’ Preston girl Amirah, on the other hand, was initially nervous aboutuni, ‘but it’s been really easy to get along with people – lecturers, staff,everybody’. She was looking to the student societies to help her meet people:‘There’s an Islamic Society which will be good to get to know people, but thereare other societies that I’m going to look at too.’

And off they all went, finding their own way in the world.

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University is about exploration anddiscovery. It’s about providing a platformfrom which to take ability to the nextlevel. It’s about access to opportunity. Andit’s about encouragement.

The latest £30million investment in oursports facilities is the University’s incentiveto our students, encouraging both sportingexcellence and sporting discovery.

Over the next few pages we’ll highlightthe new resources as well as focus onstudents who are pursuing ambitions insome less fashionable sporting arenas.

Cover star Ali Zahid is making hispresence felt on the amateur boxingcircuit. Ryan Brown aims to propelcheerleading to the top of the pyramid,while ice hockey player SarahHutchinson’s hopes to take her blades toglory at the 2014 World Championships.

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Sporting MakeoverWhat could you do with £30million? It’s a mind-bogglingquestion, but rather than buy a fleet of yachts, we’ve decidedto spend it a little more wisely on improving our already-impressive sports facilities – and our increasingly impressivecampus. You could call it our contribution to the legacy of theLondon 2012, although we just want to provide the bestpossible sporting opportunities for our students, staff and thelocal community.

• full size 3G floodlit football / rugby pitch• floodlit hockey pitch• 3 x floodlit 3G 5-a-side football courts• competition standard 8-lane athletics track with

2 x 10-lane sprint straights• 4 grass football pitches• 1 x grass rugby union pitch• 2.5km fitness conditioning trail with outdoor fitness stations• outdoor table tennis tables• outdoor basketball court

By September 2014 there’ll be even more to do when the newsports centre will house

• a 25m competition swimming pool• an 8-court sports hall• a 100-station fitness suite• an aerobics studio• a sauna and steam room• outdoor tennis/netball courts

These sports facilities cater for the more mainstream sports,but if you have a talent for, or interest in, other things, we’reequally supportive.

Find out more about sport at Edge Hill:edgehill.ac.uk/sport

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The

Boxer

The Man Who Would Be Khan

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It’s 2004. Amir Khan is ducking and weaving hisway from obscurity and into Olympic history, andthe consciousness of a nation. One viewer that daywas Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Ali Zahid, thatis, a teenager from Bolton, looking for somethingto commit to:

“Seeing Amir Khan win silver in Athens in 2004really inspired me. Seeing people get behind him,I thought I should do something where people getbehind me.”

Now a BSc (Hons) Coach Education student atEdge Hill University, Ali and his mates startedhitting the bags, but their commitment wasquestionable – “We wouldn't go for a few weeksbecause we'd get hurt” – and hewas playing a lot of football.However football’s blame culturewas becoming frustrating:

“When I was boxing, if you loseyou've only got yourself toblame, because you've either nottrained hard enough, or yousimply weren't good enough. Idon't like losing, so I've gotnobody to blame but myself if Ilose.”

Fortunately, Ali was a natural:“As soon as I threw my firstpunch, I could see it in mysparring partner's eyes that he was hurt, and I tookadvantage.” Ali laughs at his killer instinct, andadmits he had a lot to learn about the noble art:

“People think it's a fight, but it's not a fightbecause if you don't use your brain and you gowild in there you get beaten up, simple as that. Aboxer would always beat a fighter because aboxer's using their brain.”

Ali moved to Bury Amateur Boxing Club, knuckleddown under the tutelage of Mick Jelley, AmirKhan’s trainer during his amateur years, and finallytook his first steps into the ring.

Jab! He won his first fight in the first round.

Upper cut! He won his second fight in the secondround. Amir Khan’s dad was in his corner for thisone, he mentions proudly.

Knockout punch! He graduated to the UniversityChampionships – winning the title, again in the firstround.

Despite this early success, though, the hardestlessons were learnt when things didn’t go to plan.His first loss came against a southpaw (a boxerwho leads with his right) – “I just didn't know whatto do, I froze” – but he came back fighting, trainingharder than ever, and is now ten fights undefeatedand counting, and heading into the quarterfinals ofthe Amateur Boxing Association (ABA)championships, mixing with the best amateurwelterweights in the country. An ABA title wouldcertainly catch the eye of selectors before the 2016Olympics in Rio, but his mantra doesn’t change:

“Listen to your coaches,and keep disciplined. Livea clean lifestyle, eat goodfood, watch who you hangabout with, and definitelydo your studies to backyou up, because boxing isa very tough game.”

Taking nothing for granted,he’s boxing clever,collecting coachingqualifications as part of hisdegree, and looking intofurther study once hegraduates. He wants to

stay in sport, and cites as inspiration a recentguest speaker on his course who had to relinquishhis dreams of playing pro football, but kept up hisstudies, building a career coaching around theworld, before landing a dream job at Everton FC.

Ali’s not ready to throw the towel in yet, though,and will chase his 2016 dream:

“If you keep winning then you get your chance.They want the best, don't they? So I've just got tokeep winning, it's as simple as that.”

Seeing Amir Khanwin silver in Athensin 2004 really inspiredme. Seeing peopleget behind him,I thought I shoulddo something wherepeople get behindme.

“

”

Find out more about sport at Edge Hill:edgehill.ac.uk/sport

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The

Ice HockeyPlayer

To Hull and Back

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Do you want to know what commitment is? It’sdoing 18-hour days in order to fit everything in. It’sgetting up at 6.30am for uni, and going to bed at1am after the fourth training session of the week.It’s travelling from Manchester to Hull on coldTuesday nights, going through countless drills overthe course of a training session, then setting offback to Manchester at gone midnight. You’ve gotto love something a lot to do that. Sport andExercise Psychology student Sarah Hutchinsonloves ice hockey that much. And it’s the kind ofdedication and determination that gets recognisedat EHU with a Sporting Excellence scholarship.

