intouch alumni magazine issue 12

INTOUCHALUMNI NEWSLETTER

ISSUE 12, WINTER 2011/12

IN-TOUCH2011-12-issue12 08/05/2013 09:32

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SWANSEA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

HONORARY FELLOWSHIPS A former MP and one of the country’s most seniorengineers, Dr Claire Curtis Thomas, has received anHonorary Fellowship from Swansea MetropolitanUniversity.

Born in Neath and educated at Mynyddbach ComprehensiveSchool for Girls, Dr Curtis-Thomas obtained a BSc inMechanical Engineering from Cardiff University and thencompleted an MBA at Aston University. In 1999, she wasawarded an Honorary PhD in Technology for services to thepromotion of engineering and a year later co-founded Womenin Science and Engineering.

During her career she has worked as a researcher at CardiffUniversity and has taken on the roles of Head of UK Supplyand Distribution and Head of Environmental Strategy at ShellChemicals. She has also worked as the Head of Strategy andBusiness Planning at Birmingham City Council and has beenDean of the Faculty of Business and Engineering at theUniversity of Wales, Newport.

In 1997 she was elected as the MP for Crosby, a seat whichshe held until 2010 when she decided not to stand for re-election. She is currently Chief Executive of the Institute ofGas Engineers and Managers, and is Chair of theConstruction and Development Partnership Charities whichfocus on the development of literacy and libraries in SierraLeone.

Mal (Maldwyn) Pope was born in the Bryhyfryd area ofSwansea into a very musical family. From an early age hewas exposed to music and, by the late 1960’s, had becomeinspired to write songs.

Two weeks after sending a tape of his songs to John Peel atBBC Radio One, twelve-year-old Mal was invited to London torecord a session for the show. The session was such a successthat, as a result, he signed with Elton John’s Rocket Label. Forthe next six years he spent most of his school holidays inLondon recording with his producer David Costa and his debutsingle reached the charts.

During this time Mal did not let his academic studies slip and hewas accepted into Christ College Cambridge to study LandEconomy. Whilst at university he left the Rocket Label andsigned with Harvey Goldsmith’s AMP Management Company.

On finishing university Mal moved to London to continue songwriting, but in 1982 he returned to Wales to work for BBC RadioWales in Cardiff, where he still works as a presenter. Hecontinued the profession of singer, songwriter and broadcaster, working withartists such as Cliff Richard and ArtGarfunkel.

By the 1990’s Mal had his own late-night music chat show on HTV and, in2001, his series Heaven’s Sound wonan award at the New York Film andTelevision Awards. At the same time hewas recording and releasing albums,including the acoustic Mumbles toMemphis.

Besides song writing Mal has alsowritten several musicals, in 2005Amazing Grace, in 2007 Contender andmost recently Cappuccino Girls.

An Honorary Fellowship is the highest honour that a Universitycan bestow. Such honours are considered by the University asan opportunity to recognise a distinguished contribution madeby individuals, in various walks of life, who are not employed bythe institution.

Swansea Metropolitan University Vice-Chancellor, ProfessorDavid Warner said: “We bestow Honorary Fellowships uponindividuals from, or who have a connection to, Wales and, inparticular, South West Wales. They will have excelled themselvesin their chosen profession, whether in the arts/entrainment,politics, industry, academia or sport. They are individuals whohave not only done themselves proud but who bring a sense ofpride to the region.”

Professor Dame Jean Thomas was born in theTreboeth district of Swansea and attended Llwyn-y-BrynHigh School for Girls. She studied Chemistry inSwansea, obtaining First Class Honours, and gained aPhD in 1967. That same year Professor Thomas movedto Cambridge University to continue her research,becoming a member of the academic staff of theUniversity in 1969, firstly as a lecturer, then a Researcher,and finally as Professor of Macromolecular Biochemistry.

Professor Thomas has been Chairman/Director of theCambridge Centre for Molecular Recognition, a Fellow of NewHall and, in 2007, she became the first female Master of StCatharine’s College. In addition, in 2008 she became the firstwoman to be the Biological Secretary and Vice-President ofthe Royal Society.

Professor Thomas’ research interests are in the structure anddynamics of chromatin, which is the complex of proteins andDNA that constitutes chromosomes and its role in the repression and activation ofgenes. This research has led to a number of prestigiousawards including a Fellowship of the Royal Society, a CBE in1993 for services to science, a DBE in 2005 for services tobiochemistry, election to the Academia European, and anumber of Honorary Fellowships. In 2009 she was also madean Honorary Bencher of Middle Temple.

Professor Thomas has held a variety of public offices and hasbeen a Trustee of the British Museum, a Governor of theWellcome Trust, President of the Biochemical Society andPresident of Techniquest.

GRADUATION 2011SUMMER CEREMONY

VIDEO CLIPS CAN BE FOUNDON THE ALUMNI WEBSITE

www.smu.ac.uk/alumni

IN-TOUCH2011-12-issue12 08/05/2013 09:32

A Swansea Metropolitan University artand design graduate was hailed as'Britain's Next Big Thing' in a BBCprogramme fronted by Dragon Den'sTheo Papthitas.

‘Britain's Next Big Thing’ followed thestory of three big retailers, Liberty, Bootsand Habitat, on the hunt for the nextconsumer sensation. This time, instead ofrelying on tried and tested suppliers, theyput their trust in the hands of talentedmembers of the general public.

The programme followed Swansea Metfoundation degree art and designgraduate Laura Wellington, originally fromMorriston in Swansea. It brought to lifethe story of how she went from a designgraduate to a designer for leading retailerHabitat.

Twenty-five year old Laura graduatedfrom Swansea Met in 2005 andundertook a degree in design at LeedsMetropolitan University, achieving first-class honours. Last year, following asuccessful pitch to Habitat's top buyers,she was chosen as a young designer theywished to showcase. Leeds-based Laurawon Habitat over with her innovative‘Hula’ acrylic pendant light creation. It hadalready created a stir having beenpurchased by Zizzis restaurant chain, aswell as international clients from New Yorkand Doha.

The BBC show tracked the progress ofLaura pitching to Habitat CreativeDirector, Theo Williams, and Head ofRange, Jonathan Crawley, through toworking with the Habitat design team,with all the planning and manufacturing toget the product into store. Habitat nowhas an exclusive deal with Laura and herdesign is available across Europe with aprice tag of £230.

Laura said: “It’s so great see Hula inHabitat stores. It doesn’t seem like sixyears ago since I did my foundationdegree at Swansea Met. I can honestlysay that my foundation year was probablyone of the best years in my designeducation. The tutors were so supportiveand intuitive.

“Originally, I thought I wanted to be agraphic designer but during the firstcouple of months I was guided into the3D aspect of design. I’ve always had apassion for all things creative and comingfrom a creative family I was alwaysinspired and encouraged to get messyand play with everything. Swansea stillplays a huge part in my life and is alwaysan inspirational place when I go home.” Laura is also Creative Director of her owndesign company called Laura Wellington.Details can be found atwww.laurawellington.co.uk

SWANSEA DESIGN GRADUATE HAILED‘BRITAIN’S NEXT BIG THING’

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SWANSEA MET TOP IN WALES FORGRADUATE BUSINESSES

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SWANSEA MET IS UK’S MOSTFINANCIALLY EFFICIENT UNIVERSITYRecent figures published in the ‘HigherEducation Financial Year Book2011/2012’ show that the financialperformance of Swansea MetropolitanUniversity, when averaged over thelast five years, is the best of anyUniversity in the whole of the UnitedKingdom. During this lengthy period,Swansea Met has averaged an

operating surplus of 11.3% of turn-over, well above that of the nextnearest contender – the LondonSchool of Economics (10.5%).

