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Issue 03 Summer 2012<br />
<strong>WLV</strong><strong>Life</strong><br />
Alumni magazine for <strong>Wolverhampton</strong> graduates and former students<br />
Creating a Big Bang<br />
in Hollywood<br />
Graduate feature: Alice Amter<br />
Alumni reunion in pictures<br />
All the snaps from the night<br />
An Olympic <strong>University</strong><br />
How your university got involved
<strong>Life</strong>. At <strong>Wolverhampton</strong>.<br />
After <strong>Wolverhampton</strong>. For <strong>Life</strong>.<br />
Welcome to the Summer 2012 edition<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>WLV</strong> <strong>Life</strong> – the alumni magazine for<br />
graduates and former students <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wolverhampton</strong>.<br />
Here in the alumni team we love<br />
discovering things about our graduates<br />
and since the last edition we’ve made<br />
some incredible ones.<br />
If the face on the front cover looks familiar,<br />
you probably recognise her from hit TV<br />
show The Big Bang Theory. That’s where<br />
graduate, Alice Amter, is currently making<br />
a name for herself as ‘Mrs Koothrappali’<br />
and we just had to talk to her about life on<br />
the Hollywood scene (page 12).<br />
Plus, who can mention summer 2012<br />
without thinking about the Olympic<br />
Games? We can’t; and life handed us<br />
our own little win when we discovered<br />
graduate, Lauren Smith, not only works<br />
for London 2012, but is a Commonwealth<br />
Bronze Medallist (page 16). You can also<br />
find out how your <strong>University</strong> got involved<br />
in the Olympics on page 19, including<br />
welcoming the Australian Judo team.<br />
Finally, did you miss our first ever Alumni<br />
Reunion back in February? Well don’t<br />
worry, because in this bumper edition<br />
we’ve got all the pictures (page 3).<br />
With all the latest alumni and <strong>University</strong><br />
news, including the launch <strong>of</strong> our new<br />
branch campus in Mauritius (page 14), and<br />
a look at what a day is like in the life <strong>of</strong> two<br />
<strong>of</strong> our Graduate Interns (page 10), you’ll be<br />
sure to find something <strong>of</strong> interest.<br />
If you fancy sending us a letter or sharing<br />
your ‘life’ story then we’d love to read –<br />
and maybe even publish – what you’ve<br />
been up to since we said goodbye.<br />
I hope you find <strong>WLV</strong> <strong>Life</strong> an entertaining<br />
and informative read – please do let us<br />
know your thoughts via email:<br />
alumni@wlv.ac.uk<br />
Best wishes<br />
Amy Roberton<br />
Amy Roberton<br />
Editor<br />
03<br />
12<br />
14<br />
16<br />
Contents<br />
02<br />
03<br />
08<br />
10<br />
12<br />
14<br />
16<br />
19<br />
22<br />
24<br />
Alumni news and events<br />
What’s been happening at your <strong>University</strong>...<br />
Alumni Reunion 2012 in pictures<br />
See what we got up to<br />
<strong>University</strong> news<br />
Top headlines from the past six months<br />
A day in the life <strong>of</strong> a Graduate Intern<br />
James and Sarah, Schools and Colleges Liaison<br />
Graduate feature: Alice Amter<br />
Creating a Big Bang in Hollywood<br />
Proudly in Mauritius<br />
We launch a new branch campus and alumni association<br />
Graduate feature: Lauren Smith<br />
Making a splash<br />
An Olympic <strong>University</strong><br />
How your university got involved<br />
My <strong>Life</strong><br />
Jerry Nulun, LLB (Hons) Law, 1997<br />
Puzzle Page<br />
Quick crossword and Sudoku<br />
01<br />
Written by: Amy Roberton & Leigh Joslin
Alumni news and events<br />
New 20% Postgraduate<br />
Loyalty Discount<br />
The Leading Lights<br />
lecture series<br />
Thinking about furthering your studies with a<br />
taught postgraduate course? There’s never<br />
been a better time to invest in you, with our<br />
new postgraduate loyalty discount.<br />
If you completed an undergraduate degree<br />
at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wolverhampton</strong>, you can<br />
enjoy a 20% discount* on the first year <strong>of</strong> a<br />
taught postgraduate programme.<br />
The discount is available on Master’s<br />
degrees, postgraduate diplomas and<br />
postgraduate certificates (PGCE, MPhil<br />
or Doctoral awards are not eligible). The<br />
discount applies to new entrants only on<br />
courses starting from September 2012<br />
onwards.<br />
Discover our full range <strong>of</strong> postgraduate<br />
taught courses and see what you can save<br />
at: www.wlv.ac.uk/postgrad<br />
*Terms and conditions apply.<br />
Spring Graduation 2012<br />
More than 750 graduates donned their cap<br />