Sarah currently plays for Hull’s Kingston Diamondsin the Women’s Premier League, and the BritishNational Ice Hockey league,which is the men’s highestamateur level, where “men skatepast me and comment on mymake-up or perfume to try to putme off”.

She started out watching herbrother play, and started skatingwhen she was four. She didn’t hita puck in anger though, until shewas nine. Despite describingherself as initially ‘awful’,‘something seemed to click’around the age of 13, and elevenyears later, she has a string ofimpressive achievements underher belt (or should that be helmet?).

She’s represented England and Great Britain (GB)around the world, and was one of the youngestplayers in the GB University Women’s squad at the2010 Winter Universiade. She was picked againfor the 2013 Universiade in Italy, and will be mixingwith the absolute best at the senior WorldChampionships in Asiago, Italy in April 2014:

“I’ll be proud to be there wearing the GB kit andrepresenting my country. In some ways it is theclosest thing I’ll get to the Olympics. To playagainst teams like Canada and the USA will be anhonour in itself. I’m in awe of their players.”

Ice hockey has a fairly brutal image, possiblycourtesy of the iconic 70s mass-brawl-fest movieSlap Shot. At 6’1”, and with experience in men’sleagues, Sarah’s no stranger to the odd momentof “team-bonding”, but she says it’s not nearly asphysical as people think. The Canadianprofessional leagues can be a bit tasty, she says,but “it’s a lot different playing against women, andI have to use a variety of techniques because it’s anon-contact sport for the women’s games.”

Sarah will use her scholarship to skate through theUniversiade and onwards to Asiago, but she won’tbe taking her eye off her studies, and her futurecareer:

“As part of the GB squad Isee how performance canfluctuate, and there’sno support there toaddress any contributingpsychological factors. Asa Sport and ExercisePsychology student, I’dbe really interested inworking with high levelperformance athletes atsome point.”

And will she stick with herpassion for the puck?

“I’ve always said it’ssomething I just want to do for fun. But even whenit’s not fun I still want to do it. Even when I’m tiredI’m still wanting to do it. When people are shoutingat me, I still want to do it. Until I stop enjoying it I’lljust keep going as high as I can.”

Entrance Scholarships are available to prospectiveUK and EU students who have applied to studya full-time undergraduate degree or full-timePGCE at Edge Hill University and firmly acceptedan offer of a place. The awards are not related toyour financial situation or degree subject.edgehill.ac.uk/scholarships

“I’ll be proud tobe there wearingthe GB kit andrepresenting mycountry. In someways it is theclosest thing I’ll getto the Olympics.

“

”

Find out more about sport at Edge Hill:edgehill.ac.uk/sport

Sportfocus°

The

Cheerleader

Three Cheers for Edge Hill’sNewest Sport

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Give us an E – E!, give us a D – D!, give us a G –G!. Whoa, whoa, whoa. It’s time to put commonmisconceptions about cheerleading to bed, andEdge Hill’s captain, Ryan Brown is only too happyto help:

“A lot of people might think of it as a group of girlsstanding pitchside in short skirts with pom poms –that's not cheer, that's cheerleading in the sensethat people are cheering for a sport. It's actually alot more athletic than people think, and we trainand compete against other teams. We've got 20or 30 trophies, so I think we're being takenseriously now.”

But isn’t it a girl’s sport?“Mixed teams will be 50/50 boysand girls, and I've seen teamsthat are 100% boys. The boysare actually incredibly strong andathletic, some of the bestgymnasts on the team.”

Ok, point taken. So what does itinvolve, Ryan? “Cheer can bedivided into sub-categories.You've got dance sections,gymnastic sections – there's ahigh level of gymnastics in theteam as well – and then the mainaspect of it is called stunting.”

Er, hold on, you’ve lost us there,Ryan. Stunting, it turns out, is performing highlychoreographed team acrobatics. For instance,there’s ‘basket tosses’ “where we actually physicallythrow the cheerleaders about 20ft in the air”, or‘libs’, where the person in the air will have one legup by their ear, as well as being 10ft in the air. It’sall a long way from a few high kicks and ra-ra-rasat half time. This is hard work.

“The routines are two and a half minutes long, sothere's stamina. And there's a lot of teamwork –because if you don't trust other people they're notgoing to trust you to catch them. Our coach is oneof the best in the country, and she teaches usstunting. Each team trains for at least two hours aweek.”

Ryan got involved in his second year at Edge Hill:“During freshers' fair I stopped at the cheerleadingtable and thought I'd give it a go. As soon as I triedit I fell in love with it, and I've never looked back.” Since then he’s taken it from a society of eightpeople, to a fully-fledged sport recognised by theStudents’ Union with 64 team members – two fullteams of 32. At the last audition they had 160people trying out. It’s not yet recognised by BritishUniversities and Colleges Sport (BUCS), butconsidering the popularity of cheer in the US(“they've probably got as many cheer teams asbaseball teams”), and the growing popularity in theUK – there are hundreds of teams – that could welljust be a matter of time.

In the meantime, Ryan isbusy co-ordinating thenext set of routines, settingup showcases on campus,and fundraising to supportthe teams on their travels,all competing withPerforming Arts coursecommitments and his roleas part of the highlysuccessful student dancetroupe Edge FWD forattention. This must meana lot to Ryan:

“The biggest thing for meis the family. Because you

train together all the time, and socialise together,you end up spending a lot of time together, peoplebecome friends outside the team. They end upbecoming some of your closest friends at uni. It'sa great, great people-meeter, especially for firstyears.“

Leave your preconceptions in the locker room andfind out more about cheer at cheerleading.org.uk

Degree° 10°

Our coach isone of the best in the country, and she teaches us stunting. Eachteam trains forat least twohours a week.