Professor David Warner, Swansea MetVice-Chancellor, said: “We are alwaysbeing exhorted by the politicians to actmore efficiently and effectively and to cut

down our ‘back room’ costs. Well, theproof of the pudding is in these figureswhich show that Wales already has themost efficient university in the UK.

Swansea Met’s performance is not just aone-off, but has evolved over the lastdecade through careful management andthe adoption of clear strategic objectives.”

Swansea Met’s secret to running asuccessful business has seeminglyfiltered through to its students.For the second year in a row figureshave clearly shown that SwanseaMetropolitan University producessignificantly more successful graduatestart-up business than any otherhigher education institution in Wales.

Of these companies, more than a quarter(77) have come from a single source –Swansea Metropolitan University.

Recent figures sourced from the HigherEducation Business and Community

Interaction Survey (HEBCIS) show thatmore than 300 new companies havespun out from Welsh Universities over thelast few years. These companies have allcontinued trading for at least three yearsand therefore can be regarded as strongorganisations.

Professor David Warner, Swansea MetVice-Chancellor, said: “We are absolutelydelighted to once again top thisKnowledge Transfer table. We haveembedded the acquisition ofentrepreneurial skills into the majority ofour programmes and, together with theexcellent encouragement and guidance

provided by our staff, the results speakfor themselves. If these actual figures arere-calculated on a pro-rata basis to thenumber of students at each university,then Swansea Met’s dominance in Walesbecomes even more marked.”

BOOST YOUR CAREER WITH THEINSTITUTE OF LEADERSHIP &MANAGEMENT (ILM) MEMBERSHIPThe Institute of Leadership &Management (ILM) is offeringmembership to all SwanseaMetropolitan University graduates withno joining fee – a saving £50.

Professional recognitionBeing a member of ILM gives you adistinctive edge. You are entitled to usethe prestigious ILM post-nominal letterson your business cards and CV for at-a-glance recognition of yourprofessionalism.

Career supportMembership includes access to thespecialist ILM jobs board which hashundreds of management vacancies forprofessionals – whatever the stage ofyour career. You’ll also gain access to freeCV review service to improve your jobsearch success.

Professional developmentDon’t get left behind, learning new skills isvital to your career. ILM members enjoylocal events, online training opportunitiesand access to the latest business booksand journals.

Join todayVisit www.i-l-m.com/join and completethe online application form quotingILMUNI to get the £50 saving or contactthe Membership Teamt 01543 266 886e [email protected]

IN-TOUCH2011-12-issue12 08/05/2013 09:32 Page 4

A team of four final-year students fromSwansea Metropolitan University havebeaten off stiff competition to win achallenging business contest.

As a part of the four-day SMUDGEEnterprise workshop, Swansea Metstudents were encouraged to create abusiness concept, research its viabilityand pitch their final ideas to a panel ofexperts, including members of the WelshGovernment and the senior managementteam of international musical instrumentdevelopers, Roland.

The students’ final pitch took place at theSwansea Foundation and the eventualwinners were general illustration studentsTom Ward and Rob Smyth from Bristol,Greg Thomas from Neath and RyanO’Dare from Barry. Their business idea

focused on a design studio which wouldoffer creative work from a wide pool ofnewly graduated and talented youngdesigners and illustrators, through aninnovative new business model.

Lucy Griffiths, Swansea Business Schoollecturer, said: “This was a collectiveproject combining a social enterprise anda commercial organisation. Their planimpressed the judges and they aredeservingwinners.”

The SMUDGEEnterpriseworkshop aimedto help students,who wereinterested insetting-up theirown business,develop theirideas into acommercialreality. The eventwas devised by

Swansea Met, with sponsorship from theWelsh Government, and was supportedby the world leader in the design,manufacture and distribution of musicalinstruments, Roland.

The event also included a number ofspeakers such as: Mike Skidmore, abusiness consultant and advisor to theUnited Nations; producer, actor andentrepreneur, Jules Mallory-Skinner;Warren Fauvel, Swansea Met graduateand director of the award-winning designcompany, FauvelKhan.

STUDENT’S WIN METBUSINESS CHALLENGE

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A mother and daughter who graduated from SwanseaMetropolitan University in the summer have made theperfect start to their cake-making business by winning aplethora of national awards at the third National CupcakeChampionships. Virginia Buls and her daughter Jennifer,from St Clears in Carmarthen, graduated from the Met’sFaculty of Art and Design. Virginia successfully completedan MA degree in Fine Art while Jennifer secured an MA inVisual Communication.

During the ceremony, they revealed a plan to use their artistictalents to start a small cake-making business together calledAbsolute Treats, making individualist, artisan cakes. Barely amonth later, Jennifer and Virginia have beaten off competitionfrom some of the UK’s big-chain shops to win the ‘Free FromCupcake of the Year 2011’ and the ‘Best Tasting Cupcake ofthe Year 2011’. They were also crowned the overall ‘NationalCupcake Champions 2011’.

Virginia said: “Things are moving at pace for our business. Weare looking to open our own Tea Rooms in the near future andare just negotiating the finer details of a lease.”

MOTHER AND DAUGHTER GRADUATESBECOME NATIONAL CUPCAKE CHAMPIONS

Budding games designers in Wales willhave an innovative edge thanks to anew Knowledge Transfer Centre basedat Swansea Metropolitan Universityand the University of Glamorgan,developed in partnership with theWelsh Government and the computergames industry.

The recently launched Gameslab Walesproject is run by the University ofGlamorgan’s School of Creative andCultural Industries and the School ofDigital Media at Swansea Met. It willprovide a unique resource to supportopen innovation in the Welsh mediaindustries and address some of theissues raised by the Livingstone HopeReview, which encouraged universities tosupport the development of the gamesindustry in the UK. Gameslab Wales hasbeen established as the result of asuccessful funding application, to theWelsh Government’s Academia forBusiness (A4B) scheme, for £422,555.The project aims to promote knowledgetransfer between the academic centres ofexcellence and the computer gamesindustry sub-sector.

Dr Barry Ip, Head of the School of DigitalMedia at Swansea Met, said: “Gameslabis an original and vibrant project whichhelps to stimulate the production ofcreative, interactive works across Wales.

Up to now, the region has received little inthe way of support and encouragementfor the creation of interactive games: amarket which is and will remain as one ofthe largest entertainment industries in theworld. This project will enable a widerange of creative people – from recentgraduates to industry experts – to workclosely together towards the productionof real, tangible games and interactiveapplications. Initiatives such as this arevital for promoting and retaining digitalmedia talent in Wales.”