and gown last April to receive their degrees<br />
at the Grand Theatre in <strong>Wolverhampton</strong>.<br />
Distinguished figures from the worlds <strong>of</strong><br />
human rights, law, education and business<br />
took centre stage this spring with an exciting<br />
new series <strong>of</strong> thought-provoking public<br />
lectures.<br />
The Leading Lights Lectures 2012 featured<br />
a number <strong>of</strong> the <strong>University</strong>’s honorary<br />
graduates, who are prominent industry<br />
figures that the <strong>University</strong> has awarded with<br />
an honorary degree in recognition <strong>of</strong> their<br />
achievements within their field.<br />
They included Mary Curnock Cook OBE,<br />
Chief Executive <strong>of</strong> UCAS; entrepreneur<br />
Tom Ilube, who founded the world’s largest<br />
online bank, Egg; Jean Irvine OBE, who is<br />
an equality and human rights commissioner;<br />
Constance Briscoe, one <strong>of</strong> the first black<br />
women to be appointed a judge in the UK;<br />
and Mark Palmer, the marketing mastermind<br />
behind Green and Black’s organic chocolate.<br />
Attended by key local and regional partners,<br />
the general public, students, graduates and<br />
staff, The Leading Lights Lectures have now<br />
become a key part <strong>of</strong> the <strong>University</strong>’s events<br />
calendar. Watch the lectures at:<br />
www.wlv.ac.uk/leadinglights<br />
Above: Tom Ilube, founder <strong>of</strong> Egg<br />
Alumni<br />
Reunion 2012<br />
in pictures...<br />
Postgraduate students from subjects across<br />
the <strong>University</strong> were joined by undergraduate<br />
students from the School <strong>of</strong> Health and<br />
Wellbeing, including our Nursing, Midwifery<br />
and Social Work cohorts, in a celebration <strong>of</strong><br />
their hard work and dedication.<br />
Alumni and<br />
Development team<br />
welcomes Graduate<br />
Intern<br />
If you missed our first ever <strong>University</strong>-wide Alumni Reunion earlier<br />
this year, then this bumper edition <strong>of</strong> <strong>WLV</strong> <strong>Life</strong> packed with all the<br />
pictures from the night is just what you need!<br />
During the ceremonies we also conferred<br />
honorary degrees and pr<strong>of</strong>essorships in<br />
recognition <strong>of</strong> the achievements <strong>of</strong> our<br />
academic staff and those <strong>of</strong> key industry<br />
figures.<br />
Presided over by the Vice-Chancellor, Deans<br />
<strong>of</strong> School and teaching staff, the three<br />
ceremonies were preceded by a procession<br />
beginning at the <strong>University</strong> buildings in<br />
Wulfruna Street.<br />
We are delighted to welcome graduate,<br />
Leigh Joslin, as the newest member <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Alumni and Development team. Leigh joins<br />
us as part <strong>of</strong> the <strong>University</strong>’s Graduate Intern<br />
programme which <strong>of</strong>fers graduates sixmonth<br />
paid placements within the <strong>University</strong>.<br />
Leigh will assist the team with a wide<br />
range <strong>of</strong> alumni relations activities including<br />
contributing articles to <strong>WLV</strong> <strong>Life</strong> magazine<br />
and <strong>WLV</strong>@lumni e-zine, seeking out new<br />
graduate success stories, organising events,<br />
and helping us to expand our range <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>fcampus<br />
graduate benefits.<br />
Leigh graduated in 2011 with a BA (Hons)<br />
Video and Film Production and is now<br />
undertaking an MA Scriptwriting via distance<br />
learning at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Glamorgan.<br />
We were thrilled to see so many <strong>of</strong> you come back to campus for our glittering night <strong>of</strong> celebration.<br />
Despite the February cold and the impending forecast <strong>of</strong> snow, nearly 200 alumni and honorary<br />
graduates joined us at the Molineux Stadium for an evening <strong>of</strong> food, drink and live entertainment<br />
that kept us dancing ‘til the early hours.<br />
Celebrating the first anniversary <strong>of</strong> our <strong>WLV</strong> Alumni Association, we welcomed back former<br />
students from as long ago as 1975, all the way through to 2011, and representing over 50<br />
different degree courses from the <strong>University</strong>’s past and present.<br />
Get your snapshot <strong>of</strong> the night with our<br />
reunion photo album over the page…<br />
03
What our alumni<br />
said about the night…<br />
Vice-Chancellor, Ge<strong>of</strong>f Layer, with President <strong>of</strong> the Students’<br />
Union, Ken Harris, and Graduate to Great 2011 participants:<br />