“

”

Find out more about sport at Edge Hill:edgehill.ac.uk/sport

Sportfocus°

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Edge Hill, Edge Hill – so good they visited twice. That’s thestory we’re hearing from many of our applicants who firstexperienced the University at an Open Day, and wanted asecond look.

Our Applicant Visit Days cater specifically for applicants whoare holding an offer for a course that does not require aninterview or audition. We invite you back for a fullerexperience, a genuine taste of what university life would belike – taster lectures, workshops, campus tours, groupdiscussions. No traffic light parties, though, I’m afraid.

Making a life choice that could shape the rest of your life isdaunting, so we want you to be in a position to make aninformed decision.

So, what can you do on an Applicant Visit Day? We asked afew of our departments what they had in store for visitors.

Just Visiting:applicantvisit days atEdge Hill

“Advertising and design are truly multi-mediadisciplines today. The combination of a creative,persuasive message communicated visually acrossmany media channels is the most effective way toreach ever more discerning and diverse targetaudiences,” says Andy Tibbs, Senior Lecturer andProgramme Leader.

“Creativity, invention and innovation in the use ofmedia channels are as big a challenge as creatingthe right message, headlines, images and designlayouts. If the target audience doesn’t see themessage, fails to understand it or simply doesn’tconnect with it, then the campaign will notsucceed.”

In practical terms, that means you get to ‘just doit’™ yourself, releasing your creativity and devisinga mini-advertising campaign. At the last taster day,prospective students had fun brainstorming ideasfor onesies, fireworks, beans and limos, andproducing a few campaigns in our Mac labs. Youcan really let yourself go creatively, exploring acreative brief, devising a message, and identifyingthe media channels that will engage your targetaudience.

Emily Farnan, BA (Hons) Advertising: “We had tothink of ways to advertise bottled sunshine. In tenminutes I’d come up with seven ideas. The tutorwas impressed, and I could see they really enjoyedtheir job. It all made me really excited for the realthing – and I’ve never looked back.”

“During our social science taster session you’ll beintroduced to different ways of thinking about thesubjects the department offers. We discuss topicsthat you’ll be familiar with and present them insome of the different ways sociologists have usedto understand them,” says Lecturer Liz Richards.

Dr Sally Hester adds, “One aim is to fire yoursociological imaginations, and we do this bystimulating discussion about everyday social andcultural issues.”

“By introducing you to some of the excitingcomplexities of these social and cultural issues, bydemonstrating how social science thinking helpsus to understand them in particular ways, we’realso aiming to give you a real flavour of what wedo here at Edge Hill,” concludes Liz Richards.

Discussion topics include elements of popularculture, when children become adults from socialand legal perspectives, and how we see disabledpeople in our society.

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Advertising Social Sciences

Department of MediaApplicant Visit Days

5th

15th

February 2014

March 2014

Department of Social SciencesApplicant Visit Days

15th

12th

February 2014

March 2014

Book online at: edgehill.ac.uk/undergraduate/visitdays

The world of business has moved on a lot sincethe days of the pin-striped suit and bowler hat.There are more women, for a start. The study ofbusiness-related subjects has also developedexponentially. You will be invited to take our“innovation challenge", or investigate the bravenew world of digital marketing, while buddingaccountants can discover that there’s more to theprofession than bean counting, with team sessionson product pricing, negotiation skills and decision-making.

Senior Lecturer Dr Charles Knight: "The applicantvisit day activities are designed to be fun but alsoshow potential students the cutting edge of currentbusiness practices and research".

Greg Anderton came along to an Applicant VisitDay and now studies Business and Managementhere: “It really sealed the deal. The campusatmosphere was really good. The brandingexercise – carrots as crisps! – was genuinelyinteresting."

Business and Management

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Business SchoolApplicant Visit Days

5th

15th

February 2014

March 2014

Should the punishment fit the crime? That’s onequestion you could be faced with, as you don yourmetaphorical wig and gown for a Law andCriminology taster session. Should justice be an‘eye for an eye’, or should we consider othersystems of delivering punishment? What would asystem whereby the ‘punishment fitted the crime’actually look like? And what might the alternativesbe? As you discuss the relative merits of ahypothetical case, issues will be raised which willforce you to question your beliefs, yourunderstanding of the law, and notions of crime andpunishment. Hopefully by the end you won’t bereaching for the black cap.

Angela Tobin, Lecturer in Criminology and CriminalJustice: “Criminology taster sessions are designedand delivered in the same way as anundergraduate workshop. Students are expectedto consider, explore, discuss and debate issuessuch as justice, punishment, human rights andinequalities.”

The Geography department will be showing off itsown new physical environment on Applicant VisitDay, having recently upgraded its facilities. Therewill be a taster lecture from one of the staff and,depending on the programme for which you haveapplied, they will also host seminars, and providehands-on practical opportunities in physicalgeography, environmental science and geologywhere you will hear all about the extensivefieldwork opportunities available.

Nigel Richardson, Head of Department: “Currentstudents will be on hand to give you the lie of theland, offering a unique insight into the department.They’ll show you round our brilliant newdepartment building where there’ll be plenty ofopportunities for you to quiz staff and students.”