Professor Peter Robertson, Dean of theSchool of Creative and Cultural Industriesat the University of Glamorgan, said: “Thissub-sector is a key part of the creativeindustries in the UK but in Wales,proportionally, there are few companiesand approximately only 100 peopleemployed, well below the UK sectoraverage for employment. Recentconsultation with companies hashighlighted there is lack of expertise incomputer games content development.The aim is to stimulate new productdevelopment of games content withinexisting media companies in Wales. Lastyear the computer games marketgenerated £3.31 billion for the UKeconomy, with video games softwaresales accounting for £1.62 billion.”Dr Richard Wilson, CEO of TIGA (thetrade association representing the UK’s

games industry), said: “We are delightedto support Gameslab Wales and thefuture content creation and developmentin Wales. TIGA's vision is to make the UKthe best place in the world to do gamesbusiness, and higher education plays animportant role in making that a reality.”

GamesLab Wales will aim to:• produce digital games prototypes to

demonstrate the commercial potentialto leading games publishers,

• broker relationships between existing companies, academia, and the gamesindustry associations, to promote open innovation; and,

• provide work-based experiential learning opportunities for graduates todevelop the next generation of gamesdevelopers in Wales.

Sam Collins, Commercial Manager of theUK Interactive Entertainment Association,said: “Gameslab Wales is an exciting andambitious project and the UK InteractiveEntertainment Association applauds thework done by the University ofGlamorgan and Swansea MetropolitanUniversity in its establishment. UKIE isleading the implementation of “Next Gen”,the recently published Livingstone Hopereview, and projects such as Gameslabare an integral part of this process.”

UNIVERSITY BOOST FOR WELSHDIGITAL GAMES INDUSTRY


UNIVERSITY STUDENT BRINGSINTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGNER TO UK

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THE VOICE OF TEACHING SUCCESS

A Swansea teacher training graduatehas been recognised by the teachersunion Voice Cymru.

Nicola Densley, twenty-five years old fromCardiff, completed the one year full-timePrimary Postgraduate Certificate inEducation (PGCE) programme at

Swansea Metropolitan University. School of Education Head, ProfessorJohn Parkinson, and PGCE PrimaryProgramme Director, Ceri Osbornepresented Nicola with her Voice award,recognising her exceptional teachingthroughout the year while pursuing herPrimary PGCE at Swansea Met. The prizeis put forward by Voice, the Union forEducation Professionals.

Nicola was nominated for this award byPrimary PGCE staff for her outstandingteaching during her training placements inlocal primary schools.

Nicola said: “I feel shocked and pleasedto win this prize and I am grateful that allmy hard work has been recognised. I’mreally looking forward to the challenge ofhaving my own class and applying all ofthe ideas and skills I’ve learnt while on the

PGCE at Swansea Met.“In addition to the school-based training,the contact with staff here at SwanseaMet has been very important to mysuccess on the course.”

Ceri Osborne said “The award wasthoroughly deserved and the wholePrimary PGCE team is delighted forNicola. All our graduating students thisyear deserve credit and many of themhave found employment.”

Nicola has been successful in securing aone-year contract in Deri View PrimarySchool in Abergavenny. She will beworking with a Year Five class and asmusic coordinator for the whole school.Nicola plays the flute and has aperformance diploma. She is also amember of the Cardiff and ValeSymphony Orchestra.

Jean-Robert Cadet spent time inSwansea and visited Swansea Met tospeak to University staff and students,and local school and college pupils abouthis charity, the Restavek Organisation. Hewas invited to the UK by final-yearperforming arts student Angela Smith,from Swansea, who first heard aboutJean’s story during a BBC interview. Shesubsequently read his first book and wasinspired to invite him to the UK to tell hisstory in person.

Jean visited Swansea Met’s Townhillcampus and was welcomed by theUniversity’s Vice-Chancellor, ProfessorDavid Warner, and Assistant Dean ofHumanities, Dr Richard Knapp. As well asa talk from Jean, students fromBlaenymaes, Gors, Seaview and Trallwnprimary schools and Gower College weretreated to a restavek-inspiredperformance by Swansea Met-basedTheatre Fforwm Cymru.

The restavek system in Haiti is said toequate to child slavery. It describeschildren given by desperate parents tohost families who exploit them for theirlabour in exchange for a place to sleep,

some leftover food and a promise to goto school. These promises are rarely kept.

According to Jean-Robert Cadet’swebsite, ‘many children in restaveksituations are beaten, sexually abusedand isolated. Often they grow up to beilliterate adults who don't value otherpeople's lives because their own liveswere never valued. They are given nothingof value, and they have little or nothing togive back in the context of society’.

Cadet, a former restavek himself, arrivedin the United States in 1970. Today, Jeanis a United States Freedom Hero, UnitedNations working group member andinternational spokesperson on behalf ofsome of the world's most vulnerablechildren living in Haiti.

Jean said: “This is my first time inSwansea and the people are very friendly.I have visited seven primary schools sofar and I was surprised to see so manychildren who are able to recite, by heart,the UN Convention on Rights forChildren. Students are in very goodhands with their teachers andheadmasters are very aware of what is

going on in theirclassrooms. Unlike theUS, students in the UKhave a good sense ofgeography and they areaware of countries suchas Haiti, which engagesthem to touch otherpeople’s lives.

“Many people haveraised money for theorganisation and thiswill be used to createan educationalcurriculum in Haiti,which will be translatedfrom English in toCreole. Haitian teacherswill also be trained toteach equality.”

Angela Smith, who hasset up an organisationcalled Project Piece,said: “The aim of

Project Piece is to connect communitiesin an interconnected world. I was inspiredby Jean’s story and I felt in a positionwhere I could do something. I emailedhim and we built up a relationship whichhas resulted in his visit to the UK.”

Professor David Warner said: “It is apleasure and a privilege to welcome Jeanto Swansea Met. Sometimes we do notappreciate how much of a nice life wehave in this part of the world. Jeanhighlights some of the evils of the world,which are hard to believe, and urges us todo something about it.”

During his time in the UK, Jean will speakto Oxford University students, will visittwenty-three schools in Swansea and willattend special events in the BrangwynHall, the National Waterfront Museum andthe Wales Millennium Centre as part ofBlack History month. Jean has written two books about therestavek system, ‘Restavec’ and ‘MyStone of Hope’. More information can befound at www.jeanrcadet.org

Two Swansea Metropolitan Universitystudents have won top awards at theWelsh Artist of the Year 2011competition.

The Welsh Artist of the Year competitionwas founded during the millennium yearto acknowledge the wealth of artisticability in Wales. The competition is now inits eleventh year and is organised by StDavid’s Hall, in Cardiff. It showcasessome of the most innovative and talentedWelsh-born artists working throughoutthe UK, and artists currently working orliving in Wales.

During a ceremony hosted bybroadcaster Nicola Haywood-Thomas, itwas announced that Swansea Met PhDstudent and part-time lecturer EvaBartussek, originally from Augsburg inGermany, secured the photography prize.Her entry ‘Welsh Dresser’, beat offcompetition from 400 other artists to win.

Eva moved to Swansea to study apractice-based PhD on the role ofpatience in portrait photography atSwansea Met. She also teachesphotography at the University’sphotojournalism department.Eva said: “It’s the first time I have enteredin this competition. I am very happy toreceive the award and find it veryencouraging; it makes me want tocontinue with my portrait work andcomplete my next project The Minuteswhich is about St. Non’s Chapel and holywell, near St. David’s.”