Marcus Wareham, S<strong>of</strong>ina Islam and Gemma Wright<br />
Meeting friends, old and new<br />
Taking a trip down memory lane<br />
‘‘ Fantastic night out!<br />
‘‘<br />
‘‘ Eventful and very<br />
entertaining, thoroughly<br />
enjoyed the evening.<br />
‘‘ Attending this party<br />
has been great.<br />
‘‘<br />
‘‘<br />
‘‘ Fab evening, great to meet<br />
‘‘<br />
fellow graduates. Keep up<br />
the good work.<br />
A lot to talk about since graduating<br />
Our entertainment for the night, Blues Brothers Tribute Group,<br />
The Full Shabang<br />
Alumni getting into the groove on the dance floor<br />
‘‘ Had a great time.<br />
‘‘<br />
Former <strong>University</strong> Chaplain, Prebendary Ge<strong>of</strong>frey Wynn,<br />
and wife Gaynor, with Ge<strong>of</strong>f Layer<br />
Smiles all round from our alumni<br />
Tucking in to the buffet<br />
‘‘ Fabulous evening;<br />
well done.<br />
We need this<br />
every year.<br />
‘‘<br />
05
‘‘ Great evening, lots <strong>of</strong><br />
‘‘<br />
fun, really enjoyable!<br />
‘‘ Great entertainment,<br />
‘‘<br />
good atmosphere –<br />
roll on next year.<br />
‘‘ Very well organised<br />
and highly enjoyable.<br />
Let’s hope it’s the first<br />
<strong>of</strong> many.<br />
‘‘<br />
Honorary Graduate, Dave Heeley, aka ‘Blind Dave’,<br />
and wife Debbie (right), join us at the reunion<br />
BBC’s See Hear presenter and Honorary Graduate, Terry Riley<br />
(right), signing with a Deaf Studies graduate and Senior Lecturer<br />
in Deaf Studies and Interpreting (BSL/English), John Hay MBE<br />
Magician, Kris Krendo, wows our guests during the night<br />
‘‘ Really enjoyed the<br />
evening. Food was<br />
lovely and I met<br />
two lovely people<br />
I hadn’t met until<br />
tonight. Thank you.<br />
‘‘<br />
Ken Harris welcomes returning<br />
alumni to our first ever reunion<br />
The evening’s lucky iPad winner<br />
The boys are back in town<br />
Honorary Graduate, Baroness Verma <strong>of</strong> Leicester,<br />
and husband Ashok, with Ge<strong>of</strong>f Layer<br />
The next alumni<br />
reunion will be in<br />
Spring 2013<br />
Look out for more information in<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>@lumni e-zine and on the alumni<br />
website: www.wlv.ac.uk/alumni<br />
07<br />
Honorary Graduate, Lord Bilston <strong>of</strong> Bilston, and wife<br />
All glammed up for a night <strong>of</strong> celebration<br />
Chief Executive <strong>of</strong> UCAS<br />
Mary Curnock Cook OBE (centre)
<strong>University</strong> News<br />
Here are some <strong>of</strong> our top headlines over the past six months...<br />
April<br />
Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun<br />
30 1<br />
May<br />
Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun<br />
1 2 3 4 5 6<br />
June<br />
Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun<br />
1 2 3<br />
2 3 4 5 6 7 8<br />
7 8 9 10 11 12 13<br />
4 5 6 7 8 9 10<br />
9 10 11 12 13 14 15<br />
14 15 16 17 18 19 20<br />
11 12 13 14 15 16 17<br />
16 17 18 19 20 21 22<br />
21 22 23 24 25 26 27<br />
18 19 20 21 22 23 24<br />
23 24 25 26 27 28 29<br />
28 29 30 31<br />
25 26 27 28 29 30<br />
January<br />
Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun<br />
30 31 1<br />
2 3 4 5 6 7 8<br />
9 10 11 12 13 14 15<br />
16 17 18 19 20 21 22<br />
23 24 25 26 27 28 29<br />
Esther Rantzen, David Miliband<br />
and Steve Cram present guest<br />
lectures<br />
TV personality Esther Rantzen, David<br />
Miliband MP, and Olympic medallist Steve<br />
Cram MBE, all visited the <strong>University</strong> to<br />
give guest lectures. Esther Rantzen talked<br />
to guests about the 25th anniversary <strong>of</strong><br />
ChildLine, the national helpline for children<br />
which she established in 1986, and Steve<br />
Cram MBE presented an inspirational<br />
talk about making the most <strong>of</strong> mentors<br />
and coaches. David Miliband MP visited<br />
<strong>Wolverhampton</strong> to take part in a Q&A with<br />
staff and students as part <strong>of</strong> a universities<br />
tour.<br />
New links forged with<br />
Warwickshire Police<br />
The <strong>University</strong> joined forces with<br />
Warwickshire Police to <strong>of</strong>fer practical<br />
experience for students on our BSc (Hons)<br />
Policing course. Alongside their academic<br />
studies, students will undertake work<br />
placements as Special Constables with<br />
the Force, giving them real experience <strong>of</strong><br />
police work and helping them to build a solid<br />
foundation for a career in the police.<br />
February<br />
Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun<br />
1 2 3 4 5<br />
6 7 8 9 10 11 12<br />
13 14 15 16 17 18 19<br />
20 21 22 23 24 25 26<br />
27 28 29<br />