This is just a sample of what’s on offer at ApplicantVisit Days during February and March 2014,covering all subject areas. They’re popular, though,so check the website for further details and tobook: edgehill.ac.uk/undergraduate/visitdays

We also have Open Days and monthly campus tours:edgehill.ac.uk/undergraduate/events

Law and Criminology Geography and the Physical Environment

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Department of GeographyApplicant Visit Days

5th

12th

February 2014

March 2014

Department of Law and CriminologyApplicant Visit Days

15th

15th

February 2014

March 2014

Book online at: edgehill.ac.uk/undergraduate/visitdays

Degree° 15°

Degree° 16°

And our students certainly didn’t, when thesesenior media personalities sat amongst animpressed audience at the spectacular end-of-yearshow and exhibition at the Lowry in Manchester.Exclaim! brought together work from music,performing arts, creative writing, computing, film,television and advertising students under one rooffor the first time.

Our third year advertising students made sure theirpresence was felt with an exhibition, Everythingbut Grey, featuring their coursework:

“End of year shows are a vital part of all Mediadegrees,” explains Andy Tibbs, Programme Leaderin Advertising. “They give students the opportunityto discuss their ideas, inspire others and presentthemselves in a professional and confident way. Aswell as this, the events also provide students withthe chance to meet a variety of influential people intheir specialist field.”

The new £16million Creative Edge facility bringsour media, film, animation, advertising andcomputing staff and students together under oneroof, providing access to industry-standardfacilities, and encouraging a culture of realinterdisciplinary collaboration, broadening theminds of around 1,200 students. It’s alreadybecome a melting pot of invention and innovation.

And our links with the creative industries have onlygot stronger, says Andy Tibbs:

“Encouraging and enabling our students to workwith agencies is something we constantly do as partof the Media degrees here. By combiningopportunities to work directly with clients,businesses and professionals alongside the cutting-edge facilities and experienced staff within theUniversity, you bring about a creative environmentthat is an ideal platform for future success.”

Placements are a vital part of the learningexperience, a place to put the lecture room theoryinto real world practice, from interpreting a briefto pitching to a client. Steve Waring, SeniorDesigner at local advertising agency Loaf Creative:“We were really keen to get involved with Edge HillUniversity as our agency is always on the lookoutfor young creatives. It also enables us to help enhancethe learning experience of the students, whiledeveloping their understanding of the real world.”

The end of year shows are an integral part of theMedia degrees at Edge Hill University, buildingstudents’ confidence and enabling them to developa professional and outward-facing approach, andensuring they’re job-ready on graduation.

Follow the progress of our advertising students onthe department blog:evbg.wordpress.com

or visit edgehill.ac.uk/media

If you’ve got Helen Bullough, Head of CBBC Children’s Programming, CarolCrane, casting director and documentary maker, David Pichilingi, Directorof the Liverpool SoundCity music festival, and tv producer Colin McKeownin a room together, then you had better not waste the opportunity.

Creative Edge

Exclaim!

What do you teach, and what is your research about?In a nutshell, advertising and design thinking. Creativity andhow to apply it to mass-communication problems. In designterms I have a particular interest in typography, the design ofletter forms.

Best/worst part of your job?Students are the best part, the worst part is administration!

The advertising campaign I wish I’d devised…This changes almost daily. Today I’d say it’s an Australian viralcampaign for Metro (a transport network). It takes public serviceannouncements to a whole new level and is a near perfectexample of how to make advertising and an appealing message‘contagious’.

Holiday destination of choice and why?Jamaica. I love spicy food and reggae music so to hang aroundsomewhere steeped in the cultures surrounding both thosethings would be perfection.

Who, alive or dead, has inspired you in life?In music, Johnny Cash, a true American rebel. In art and design,the Bauhaus school of 1930s Germany.

Culturally, I never miss… Any opportunity to visit an art gallery or design museum.Usually the smaller, more obscure ones tucked away in cities.

Growing up I dreamt of being …A rock ‘n’ roll star.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?George Orwell, Johnny Cash, Bob Marley, [Russian designer andtypographer] El Lissitzky and Tony Benn.

What is the worst job you’ve ever done?Picking mushrooms under UV lights in hot damp sheds when Ifirst left college.

Guilty pleasure?Country music (but proper stuff, nothing to do with Stetsons andrhinestone suits).

How do you relax?With a perfect pint of cask bitter in the sunshine outside an oldman’s pub. Or playing aged rockabilly songs on my guitar.

What’s in your ipod/cd player at the moment?The Cinematic Orchestra and some bonkers Hungarian gypsypunks called Gogol Bordello.

For my last supper, I would have…?A South Indian chickpea and paneer curry.

What do you always have in your fridge?Photographic film!

What has been your most embarrassing moment?Nothing I’m prepared to include in this Q&A!

What do you wish you’d known before starting uni? How to work hard and play hard. A skill I later perfected inadvertising studios.

Finally, tell us a joke….What do you call a man with a spade in his head? Doug.What do you call a man without a spade in his head? Douglas.

Andy joined Edge Hill University after many years in advertising, working withVolkswagen, G4S, British Gas, Halifax plc, Lloyds TSB, and the AA.

He is the author of Advertising: Its business, culture and careers, whichreveals the tricks of the advertising trade.

Andy TibbsSenior Lecturer and Programme Leader – Advertising

Staff profile

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We ventured out onto campus in search of sartorialinspiration, and discoveredstudents happy to shun hautecouture and find their ownstyle. Fashionistas of NewYork, London, and Paris take note

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LauraBA English

Mac: ZaraBoots: OfficeBag: Accessorize

‘I like VictoriaBeckham’s new line – it’s fitted and sophisticated.’Listening to: ‘AM’ –Arctic Monkeys

AdamBA (Hons)Animation

Jacket: Belfield Watch: G-ShockBoots: Timberland

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AdamBSc (Hons)IT Management forBusiness (ITMB)

Glasses: RaybanShoes: ebayBag: Primark

CalahBA (Hons)Secondary ModernForeign Languageswith QTS

Top: VintageShirt: H&MShoes: Vintage Dr. MartensNecklace: Topshop

Listening to: ‘Everything –from hip hop beatsto obscure house.’