Masters degree architectural glassstudent Rhian Haf Jones, fromGwythevin, Abergele, picked up the beststudent award for her glass sculptureentitled ‘Glass, Light and Space’.Exploring the theme of the house andrelating to the space, Rhian’s work uses a

variety of glass techniques andapproaches to create an exploration ofglass, light and space which provides theviewer with a unique experience. Rhiansaid: “I am delighted to have won anaward, and being a part of the exhibitionwill also expose my work to a wideraudience.”

TWO MET STUDENTS WINWELSH ARTIST OF THE YEARAWARDS

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A Swansea Metropolitan University student has brought an internationalcampaigner to the UK to raise awareness of the issue of child slavery in Haiti.

pict

ured

- Ev

a Ba

rtus

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pictured - Rhian Haf Jones


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Twenty-four hours after theirgraduation ceremony, two SwanseaMetropolitan University tourismgraduates started a high-profilegraduate trainee managementprogramme at one of Ireland’s leadingfive-star hotels. International traveland tourism management graduateRebecca Morse, twenty-one years oldfrom Swansea, and leisuremanagement graduate GemmaWalters, twenty years old from Neath.

Following the successful completion oftheir courses, Rebecca and Gemma hadbeen chosen to undertake the graduateprogramme run by the five-star SolisLough Eske Castle Hotel in Donegal, inthe north-west of Ireland. The hotel onlyoffered three graduate trainee managerplacements, two of which have gone tothe Swansea Met graduates.

Lough Eske Castle has a rich historydating back to the 1400's and it isassociated with the O'Donnells, thefounding fathers of Donegal. It is the onlyIrish hotel to claim a World Luxury HotelAward and has won the Luxury CountryHotel title two years in a row.

Lough Eske Castle has also been namednumber one hotel in Ireland byMyGuideIreland; voted Wedding Venue of

the Year and Castle Venue of the Year byIreland's largest wedding website:Weddingsonline.com; and it has beenrecognised among the World's BestCastle Hotels by global travel expertStephanie Abrams.

Rebecca said: “We are absolutely thrilledabout the jobs, our interviews went reallywell. We’ll do six months in different

departments of the business which willgive us a good experience. As well as theLough Eske Castle, the business hashotels in seventeen different countries.Gemma said: “If it wasn’t for the leisureand tourism courses at Swansea Met wewouldn’t have had the opportunity toundertake these high-profile placements.”

FIVE-STAR EMPLOYMENTFOR MET TOURISM GRADUATES

BA Marketing graduate (2006), Robert Gibson, is a high flier in the JDWetherspoon’s Group. He currently manages ‘The Green Ginger - Lloyds no 1’ inthe centre of Torquay, which is one of the group’s flagship bar/restaurants.

Rob has recently been appointed chairman of the Torquay Business ImprovementDistrict (BID) steering group to help the Devon town gain national recognition for safety.Rob was chosen for the role by fellow traders.

Proving that being at SMU is a family affair Robert’s Dad, Andrew is a lecturer in theFaculty of Applied Design and Engineering and Mum, Caryn is Secretary of theBusiness School.

FACULTY AWARDSFOR DESERVING MET STUDENTS

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Graduation is a special time for every student whodons a cap and gown but for four hardworking anddedicated Swansea Metropolitan University studentsthe day was an extra special occasion.

Every year Ede and Ravenscroft, the oldest firm of tailorsin the world and suppliers of Swansea Met’s graduationattire, donate a sum of money to be presented to onestudent from each of the University’s four Faculties. Thestudents are chosen for their dedication anddetermination whilst studying their respected courses,sometimes through adversity.

This year the winning students are Tamara Dellutri fromthe Faculty of Art and Design, Tim Bashford from theFaculty of Applied Design and Engineering, David Williamsfrom the Faculty of Humanities and Cheng Qui from theFaculty of Business and Management.

Tamara Dellutri, thirty-four years old from Swansea,graduated with a degree in general illustration. She wasnominated for the award by the Faculty of Art and Designfor achieving the highest ever dissertation mark.

Tamara said: “I’m very happy to win this prize. Thelecturers were incredibly generous with me. Theyallowed me to experiment and gave me a lot offreedom to work on my own but at the same timegave me a lot of support. It has been a fantasticexperience.”

Tim Bashford, twenty-three years old from Swansea,graduated with a degree in software engineering. He wasnominated by the Faculty of Applied Design andEngineering for showing the most potential for furtherstudy following his degree.

Tim said: “I am hoping to continue at the University untilI’ve completed a PhD studentship, which will supportSwansea Met’s research work, and then I’ll be looking tomove into industry.”

PGCE graduate David Williams, twenty-three years oldfrom Rhondda Cynon Taf, was nominated for achievinghis qualification through adversity while business andfinance graduate Cheng Qui, twenty-two years old fromChina, picked up the award for achieving educationalexcellence and a first-class honours degree.

GRADUATE HIGH FLIER ATJ D WETHERSPOONS

PART-TIME STUDY COULD BE THE KEY TO YOUR FUTURESwansea Metropolitan University is one of the largest providers of part-time higher education in South West Wales. We offerdozens of vocational courses that are designed to better your job or career prospects. Our courses are built around you, andyour busy work and home commitments, so that you can choose to study at your own pace.

Phone free on 0800 731 0884 or email [email protected] or visit www.smu.ac.uk


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Video, technical theatre andperforming arts students fromSwansea spent time working on theproduction of the Michael Sheen-inspired Port Talbot Passion project.

The eagerly anticipated modern-daypassion play, starring Baglan actor andSwansea Met Honorary Fellow MichaelSheen, took place at thirteen locationsacross Port Talbot. As well as being a liveproduction, cult filmmaker Dave McKeandirected the filming of the performance forWelsh production company Rondo. Theevent drew thousands of people to thetown and attracted worldwide attention.

Eleven students andone member ofstaff from

Swansea Met’s technical theatre courseformed part of the crew, offering a rareopportunity for the students to becomeinvolved in a large-scale production.

Jonathan Morgan, technical theatrelecturer at Swansea Met, said: “Duringthe twenty-three years I’ve been workingin the industry I have never had theopportunity of working on a show of this

scale.

The students have been able tomake a large number of professionalcontacts within the industry as aresult of the hard work they have putin. Hopefully this will lead to morework for them in future.”

Swansea Met video students workedwith one of several camera crewsshooting the events of The Passionas they unfolded. They were workingin conjunction with Swansea Met’sEuropean-funded project, MovingImage Wales, which exists to supportthe development of new projects byWelsh media companies.

Students also gained hands-onexperience of Swansea Met’scutting-edge RED digital film camera,which is four times more powerfulthan High Definition. In addition to

the contribution of the technical theatreand video students, Swansea Metperforming arts students also contributedto The Passion project.

Kayleigh Hammond, a final-yearperforming arts student, said: “When weheard that Michael Sheen was involvedwith The Passion, we were really excited.It gave the whole project credibility andcreated a real buzz amongst the youngpeople involved. We all worked hard onthe show and were delighted to share itwith the local community.”

MET STUDENTS ENJOYPASSION PLAY EXPERIENCE

Twenty-one year old performing artsstudent Darren Evans, originally fromTredegar, received a call from his agent tosay that the producers of popularprogramme Being Human wereimpressed with his performances. BeingHuman is a series about threehousemates who happen to be awerewolf, vampire and a ghost, and theirquest to come to terms with who theyare.

