AWARD NIGHTS SHOW OFF SURREY'S TALENT - University of ...

Features Editor: Nicole Vassell | Copy Editor: Michaela Fulton
BUSINESS
Time for the Blitz spirit
By Peter Bailey
In recent years there have been
many peaks and troughs, green
shoots of economic recovery and
then wash-outs of financial chaos.
In fact, being a slightly more
seasoned (now alumnus) of the
University of Surrey, the majority
of my time as a young adult has
been experience through the
slightly murky glasses of recession
tinted Britain.
I would like to say that times
were getting easier. I would like to
defer to our own brand of capitalism
and have faith that simply working
hard will be sufficient to drive out
the ghosts of financial downturn.
Unfortunately it seems to be a
little more complicated than that,
perplexing leaders and eminent
economists the world over. The
recent Eurozone crisis and Greece’s
woes seem to highlight that our
carefully nurtured green shoots
might once again be trampled with
little or no regard for our individual
aspirations. The efforts of previous
generations have yielded a
thoroughly mixed bag filled with
meteoric rises in property values,
unprecedented austerity measures,
and interest rates that have made us
wince at both ends of the extreme.
So what can be done? Well I
suppose we could shirk modern
economics, dust off the wooden
clubs and retreat back into a cave.
We could go the other way and bury
our heads in the sand of consumer
credit and resort to a little retail
therapy. Or we could posture to
the global markets that we are a
strong island nation, which will
weather this storm like we have
any other. Well the rationale (and
credibility) of all of those options
might be somewhat dubious, but
we certainly need to do something.
And by we, I am not deferring
to the Royal, I think she has done
enough in her 60 years reign. I
mean us. After all why did we come
to University? I would venture
that boozy parties and great
societies are only fleeting flashes
of colour in the overall transit to
our destination. We spend years
of our lives holed up in a place of
higher education to sharpen our
tools, and sharpen our focus (even
if your focus is to pursue a career
as the new Van Wilder). We have
the vision and the skills to solve the
world’s problems (and by the way,
even if we didn’t, it is still down to
us). It might be time to break out
the stiff upper lip and hand round
some tea for the long night ahead
of us.
But the old adage goes, “How
do you eat the elephant?”, and the
answer is one bite at a time. You
might not think that the route you
are personally on is going to directly
drive forward new business in our
economy. You might not think that
you are really that concerned about
the distant passage of GDP growth
and the fortunes of the Eurozone.
But actually it is a cold hearted
human who has no desire to see our
society improve, and in fact it will
always come back to bite us if we let
our fragile balancing act of a world
go to rack and ruin.
So in my last article for this
column, and a closing thought, I
give you this:
Whatever you choose to do,
or whatever chooses you, make it
count.
Thank you all for reading.
© Gonçalo Valverde
The Stag | 22 nd May 2012
Nicole Vassell - Features Editor
Over and Out...
The time has finally
come for the last issue of
The Stag, and i genuinely
can’t believe how quickly
it’s gone! My year as the
features editor hasn’t
gone without a few
hiccups, but i’ve enjoyed
it immensely. i’ve learnt
so much about myself and
the journalism industry
and i now know for sure
By James Rumble, SIFE’s Media Relations Executive
e the change you wish to see in the world”.
“BFamous words by Gandhi, and the mission
of the Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) Society
this year. With a range of social and community
enterprise projects, both locally and internationally,
SIFE students strive to make a positive impact
on the lives of those in need. Projects focus on
developing their skills to empower them in the longterm,
to obtain better business opportunities. As a
society, we look to differ in this way, by providing
cooperatives sustainable and supportive assistance
for the future, rather than simply providing money
in the short term.
This model has certainly helped SIFE Surrey to
achieve great results this year, and this has been
reflected by the team achieving an impressive 3rd
place finish at the National SIFE Competition on
19th April, a massive improvement on our 8th place
finish last year. This year, 38 SIFE teams competed
from around the UK participated in the National
Competition, to showcase their projects from the
year and battle for top prize.
The SIFE Surrey team shared two of their main
projects. The first was Oakleaf, which has focused
on working with unemployed people in the local
area, who suffer from mental health difficulties. We
taught them skills and helped build their self-esteem
to gain employment opportunities. The second
was our Thailand ‘RICycle’ project, which involved
using the waste product of rice crop as a pillow
filling. In a country that suffers annual flooding,
that there’s nothing
else i’d want to pursue
as a career. (That is, of
course, if i don’t hear
back about being a backup
dancer on Rihanna’s
next tour.) Thank you to
all who have been on the
features team, especially
Sophie Vickery, Ellis
Taylor, Hannah Wann,
Katy Sawyer, Chris
FEATURES 9
Thomas, Louisa White
and Becky Powell
without whom i would
have been completely
hopeless. Thank you to
Hannah Roberts-Owen,
who has made features
look the best it ever
has, and thank you to
the whole Stag team for
making this a newspaper
i’m proud to have been
a part of! Though it’s
sad to be leaving, i know
that Ellis Taylor will do a
fantastic job as features
editor 2012/13.
Thank you for reading!
it has been an absolute
pleasure.
Podium Finish for SIFE Surrey at National SIFE Competition
destroying the rice crop that villagers depend on as
their only source of income, this innovative project
provided another avenue of business for a previously
struggling community.
With their passion and commitment to success,
the SIFE Surrey team progressed into the final for the
first time in the society’s history, where they faced
strong opposition. Unfortunately, the determined
SIFE Surrey team were pipped to the main prize
by Southampton University. However, reaching the
final was no small feat, and was truly deserved,
for a constantly improving and developing society,
which has been defined by its devoted member’s
efforts. Congratulations to all the presentation team
involved, who dedicated themselves to representing
the society, and helped to cap off the SIFE Surrey
calendar year in style.
As a society ever aiming to improve and set high
standards, we aren’t slowing down. We are looking
to empower more communities worldwide with one
goal; to ‘Be the change we wish to see in the World’.
Don’t be left behind on our SIFE vision. If you’re
interested in getting involved in a society which
provides fun, fulfilment and fantastic opportunities,
then SIFE is for you.
Become a fan of our Facebook
page at ‘SIFE Surrey’ or email:
info@sifesurrey.org.uk
for more information.