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PaddyPGCE English

Combats: PrimarkThumb ring: Top ManTrainers: Nike

‘The combats andbraces were for aCarnage night out– they survivedsomehow.’

Listening to: Hip hop

NatashaBA (Hons) English

Boyfriend oversizedcoat: River IslandWatch: SelfridgesBoots: ASOS

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sychology undergraduateChanice Bennett is one of thefirst students to take upresidence in our new halls ofresidence on the east side of

the campus, joining a vibranton-campus community of 1,900 youngpeople.

One of the safest campuses in the UK,our new halls come with flat screen tvsand wireless internet access, as well asthe usual bedroom furniture. And whata view:

“One of the reasons I came to Edge Hillwas because of the lakes. Back homeeveryone’s like, ‘there’s lakes at uni,isn’t there?’, because that’s all I spokeabout. It’s so pretty.”

Chanice’s room is spick and span, apartfrom the impressive array of photoscovering the walls and hogging herbookshelf – ‘my textbooks are on mydesk’, she protests, maybe a little toomuch. She’s one of six in her self-catering apartment in Chancellor’sCourt, and the experience has helpedher make the transition from home touniversity relatively easily:

“Coming from home I wantedsomewhere that was safe. It’s easier toget to know people in halls and knowwhere you are going, so I thought it wasa safer option. When we get homesick,we talk to each other. I got reallyhomesick and I went home, just to seepeople, and I’ve been fine since. You doneed to get through the first few weeksreally, and then you’re ok.”

The question of what to bring is alwaysnear the top of every new student’s list,but Chanice is happy to give you thebenefit of her experience:

“Things that have sentimental value arethe things you should bring – photos,I’ve got a teddy that I brought with me.If you bring things you don’t needthey’re just going to take up room, andyou don’t actually have a lot.

“All the things that made up my roomat home, I’ve brought up with me, justso it feels more homely. We also havepinboards. I’ve got letters and cardspeople have sent me, and notes frommy nan telling me what she’s been upto. When I’m feeling sad, I just go intomy room, and it’s not so bad.”

Living away from home for the firsttime is exciting, but requires someadjustment:

“You’re going out and doing theshopping, and you have to do thewashing and the cooking, so it’s theindependence, and not having to thinkabout what mum’s going to make medo. But the best part is, becauseeveryone’s going through the samething, they’re all supportive of you.Straightaway you’ve got something incommon, so you don’t feel like you’reon your own at all.”

Communal fridges are often a sadly-neglected part of student housefurniture. What’s always in Chanice’s?“Cheese, bacon and fizz,” she sayswithout pause. At least parents will berelieved that the morning after is wellcatered for, but what else does she getup to in halls?

“It’s more sitting in together and havinga laugh, rather than going out all thetime. We play on the Wii, or we playboard games. If you walk past ourapartment all you can hear is shoutingbecause we’re getting too competitive.”

Chanice plans to make way for the nextcohort of first years on campus bymoving into a shared house inOrmskirk in her second year, but feelsa year in halls is a great base fromwhich to launch the next phase of yourlife:

“If you’re far from home it gives youthat support network straightaway,whereas if you were moving into ahouse I think it would be moredaunting. And the best thing you can dois just be yourself.”

So, for a happy year in halls stock up oncheese, bacon and fizz, bring a teddy ifit helps, but mostly, just be yourself.

P

Home is where theheart is...

More information about halls:edgehill.ac.uk/accommodation

ou need to sit down,’ said theagent on the other end of thephone.

This was the moment Carys Bray,Creative Writing PhD student,

Associate Lecturer and short storyprizewinner, realised she could now add fully-fledged novelist to that list. If this was notenough to make anyone go weak at the knees,the accompanying six figure publishing dealwould certainly finish the job.

Hutchinson has signed the world rights toHere We Are Together, Carys’ novel of aLancashire Mormon family whose world isshattered when the youngest daughter dies.The father believes the family will see heragain in heaven, while seven-year-old Jacobthinks he’ll be able to perform a resurrectionmiracle if he prays hard enough.

Described by the publisher as ‘devastatinglyemotional and sharply observed’, Caryscompleted the novel as part of a PhD inCreative Writing at Edge Hill University andcouldn’t believe it when she got the call.“Forty-eight hours after she sent my novel outon submission, my agent telephoned me athome and said, ‘You need to sit down’. No onehas ever said that to me before. When I heardthe news, I reached for my mobile to text myhusband but I couldn’t form the wordsbecause my thumb was shaking so much.”

So how did Carys get here?

“I’ve always been a big reader. I suppose itwas only natural that I’d want to write as well.I love Carol Shields – The Stone Diaries is oneof my favourite books – and I wish I’d writtenThe Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.”

“I’ve always been a voracious reader and Isuppose it was only a matter of time before Ibegan to wonder how the magic worked andwhether I could learn the trick of it. I wrotereams of Famous Five fan fiction which Ipresented to my teacher who was kind andencouraging (poor man) and that’s how itbegan.”

How did Carys make the leap from youngBlyton copyist to someone who couldlegitimately rub shoulders with ManBookerprize-winners?

Cash for CarysCarys BrayPhD Creative Writing/Associate lecturer/Novelist

Y

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“I grew up in a Mormon family,and got married quite young. Iwas in my early thirties when Icrawled out from under a pile ofnappies and started to wonderwhat I was going to do with therest of my life. I went back touniversity and did a BA inLiterature. I had the option tochoose some Creative Writingmodules, and I loved them. Istarted my MA at Edge Hill whenI was 34 – it was an opportunityto see whether I could write.