Earlier this year Darren played the mainsupporting role of ‘Chips’ in the filmSubmarine, which was made in andaround Swansea and was ExecutiveProduced by Hollywood star, Ben Stiller. Itis the debut feature film from RichardAyoade (The Mighty Boosh, IT Crowd)and based on the novel by Swansea’sJoe Dunthorne. The film was recentlydescribed by The Telegraph as ‘The mostrefreshing, urgent and original debut theBritish Industry has seen in years’.

Darren’s part in Being Human is his latestappearance in an expanding list of TVand film opportunities that have come hisway. He began his fledgling career fiveyears ago, as a sixteen year-old, when hetook part in a community theatre projectsponsored by the local police, before

appearing in a touring production ofFrank Vickery’s Ten O’clock from theHouse.

Darren decided to concentrate onfurthering his career by gainingqualifications and skills that would givehim the best possible chance of successin the future. Enrolling on the performingarts degree course at Swansea Met hasbroadened his outlook on performing,focusing on both acting and directing.He said: “I wanted to concentrate onmaking sure I got some qualifications andskills that would set me up for the future,not just a narrow training that wouldprepare me for acting only.

Darren is also preparing for the release ofa film called Hunky Dory. He takes amajor role in the high school 1970scomedy, which also stars Minnie Driver.

SWANSEA GRADUATE SECURESPART IN TOP BBC THREE SHOW

SWANSEA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY LONDONTHEATRE CLUBThe Swansea MetropolitanUniversity Theatre Club is aspecial service to help booktickets to London theatre - andsave money.

Westendtheatre.com is one of theUK's premiere websites forbooking London theatre ticketsand has large allocations of ticketsto premium shows, and discountsand special offers to a wealth ofWest End musicals and plays.

Westendtheatre.com has set up aspecial Theatre Club for SwanseaMetropolitan University Alumni -www.westendtheatre.com/smu -that brings together their latestoffers and discounts on West Endshows, plus special theatre anddinner packages and hotel andtheatre breaks.

For more information and to bookplease visit the SwanseaMetropolitan University TheatreClub atwww.westendtheatre.com/smu

Swansea Met graduate, who hit the big screen early this year in the acclaimedWelsh-based film Submarine, has secured a part in the popular BBC Threeseries Being Human.


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One of Swansea’s much-loved seats oflearning is set to be transformed into aworld-leading centre of designexcellence.

Swansea Council’s Cabinet has agreed tosell the historic former Central Library, onAlexandra Road, to SwanseaMetropolitan University so it can berevamped into an international Institute ofSustainable Design.

Swansea Met plan to invest nearly £8million into the project which will involvethe refurbishment and repair of theoriginal building and its architecturalfeatures, as well as the creation of extraspace and an exhibition area.

Swansea Met’s plans would see aninternational centre for research anddesign focusing on automotive design,sustainable product design and anarchitectural glass centre.

Cllr Gareth Sullivan, Swansea Council'sCabinet Member for Regeneration andPlanning, said: "We are absolutely

delighted that these exciting plans totransform the former Central Library intosuch an important educational facilityhave taken this important step forward.

“Swansea Metropolitan University’splanned development of the formerCentral Library, with its rich heritage as aseat of learning, is in line with theaspirations for this area of the cityoutlined in the City Centre StrategicFramework.“Professor David Warner,Swansea Met Vice-Chancellor, said: “A primeexample of Victorianarchitecture, the formerCentral Library building is agrade two listed propertyand conservation of itsappearance is key to anydevelopment works. TheUniversity’s intention is toreturn the building to itsoriginal intent in a moderncontext, creating a newand updated seat oflearning. We will retain the

grandeur of the building's original facadeand dome, ensuring any new additionscomplement the original design.

“From the day it first opened in 1887 thebuilding has served as a beacon ofeducational enlightenment for the peopleof Swansea. This exciting developmentwill ensure that the University maintainsthis great tradition of providing first classeducation in the heart of the city.”

NEW SUSTAINABLE DESIGN CENTRESET FOR HISTORIC CITY LANDMARKSwansea Metropolitan University has acquired a 65,000ft2 office building in Swansea city centre, which is thelargest Swansea transaction since Admiral Insuranceacquired their 70,000 ft2 SA1 headquarters in 2006.Brokered by King Sturge, the University has bought thefreehold interest of Ty Bryn Glas from Land Registry for£3M.

Rhydian Morris, Partner of King Sturge, said: “This is notonly the largest office transaction in Swansea for some timebut an excellent opportunity to trigger the neededregeneration in this area of the city. The occupation of thishigh profile office building will provide immediate increasedpedestrian flow, which will have a positive impact on localservices and hopefully encourage further investment anddevelopment.”

Dr Brian Lewis, Director of Finance and Resources atSwansea Met, said: “The University is recognised as one ofthe most financially secure UK institutions and this has givenus the resources to acquire Ty Bryn Glas to accommodateour continuing expansion.” Professor David Warner,Swansea Met Vice-Chancellor, said: “Firstly, the building willbe used for the temporary transfer of some courses so thatwe can redevelop and refurbish our Alexandra Roadcampus. Then, we will create a new business and innovationcentre based upon the transfer of staff, students andprogrammes from our Swansea Business School. The newbuilding will give us room for expansion, particularly on theinternational dimension, and will help to create even moresuccessful graduate start-up business.

“University’s are swimming against a tide of adversity andthis is a very exciting acquisition showing the determinationof Swansea Met to move forward, even in difficultconditions.”

SWANSEA METROPOLITANUNIVERSITY EXPANSION

An academic from one of the world’smost prestigious school’s ofarchitectural glass is calling on theWelsh public to help him record the

stained glass of Wales.In recent years muchhas been done tophotograph and recordthese importantexpressions of Welshheritage before many arelost. However, oneaspect that has beenlargely missed orignored is the use madein nonconformistchapels and churches ofleaded, stained orarchitectural glass.

Alun Adams works withinthe Welsh School of

Architectural Glass at SwanseaMetropolitan University. As a part of hisresearch, Alun is hoping that the Welshpublic will help him to locate examples of

Welsh-based ‘nonconformist’ glasswhich, as of yet, has not been recorded. Alun said: “'Chapels are a distinguishingfeature of the Welsh landscape; theirpresence is a testament to our Christianheritage and witness. If action is nottaken now then much information will belost. Photographs, designs, descriptionsof themes and inscriptions, context (e.g.memorials to individuals or events),details of designers, makers, studios anddonors and the views of individuals of theimportance or otherwise of such artisticexpressions can be sent to Alun Adams,Architectural Glass Centre, SwanseaMetropolitan University, Alexandra Road,Swansea SA1 5DU or emailed [email protected] If any alumni have designed and/or madewindows or panels for chapels in Wales,Alun would like to hear from you.

PLEA TO HELP RECORDWELSH GLASS HERITAGE


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Swansea Metropolitan University’sFormula Student Team have yet againproved themselves to be one of thebest motorsport teams in the world,having confirmed themselves as bestin Wales, top two in the UK and topeleven in the world, after the 2011Formula Student competition atSilverstone.

Formula Student, the biggest studentmotorsport competition in the world,promotes careers and excellence in

engineering, bychallengingstudents todesign, build,develop, marketand compete as ateam with a smallsingle seaterracing car. Itblends academicwork and learningwith thedevelopment ofpracticalengineering skills.

This year’sinternationalcompetition saw

approximately 134 university teams from36 countries converge onto the famoushome of British motorsport, Silverstone.Each competition car was rigorouslytested in areas such as endurance, speedand business viability.

It is the fourth year in a row that SwanseaMet has finished in or around the world’stop ten, as the first and only WelshUniversity to be seeded. Swansea Metalso maintained its long-standing positionas the top Welsh team and, for the fourth

year in a row, secured its place as one ofthe top UK teams. In addition, in thebusiness category of the competition theywere the best in the world, in theacceleration category the team were bestin the UK and sixth in the world, and inthe cost report category they were alsosixth in the world.

Motorsport engineering and designstudent and team leader, DavidMcGowan said: “We are really pleasedwith the result. It’s fantastic that we, asundergraduates from Swansea Met with arelatively small budget and small team,can compete with large budget, bigteams from across the world. Thededicated team members, who put inhuge hours of work, can be proud of thisrespectable position.

The team said “we are all grateful for thegenerosity of our sponsors. There havebeen many individual companies whohave helped us this year and we hopethey enjoy this success.”

The event is the biggest of its kind in theworld and is sponsored by big names inthe automotive field such as Shell,National Instruments and the IET.

SWANSEA MET STUDENT TEAM FLIESFLAG FOR WELSH MOTORSPORT

Also enjoying successwere the University’s Formula 4race team, in action on home soil at thenational 750 Motor Club Formula 4 Championship atCarmarthenshire’s Pembrey Circuit.

A team of eighteen Swansea Met motorsport students competed in the Championship with the University’s Formula Renault Tatuuscar and are currently in the top third of the championship leader board. The team are supported by major companies Ixell, Ixtar,Renault Accident Support Line and Renault Insurance.

On display at the Race Meeting were Swansea Met’s VW Lupo rally car, a locally built MCR race car, and a number of motorbikeprojects from the Met’s unique motorcycle engineering courses.

A Swansea Metropolitan Universitygraduate has helped two Neath PortTalbot Council services gainprofessional Chartered BuildingConsultancy status by the CharteredInstitute of Building (CIOB).

Mike Howard, from Neath, led theCouncil’s Housing Renewal andAdaptation Service (HRAS) and theprivate trading company, Property BayWales (PBW), to the prestigiouscommendation. Chartered BuildingConsultancy status identifies thosebusinesses that are respected andresponsible, managed by professionallyqualified and well-trained staff, and thatoffer an expert and economic service.Membership of the scheme requires thehighest qualifications and training criteriafor all employees engaged in any aspectof project and construction management,ensuring a professional approach at everylevel in the organisation.

Mike, who works as a Business Managerfor the HRAS, studied a series ofqualifications at Swansea Met, whichinclude a HNC in building studies, adegree in project and constructionmanagement and a postgraduatecertificate in facilities management, allfrom the University’s School of the Builtand Natural Environment. The HRASprovides in-house technical propertyservices and is involved with regenerationprojects for the private and public sector.They carry out adaptation, renovation,repair and maintenance of properties aswell as surveying and projectmanagement.

In the past six years the HRAS and PBWhave successfully delivered a £50mproject turnover. Mike said: “Being aformer student of the University I feel thatthe skills and experience I gained therehave assisted me both in my career to-date and specifically with the successfulacquisition of the Chartered Building

Consultancy status. I have receivedprofessional status recognition with theindustry’s prominent institutions, such asFellowship of the CIOB, the Associationof Building Engineers and Institute ofCarpenters.”

Mike still works closely with the University,helping the Swansea Business Schoolorganise its series of CharteredManagement Institute lectures. He said:“The University has also assisted me withbuilding links and networking through theactivity I undertake with the BusinessSchool and the Swansea Branchcommittee of the Chartered ManagementInstitute, of which I am a Member.”

GRADUATE HELPS COUNCIL ACHIEVECHARTERED CONSULTANCY STATUS

MET DISPLAYS MOTORSPORTVEHICLES AT NATIONALRACE MEETING


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The Welsh Government is to fund aSwansea Metropolitan Universityperformance project that encouragesstudents and recent graduates to beentrepreneurial and to consider howtheir skills can be appliedcommercially.

Project Sense will see students andgraduates from a wide variety ofdisciplines across Swansea Met joiningtogether to form a pan-University theatrecompany for the duration of the project.This extracurricular project will be run asa professional company with participantscollaborating and making all thedecisions. Swansea Met has a strongbackground in supporting businessstart-ups and all the students involved inthe project will be offered advice to helpthem if they choose to start-up their ownbusiness or become a self-employedpractitioner.

The project is the brainchild of LucyBeddall, Community EngagementCoordinator at Swansea Met. She said:“There is a real need for a project thatnot only allows the students theexperience of becoming practitioners intheir chosen field, but also to exposethem to the financial and businessimplications of their profession. ProjectSense aims to link upstudents from differentdisciplines to worktogether and pool theirknowledge. This willgive the students anew way ofthinking aboutthe applicationof their skillsand enablethem tothink

differently about their future careerpaths.”

The project will be supported by a seriesof workshops by professional companiesand practitioners. Traditionally,experiential learning involves a studentbeing offered a work placement within aparticular industry. The student can oftenbe engulfed by experiencedprofessionals and have little opportunityto make any decisions or have a say inhow the company is run. This project willsee the company being independent andmaking all the creative and businessdecisions themselves. The students andgraduates are being drawn from a rangeof subjects including Business,Marketing, Video, Music Technology,Animation, Art and Design, TechnicalTheatre and Performing Arts. It will bethe first time that so many subjects havecollaborated on a project.

Business lecturer Lucy Griffiths said:“The Swansea Business School atSwansea Met is fully supporting theproject. As the School’s AcademicChampion for Enterprise, I believe this isa fantastic opportunity for our studentsto collaborate with their peers on a liveproject that will not only benefit the widercommunity, but will help them hone their

business skillsand developtheir

entrepreneurial capabilities to contributeto the local and national economies.”

Project Sense will culminate in amultisensory, multimedia performance inearly January and promises to be unlikeanything seen in Swansea before. WalesMillennium Centre (WMC), whichpromotes young, emerging artists, issupporting the project by offeringworkshops and advice to Project Sense.

Sarah Roberts, WMC Learning andParticipation Manager, said: “As Wales’national centre for the performing artswe are delighted to be involved in ProjectSense and to be able to support theparticipants’ professional development ina practical way. Staff across variousdepartments at the Centre will beinvolved, offering guidance and supportwhere needed.”

Lucy Beddall said: “I am so excitedabout Project Sense. I am also a recentgraduate and it’s daunting to start up abusiness or consider becoming apractitioner. This will give the participantsthe opportunity to gain real-lifeexperience, skill-share and takeownership of the process of creating aunique show. The results will bedisseminated across Swansea Met as anexample of good practice in encouragingentrepreneurial thinking and collaborationamongst students.”

Kathryn Penaluna, Swansea Met’sEnterprise Manager, said: “Projects likethis initiative are critical and that’s whythey are at the forefront of SwanseaMet’s strategies.