The MA at Edge Hill taught her‘to be a better writer’:

“The staff expanded my readinghorizons, taught me how to giveand receive feedback, how to editand discard things that don’twork, and how to submit work tojournals and magazines.

“But I think the most valuablething was that I found a writingcommunity. I met other peoplewho wanted to be writers.”

“I remember workshopping astory about a baby and a suitcase.At the end of the workshop[tutor] Robert Sheppard passedthe story back to me and said,‘Get it published.’ It was the firsttime I’d written something thatreally felt finished. I drove homefeeling excited and motivated.”

Until Alice Munro won the NobelPrize for Literature in 2013, theshort story had been a neglectedliterary format. Edge Hilllecturer and Carys’ PhDsupervisor, Ailsa Cox, who haswritten a book on Munro, andlaunched Edge Hill’s own ShortStory Prize, believes it isexcellent preparation for the longform:

“Carys developed the clarity andintensity of her style from herbeginnings as a short storywriter, learning from writersincluding Carol Shields and AliceMunro; and she's still writingstories.”

Their words of encouragementinspired Carys to keep going, andher first collection of shortstories, Sweet Home, was

published in 2012, winning theScott Prize for Short Stories, andreflecting an understandablepreoccupation with parenthoodand children.

“I used to be afraid to write whatI knew because I thought it wastoo boring and ordinary. But I’vesince realised that there’s plentyof material to be found in familyrelationships.”

That validation from fellowwriters was evidence that shecould make a real living from it.Carys still had to dig deep forconfidence, though:

“The idea terrified me, so Idecided to write a scene from thenovel and disguise it as a shortstory. I told myself that if thestory didn’t work I couldabandon the novel idea, butwhen I finished the story I quiteliked it, so I carried on. I didn’t

feel any pressure, I was justworried that I might be wasting alot of time. If a short storydoesn’t work then it’sdisappointing, but if the noveldidn’t work I knew I would begutted about abandoning acouple of years of work.

“I wouldn’t really describe myselfas a full-time writer yet. I’m stillstudying for my PhD and I dosome part-time teaching. Havingsaid that, I suppose my teachingand studying are part of being awriter… I might actually be a full-time writer! Gulp.”

She still has to find time between‘the school holidays and footballtraining’, writing whenever shecan:

“I often cook dinner with mylaptop open on the worktop andI take research material with mewhile I wait in the car for thechildren. Sometimes I turn mydays upside down and work allnight then sleep for a couple ofhours after the school run.”

Not the glamorous shift inlifestyle she perhaps imagined:

“I did an event at theCheltenham Festival the otherweekend with Dea Brovig andOrange Prize winner HelenDunmore, but nothing major haschanged, and I don’t expect it to.”

Carys plans to complete her PhD,and she’s already startedthinking about the follow-up:

“It’s going to be about family –maybe I’ll write a sci-fi epic nexttime!”

Here We Are Together will bepublished by Hutchinson in June2014.

The staff expandedmy reading horizons,

taught me how to giveand receive feedback,how to edit and discardthings that don’t work,and how to submitwork to journals andmagazines.

“

”

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putting legal theory into practice

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s a student, theclosest I got toputting the law intopractice was bybecoming involvedin ‘mooting’ at

university. That’s where you’regiven a (fictitious) legal problemand present the case either forthe claimant or the defendant ina competitive environment, witha judgment given at the end forone side or the other. It helpedme to develop many valuableskills, particularly publicspeaking, but there was never areal client in sight!”

Robert Collinson, Director of ournew pro bono Law Clinic,appears a little envious of ourLaw students, who will have theopportunity to operate a freelegal advice service to membersof the public as part of theirdegree course, under hiswatchful eye.

“The Law Clinic providesopportunities for students togain experience in interviewingclients, conducting legalresearch, and writing lettersgiving initial legal advice.”

Traditionally, law clinics haveoperated at the vocational stageof training, but Edge Hill is in thevanguard of universities offeringthis training at an earlier point instudents’ education. Meeting realpeople with real problems, andseeing how they can make a realdifference is a great advantage soearly in their training.

“Our students get to see whatlegal problems actually mean forpeople, they develop vital ‘peopleskills’ such as listening,sympathy and empathy; theydevelop practical legal skills,

such as questioningappropriately and summarisingissues which have beendiscussed.”

Put simply, they turn academiclegal knowledge into somethingwhich makes an actual differenceto a real person. Making animpact on someone’s life is whatinitially drew Robert to theprofession:

“It’s often said that ‘knowledge ispower’ and that’s definitely trueof legal knowledge. In myexperience it’s the kind ofknowledge which can redress theimbalance of power which existsbetween, for example, the largecorporation and the privateindividual.”

And what of role models? We arefascinated by law and order. Thetv and film schedules contain aplethora of legal characters, fromStephen’s Fry’s put-uponsolicitor in Kingdom to SaulGoodman, Breaking Bad’smorally ambiguous Mr Fix It.Robert’s own inspiration is alittle more traditional, and couldhave a few of you hitting yourGoogle search button:

“I’ve always been inspired by SirRobert Morton, the fictionalbarrister created by TerenceRattigan in his 1946 play TheWinslow Boy. I saw the filmversion as a teenager and itplayed some part in me choosingto study law. The story, looselybased upon something whichreally happened, concerned a boyat a Royal Naval College who wasexpelled for allegedly stealing apostal order from anotherstudent. The boy continued toprotest his innocence, but theAdmiralty refused to undertake a

proper investigation. A leadingbarrister, Morton, took on thecase and eventually thegovernment was forced toacknowledge that there had beenno case against the boy. For me itshows that with legal knowledge,even the state can be made toback down if they’re in thewrong. The satisfaction of beingable to use legal knowledge tohelp someone with a legalproblem, to find an acceptablesolution to that problem, is veryrewarding.”