GOVERNMENT FUNDING FORPROJECTWITH BUSINESS SENSE

SOUTH WALES BUSINESSREVIEW LAUNCH

We would like to say a huge thank youto our graduates for taking part in ourcontinuing fundraising initiative and fortheir very generous gifts – the moneyraised to date went towards ourStudent Hardship Fund for which thestudents are eternally grateful.

I know that many of you have very fondmemories of your time as a student hereat Swansea Met. We all want tosafeguard this special environment for ourstudents and help where we can, and forthis reason I am asking you, on behalf ofSwansea Met, if you would like to make agift today.

I hope you will consider playing an activepart by making a gift of whatever you canafford. With your help we can invest inour students, allowing them to thrive andachieve their full potential. Your gift couldsupport students across the spectrum ofthe University.

Hoffwn ddiolch yn enfawr i chi eingraddedigion am gymryd rhan yn einmenter codi arian parhaus ac am yrhoddion hael iawn - aeth yr arian agodwyd hyd yma tuag at ein CronfaCaledi i Fyfyrwyr y mae’r myfyrwyr ynddiolchgar tu hwnt amdano.

Rwy’n gwybod bod gan lawer ohonochchi atgofion hapus iawn am eich amseryma ym Met Abertawe. Rydym i gyd yndymuno diogelu’r amgylchedd arbennighwn i’n myfyrwyr a helpu lle bynnag ygallwn ni, ac am y rheswm hwn, rwy’ngofyn i chi ar ran met Abertawe, a hoffechchi wneud rhodd heddiw.

Rwy’n gobeithio y byddwch chi’n ystyriedchwarae rhan weithredol trwy roi rhodd ofaint bynnag y gallwch chi ei fforddio.Gyda’ch help chi, gallwn fuddsoddi yn einmyfyrwyr, gan eu galluogi i ffynnu achyrraedd eu potensial llawn.

Thank You!Diolch!

Julie ReedAlumni OfficerSwyddog Alumni

The Swansea Business School,based at Swansea MetropolitanUniversity, launched a newbusiness publication for SouthWales.

The South Wales Business Review isa free subscription-based quarterlypublication with news, views andupdates on the issues facingbusinesses in South Wales. Itfeatures articles from academic staff,students and businesspeople. It wasofficiallylaunched on2nd Novemberat Swansea Met’sMount Pleasantcampus with anumber ofprominent businesspeople inattendance. Thelaunch also included atalk by the Swansea-born former RegionalDirector of Rolls-RoyceSouth East Asia, TimJones.

The first issue includes an interviewwith Tim Jones along with an articleby the University’s Dean of Businessand Management, Leigh Jenkins,who explores the links betweentheory and practice in the context ofmarketing. He offers a provocativeview of marketing academia’spreoccupation with novel ideas andtheories.

Head of the Centrefor Professional andPost GraduateStudies at SwanseaBusiness School,Dr MargaretInman, gives abrief overview ofleadershiptheory throughthe ages andgives a senseof how it hasshaped theway wethinkabout

organisations by transforming theway we think about those who leadthem.

In addition, Swansea BusinessSchool’s Head of the Centre forInternational Development, SteveGriffiths, presents a personal view ofthe benefits of ‘fuzzy’ thinking in hisarticle ‘In Praise of Myopia inApplying Business and ManagementTheory’.

The publication’s editor, SwanseaBusiness School lecturer LucyGriffiths, said: “The first issue isdesigned to set the scene for what isto come from the South WalesBusiness Review by taking a closerlook at the link between businesstheory and business practice.”

People can receive a copy of SouthWales Business Review by visitingwww.smu.ac.uk/swbr or by [email protected] next edition, due out in February2012, will be a special issue on theeconomic future for Wales.


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WHERE ARE YOU NOW ALUMNI NEWSRebecca Griffiths PGCE 1995-1996

“Following completion of my PGCE Upper Primary inHendrefoilan in 1996 just to update that I now have justcompleted my first year as Head Teacher of DunvantPrimary School in Swansea. Following the PGCE taughtin Penclawdd, Hafod and was Deputy Head in PortmeadPrimary Swansea.

I love my job and enjoy the challenge of leading one of thelargest Primaries in the County.

I also got my M Ed with Dr Sue Lyle. Keeping Educationin the family as my Dad, Mr Bruce Denley Jones is SeniorScience Lecturer in SMU for Secondary PCGE Biology.

A pleasure to work with SMU, we even have your PGCEstudents for observation and Practice”.

Lorraine Hawkins(nee Cash)

Wrote “it is almost 25 yearssince I attended West GlamorganInstitute of Higher Education, now Swansea Metropolitan,and I was reminiscing with my husband on how weenjoyed our time in Swansea.

I studied Business studies and since have had asuccessful career at Sony UK as Senior Buying ManagerHome Entertainment. I am still friends with many of mycourse colleagues and they also have successful careers,one of which is my husband who is a Director of Finance”.

Lucy Read a Fine Art graduate fromSwansea Metropolitan University tookpart in a 10 week GO Wales WorkPlacement this summer with LocwsInternational; an artist led organisationworking on visual arts projects forpublic and accessible places acrossthe city of Swansea. During the projectLucy provided support for the ‘ArtAcross the City’ event which ran forfour weeks; Locws invited fiveworldwide artists to Swansea to createartwork that related toSwansea’s history, cultureor landscape.

During the project Lucycoordinated and providedsupport for the studentvolunteers whilst they wereinvigilating and helping to setup the show. Lucycommented “throughout thistime I was able to gain firsthand feedback from thepublic about the project anduse this information to createa report. I also carried outguided tours for the publicthree times a week.”“I really enjoyed theexperience it was great to be

able to work in a creative environmentand the placement enhanced myconfidence. I would recommend the GOWales Work Placement scheme to othersas it gives you the opportunity to eitherwork in a field where jobs are limited orjust gain some experience in the workplace, this may help you decide if you areon the right career path.”

The GO Wales team basedat SMU

offer a range of employment and workexperience opportunities to helpgraduates begin their career in Wales. Formore information on the services GOWales offers please visitwww.gowales.co.uk or contact the SMUGO Wales team on 01792 481109.

Damian Jenkins is nowFood and BeverageDirector with MarriotRennaisance in PalmSprings California andmarried to another of ourstudents Donna Bray whowas Guest ServiceManager with Ritz Carltonin Doha but is now full timemum to their 2 childrenGavyn and Iestyn.

Belinda Edwards (nowOstler) is now Assistant tothe General Manager ofJerome Hotel in AspenColorado and is married toan American and they havea baby boy.

Christian Davis is SpaDirector of the Ritz CarltonWestchester New York.

Iwan Rees is EventsManager at a new hotel inDubai.

Mark Gallagher is GeneralManager of the BluebellHotel in Neath.

Louise Hatch returned tothe UK after working inHuman Resources withRitz Carlton in Colorado,Cayman Islands andBoston and transferred toMarriott where she is now aHuman ResourcesManager.

Marleen Foulouis is nowworking on the graduateprogram at Solis LoughEske Castle in Irelandwhere she is running theevents program and joinedby last summers gradsBecky Morse and GemmaWalters.

Robert Jones andShuetling Tsang are bothworking on the opening ofWest Paces Hotel groupsfirst UK hotel the RaithwaiteHall in Yorkshire.

Danna Morgan is nowFront Desk Manager at StBrides Spa Hotel inPembrokeshire – Harriet

Rees was working therewith her but is now workingin the Gallery at St Davids.Aimee Pearcey spent awinter working at theCapella In Telluride but isnow back in the UK.

Nella Bause has alsocompleted a year workingin a Kessler Hotel in USAand is now back inGermany.

Eleri Williams is workingas a 5x60 officer withSchools in Pembrokeshireand coaching girls cricket.

GO WALES WORK PLACEMENT WITHLOCWS INTERNATIONAL

If you have lost touch with an old friendfrom the University we may be able tohelp reunite you. We will try our best toput you in touch with other graduateswith whom you have lost contact. Justforward your request to the AlumniOffice with as many details as possible(eg name, (maiden name if appropriate)subject studied, graduation year)

Alternatively you can email us with yourmessage asking for it to be forwarded.If we do not have a current contactaddress we will let you know.

All information held is in accordancewith the Data Protection Act 1998 andtherefore personal information cannotbe released without consent.

Letter Box ServiceDID YOU COMPLETE ACOURSE AT SMU IN 2011? ANNUAL DESTINATION OF LEAVERSSURVEY (DLHE)

The Destination Survey is undertaken by the SwanseaMetropolitan University Careers Service on behalf of theHigher Education Statistical Agency (HESA).

Every year leavers from UK higher education institutions arecontacted to find out what they are doing six months aftergraduation, whether they are in employment, continuingtheir education etc.

We would be really grateful if you would complete yourquestionnaire and return it as soon as possible to us in thepre – paid envelope provided by the Careers Service

AN UPDATE FROM LECTURER JACQUI JONES ONTHE SUCCESSES AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF JUSTSOME OF THE GRADUATES OF THE SCHOOL OFLEISURE AND TOURISM


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Following the success of the DummyClub 40th anniversary reunion in March2010, Derek Williams, who wasCaptain of the Rugby Society in 1971,decided that he would like to organisea reunion for the 40th anniversary ofthe Rugby Society, in Swansea, in2011.

Derek asked John Davies (who had madea small contribution towards the DummyClub reunion organised by MalcolmEvans and Arfon Hughes) to assist him.Prior to the Dummy Club reunion, Derekand John hadn’t seen each other for 40years. They had known each other since1966, prior to entering Swansea Collegeof Education together (and on the samecourse) in 1968 and even shared thesame accommodation for most of the 3-year course.

Tragically, with preparations for the RugbySociety Reunion in full swing, only a fewdays after his 65th birthday in November2010, Derek was suddenly taken ill anddied within hours of arriving in hospital. Itwas a huge shock to his family andfriends, many of whom had only recently(in March) become reacquainted with him.Although relatively small of stature, butsturdily built, Derek was a huge

‘character’ and those who methim would not easily forget him.He was a talented rugby player(mainly at fly-half) and playedmany times at ‘first class club’level eg Swansea and Bath.

Following Derek’s funeral(which was attended bymost of the Dummy Club)and after dueconsideration andconsultation, it wasdecided to go aheadwith the Rugby SocietyReunion – it would have surelybeen what Derek would havewanted. John Davies, with Geoff

Evans (1971 Rugby Society Treasurer)assisting, carried on with the preparationsfor the event which ultimately, 43 peoplemanaged to attend. Live entertainmentwas provided by Derek’s daughter Kerry(stagename Kerry Clare) who sangbeautifully throughout the evening. Therewas one other soloist – Rhydwyn Ifan(‘Mock’ as he was known in College) –who was persuaded to sing ‘Old Shep’,an Elvis number which he always sangwith great passion in college – and he didnot let us down on the night. Speecheswere made by a number of people,including Geoff Evans, Tim Morgan andJohn Davies but probably the funniestand certainly the most poetic was thatmade by Mel Morgans.

It has beengenerallyagreed thatthe eventwas a bigsuccess.What of thefuture? Byconsensus ithas beendecided to‘merge’ thetwo concepts

of ‘Dummy Club’ and ‘Rugby Society’into a single bi-annual reunion which

will be referred to simplyas the SwanseaCollege Reunion(1967-1972), towhich everyone(from that era)would be welcometo attend. The nextreunion will thereforetake place on 3 March2012 at the MarriottHotel, Swansea, withmost people stayingovernight. As at October2011 approximately 60

people have indicated their intention toattend the event, which means that itpromises to be even better than theprevious reunions. The organisers of theevent are:- Arfon Hughes, Malcolm Evansand John Davies.

If anyone from the 1967-1972 era isinterested in joining us on 3 March, thenplease contact John Davies on07825670881 or [email protected]

SWANSEA COLLEGE OF EDUCATIONRUGBY SOCIETY40TH ANNIVERSARYREUNION DINNER-DANCERAMADA JARVIS HOTEL SWANSEASATURDAY 9TH APRIL 2011

At the recent 1971 Rugby Society reunion thoughts turned to the bands that had appearedat the Townhill Campus. Everyone there assembled their thinking caps and came up withthe following very impressive list of bands that played on the Townhill campus. Theyrecalled a Freshers dance in the late 60’s where a then little known band played calledthe Bee Gees. Just some of the other bands that came to mind were Deep Purple,Manfred Mann, Genesis, Small Faces, Supertramp, Hollies, Amen Corner, Love Sculpture,Chicken Shack (Lead vocalist Christine Perfect (McVie)), Easybeats and Simon Dupreeand the Big Sound.

Thanks to Geoff Evans – (graduate of the College of Education 1969-71) for sending thelist.

REUNIONThe Alumni Office is happy to helpwith arrangements for Reunions.We can assist with the mailings ofany lost contacts, help with thevenue, catering etc. Out of termovernight accommodation can alsobe arranged at discount prices.

If you are planning a Reunion get intouch and we will give you all thesupport we can. We hope that allSwansea Metropolitan Universitygraduates will remain interested andinvolved in the long termdevelopment of the University.

We welcome members’ suggestionsfor new services and activities. Wewould also like to hear from youwith your news, achievements andreminiscences. If you have a ‘goodstory’ to tell please let us know.

MEMORABILIASwansea Metropolitan UniversityMemorabilia can be purchased via theEde and Ravenscroft Website

www.edeandravenscroft.co.uk

A call to all Alumni please update yourcontact details/ email address byemailing the Alumni Office at:[email protected]


Registered Charity Number / Rhif Elusen Gofrestredig 1139800

www.smu.ac.uk

As a member of the alumni organisationyou will be able to use the following facilities and servicesfree of charge:

Use the University Libraries for reference purposes.

Use the Townhill Fitness Centre – so long as we have space!

Have continuing Careers counselling, find out about job opportunities throughout Wales and the rest of the UK, and use the Careers ICT Service.

Get the latest information about University Bursaries Scholarships

Use our student accommodation, when available at low,low rates.

Use the University’s conference, catering and other facilities for your events at reduced rates.

Gain the latest information about business incentives in South West Wales

Intellectual Property Rights Advisory Service

CONTACT:Julie Reed, Alumni Officer, SWANSEA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITYTel/Fax: 01792 481217E-mail: [email protected]

New for 2011/12Keep physically activetry Circuits or Z umbaImprove your coretry Stability Ball or PilatesShape uptry Fat Burning or Ab AttackLearn self defencetry Wing ChunNeed to relaxtry Qi Gong

visit www.smu.ac.uk/life

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