So is the law an ass? Predictablyperhaps, Robert doesn’t think so.

“The perception of the law as anass largely springs from the factthat laws which go wrong makegood newspaper articles. It tendsto happen, in particular, whenpoliticians have passed newlegislation hastily, as a ‘knee jerk’reaction to an issue of publicconcern. The overwhelmingmajority of laws work perfectlywell.”

In summary, then. If you studyLaw at Edge Hill University youwill be in an environment designedto prepare you for the real world,working with real people, whetherthat’s taking on corporate Goliaths,or using your new skills in otherfields within the financial sector,human resources management,journalism, politics, or maybeeven teaching, training the nextgeneration of legal eagles.

The Edge Hill University LawClinic will be open to the publicfrom February 2014:edgehill.ac.uk/law

A“Robert Collinson is a Solicitor, Senior Lecturer in Law and Director of the Pro Bono Law Clinic

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POSI IVE+Stay

Student Careers“Stay positive, there’s a world of career opportunitiesstill out there.”

That’s the message from the Edge Hill University Careers Serviceamidst what may seem to be bleak times for young peoplelooking for a full-time career, with the number of young peopleunemployed, or under-employed, higher than it has been for ageneration.

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There’s plenty you can do to help yourself though, andstaff in our Careers Centre will show you how to improveyour employability, whether it’s volunteering to clean upbeaches or signing up for Camp America.

Jacqui Howe, Head of the Careers Service:“A senior leader at IBM said recently that graduates needto be relevant and able to differentiate themselves, toclearly articulate the skills they’ve acquired from avariety of experiences, and to make a positive initialimpact. We work closely with employers to ensure keyskills are integrated into courses, 75% of our coursescarry additional professional accreditation, and manycourses have work placements built in. And there areplenty of other ways to improve your job prospects.”

Jacqui advises all new students to pay an early visit tothe Careers Centre for a chat, but here’s our own shortguide to boosting your job prospects.

+ BE A STEP AHEAD OF THE REST Our free Employability Programme, endorsed by theInstitute of Leadership and Management (ILM), will helpyou develop the skills most valued by employers. BScAccountancy graduate Tope Sadiku, now a GraduateTrading Assistant with Asda, took full advantage:

“The programme prepared me for assessment days andgraduate level interviews. This, plus the great supportfrom the careers team, contributed significantly to mesuccessfully joining the graduate scheme.”

+ EARN MONEY WHILE YOU’RE HEREPart-time or temporary work in the local area, or maybetaking a student job on campus, can familiarise you withthe expectations of work. On top of the extra cash, thebonus is a CV that suggests a proactive approach to work.

+ SCHOOL’S OUT FOREVER? Not necessarily. There are plenty of opportunities tocombine work and play while you’re a student. Summerfestivals can be an ideal way to earn money – or at leastgain free entry – and catch a few of this year’s ‘next bigthings’. Or we can help you avoid the barriers to entrywith a job at the Aintree Grand National. And if you fancydodging the British summer and working abroad, theCareers Centre has all the information you’ll need.

+ HELP YOURSELF BY HELPING OTHERS “Volunteering is seen as key experience by employers.It’s the perfect opportunity for you to develop the skillsyou’ll need when you start applying for jobs,” saysVolunteering Co-ordinator Jennie Owen. AlexWinstanley, recipient of a 2013 Volunteering Scholarshipfrom Edge Hill, has dedicated a large part of his studentlife to volunteering. The sports student’s commitment tohelping others has taken him from Wigan to the London

2012 Olympics, via Ghana, coaching young people, andpromoting sport for all. As well as improving jobprospects, though, there are other benefits: “I get themost satisfaction from knowing that people are enjoyingwhat I’ve taught them.” You too can apply for avolunteering on-course scholarship to help fund youractivities.

+ OUR COURSES PREPARE YOU FOR WORKWe work with employers and lecturers with industryexperience to offer programmes with very practical skills,while the Careers Centre staff will provide expert adviceon how to write great applications and prepare forinterviews. Eamon Karpuska, a Computer Systems andSoftware graduate, was grateful his degree’s verypractical side allowed him to build up his CV, andeventually landed a highly-prized place on the BarclaysBank graduate scheme as a UNIX technician:

“Much of the course was based on the kind ofdeliverables and deadlines expected in the workplace. Atthe end of my final year I was given a paid businessproject, involving delivery and set-up of a computernetwork. I was able to add this successful project to mylist of achievements, which greatly increased my abilityto get interviews.”

+ MEET YOUR FUTURE BOSSNot a speed-dating session, you’ll be pleased to hear.Instead, take advantage of regular opportunities to meetemployers face-to-face, learn about different jobs, securevital work experience, and develop contacts. Workexperience is a genuine competitive advantage whenpursuing graduate jobs – just ask MA Marketing andCommunications graduate Holly Heslop:

“During my MA I did work experience at Coca-Cola’s USHQ in Atlanta where I shadowed and interviewed globalmarketing managers. Both my university experience andthe work placement allowed me to pursue my careeraspiration to work in a large company.” Holly now worksin online marketing for John Lewis.

+ FINALLY, DON’T WORRY IF YOUR CAREER PLANS AREN’TIMMEDIATELY CLEAR We’re all plagued with doubts and anxieties about thefuture, which is why our Careers Advisers are on handfor confidential chats and guidance, about the rightcourse, what you can do with your degree, or how tofollow a particular career path. Pay them a visit as earlyas possible, and get a head start in your career.

edgehill.ac.uk/careers

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InterstellarVery few details areavailable aboutChristopher Nolan’snext film Interstellar,apart from its amazingcast – MatthewMcConaughey, AnneHathaway, JessicaChastain, and MattDamon – and that it’sa sci-fi film exploringtime-travel. Butanything that The DarkKnight director does ismet with giddyanticipation.

Expected release date:November 2014

X-Men: Days ofFuture PastWith the recent onlinetrailer, it’s fair to labelthe latest X-Men filmits own beast, and notjust another Marvelsuperhero filler as weawait the nextAvengers instalment.With original X-Mendirector Bryan Singerback on board,accompanied by theold cast teaming upwith the crew firstseen in 2011’s FirstClass, you wouldn’tbe considered crazyfor thinking a newteam of superheroesis ready to steal thelimelight.

Expected release date:May 2014

GodzillaAfter RolandEmmerich’sdisappointing 1998attempt at updatingGodzilla for a newergeneration, it lookslike we’ll be treated toa more worthy take onthe legendary lizardwith up-and-comingBritish director GarethEvans at the helm. Ifyou are lucky, you’llhave seen the teasertrailer momentarilyleaked online:terrifying.

Expected release date:May 2014

The GrandBudapest HotelThe latest outing fromeccentric auteur WesAnderson looks set tobe one of the surprisehits of 2014. Thetrailer suggestslaughs, drama,mystery, and action,all played out by awonderful cast,including RalphFiennes, Bill Murray,Jude Law, andEdward Norton. You’dbe a fool not to booka room now.

Expected release date:March 2014

12 Years A SlaveA true story about afree black mankidnapped and soldinto slavery in the1800s, this has Oscarnominations written allover it. Directed byone of the mostprovocative andtalented filmmakersaround right now,Steve McQueen, itboasts anextraordinary cast,including ChiwetelEjiofor, BenedictCumberbatch, andMichael Fassbender.

Expected release date:January 2014

5 4 3 2 1

A Bunch of Fives2014 is likely to be a big year for you as you makethe transition from further to higher education, butwhat else does 2014 have in store? We asked a fewof our students from Vibe Media, the Uni’s student-run media platform, for some tips.

Marc

h

Liverpool’s Everyman Theatrereopens its doors after a three-year £28m redevelopment witha production of Twelfth Night.The Everyman has been a fixtureon the Merseyside cultural scenesince opening in 1964, with astunning array of in-house talentover the years, including EdgeHill alumnus Jonathan Pryce. M

ay

Athletic types and masochistswill jump for joy as the Rock 'n'Roll Liverpool Marathon returns.A new format sees bands playinglive music along the course,which begins at the Albert Dock,and takes in the Liverpool andEverton football stadiums, andSefton Park. Not that you’ll bein any state to notice. J

une

Liverpool’s Africa Oye Festivalis an annual celebration of worldmusic. Over one weekend in2013, thousands gathered inSefton Park to see bands fromCape Verde to Ghana to Cuba.And they brought the sun withthem.

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5 Google GlassAlthough technically already with us, GoogleGlass aren't yet for sale. Giving you constantvisual access to the internet, only time cantell whether we’ll all be permanently online, or whether they’re just this year’slaserdisc/minidisc/Sinclair C5 (for our olderreaders). Either way, we eagerly await theoutcome.

4 Curved OLED TVsThe next phase in the evolution oftelevisual entertainment, say manufacturers.An unnecessary addition to the viewingexperience, say others. Wherever you stand,these new tellies, ranging from 55-105 inches,will be the must-have home entertainmenttrophy for the cash-rich this year.

3 Wearable techFashion and technology seem to be clashingbigtime at the moment, with a plethora ofwristbands, watches, and even headbandsprogrammed to do all sorts of clever stuff,like monitoring your skin's ultravioletexposure, your heart rate, or your athleticperformance, before sending all theinformation to a smartphone app.

2 PhonebloksAre the days of the iPhone and Galaxynumbered? This nifty little idea is thebrainchild of Dave Hakkens. Customise andupgrade your phone yourself, with plug-incomponents. If it gets enough backing it willlaunch in 2014.

1 Polaroid SocialmaticIf you have a nostalgic hankering for sharingphotos the old fashioned way, Polaroid’sSocialmatic connects to social media, andlets you customise and print off little stickersof favourite/most embarrassing images withwhich to adorn diaries/fridges/each other.Due out just in time for Christmas 2014.

3D head Thanks to the technology of 3Dprinters you can upload a picture of yourselfand get it made into a little plastic version.The best part? They fit on the bodies of avery popular toy brick company.

The book Crafting With Cat Hair For theperson in your life who has knitted andcrocheted everything. And the bonus? Youmight even get a cat-hair craft present nextChristmas. Score!

T-shirt folder As seen on The Big BangTheory, you'll never have an excuse for badfolding again.

Underwater disco light show Flashing lightsin the bath – what else is there to say?

Bluetooth gloves Look like a crazy personby conducting phone calls through the fingers of your gloves, using the classic'call me' position.J

uly

- O

cto

ber Since its launch in 1999,

the Liverpool Biennial hascommissioned over 200 newartworks, attracting over600,000 visitors each time.Liverpool braces itself foranother new art invasion in2014, scattered throughout thecity. The fun is in exploring thecity, and finding strange thingsin unusual surroundings.

August

Petrolheads should set theirsatnavs for the 2014 OrmskirkMotorfest. Sports cars, motorbikes, and vintage classicscompete for your attentionamidst a lot of leather.

Open DaysSaturday 21st June Saturday 16th AugustSaturday 11th OctoberSaturday 15th November

Come and take a closer look...Edge Hill University, St Helens Road, Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 4QP

T: 01695 657000

edgehill.ac.uk/opendays

study@edgehill.ac.uk

ehu.ac.uk/2q9

10am – 3pm