New emergency services<br />
degrees launched<br />
We launched two innovative degrees at<br />
a special event which saw the <strong>University</strong><br />
campus transformed into an ‘emergency<br />
village.’ The new MSc Emergency<br />
Planning, Resilience and Response and the<br />
Postgraduate Certificate in the Management<br />
<strong>of</strong> Passenger Transport Emergency<br />
Incidents, will provide emergency service<br />
and transport industry pr<strong>of</strong>essionals with<br />
additional skills when dealing with major<br />
incidents. The launch event featured more<br />
than 25 emergency vehicles, including an<br />
<strong>of</strong>f-duty Air Ambulance, a fire engine and a<br />
rescue boat.<br />
A masterclass in evil from<br />
Steven Berk<strong>of</strong>f<br />
World famous actor, Steven Berk<strong>of</strong>f, gave<br />
theatre goers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity<br />
to see a true master <strong>of</strong> his craft at close<br />
quarters when he presented Shakespeare’s<br />
Villains at the Arena at the <strong>University</strong>’s Arena<br />
Theatre. In two special performances, Steven<br />
explored Shakespeare’s most villainous<br />
characters – Iago, the Macbeths, Shylock,<br />
and Richard III. Steven is known to many for<br />
the villains he has played in mainstream films<br />
– James Bond Octopussy, Beverly Hills Cop,<br />
Rambo and The Krays.<br />
March<br />
Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun<br />
1 2 3 4<br />
5 6 7 8 9 10 11<br />
12 13 14 15 16 17 18<br />
19 20 21 22 23 24 25<br />
26 27 28 29 30 31<br />
Sports stars celebrated<br />
We celebrated the achievements <strong>of</strong> students<br />
who have excelled at sport during their<br />
time at the <strong>University</strong> at our annual Sports<br />
Awards at Walsall Football Club. More than<br />
150 people attended the event, which<br />
recognised individuals and teams who<br />
have been successful this academic year.<br />
We were joined by guest speaker, triple<br />
Olympian Christina Boxer, who competed in<br />
the 1980, 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games<br />
and claimed gold in the 1500m at the 1982<br />
Commonwealth Games.<br />
Student designs new Dickens<br />
cover<br />
Photography student, Alexandros<br />
Panagiotopoulos, was selected to design<br />
the front cover for a new edition <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Charles Dickens classic Oliver Twist that<br />
was published in April. Alexandros won<br />
a competition launched by The Guardian<br />
and Vintage Classics which was run as<br />
part <strong>of</strong> the Charles Dickens 200th birthday<br />
celebrations, and 2012 also marks 175<br />
years since Oliver Twist was first published.<br />
The challenge was to create a cover which<br />
represented a modern twist on the spirit <strong>of</strong><br />
the original story.<br />
Students’ Union wins National<br />
Environmental Award<br />
Our Students’ Union was named Most<br />
Improved Union at the National Union <strong>of</strong><br />
Students (NUS) Green Impact Awards.<br />
The award recognises the environmental<br />
work <strong>of</strong> students’ unions and is part <strong>of</strong><br />
the NUS Green Impact initiative which<br />
provides environmental accreditation for<br />
unions, helping them to showcase good<br />
environmental practice. We were also<br />
awarded the Silver Green Impact Standard<br />
at the ceremony, which took place in<br />
Manchester.<br />
Third annual International<br />
Festival hailed a success<br />
Students from around the world came<br />
together at our International<br />
Festival 2012 in a celebration<br />
<strong>of</strong> the <strong>University</strong>’s multicultural,<br />
multi-talented student<br />
community. The event, which<br />
had a sporting theme,<br />
included an international<br />
Zumba challenge where<br />
<strong>Wolverhampton</strong><br />
students teamed up<br />
with their counterparts<br />
in Japan, Malaysia and<br />
Northern Cyprus to do a<br />
synchronised class that was<br />
linked via satellite.<br />
New £250,000 graduate<br />
placement scheme launched<br />
A new £250,000 project will enable<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wolverhampton</strong> graduates to<br />
secure valuable experience working in Spain<br />
and the Netherlands. Graduates will spend<br />
12 weeks working in companies ranging<br />
from engineering and construction to event<br />
management and IT firms. Funding for the<br />
scheme has been provided by the Leonardo<br />
<strong>Life</strong>long Learning Mobility programme.<br />
Students light up Olympic<br />
stadium<br />
<strong>Wolverhampton</strong> students competed at the<br />
brand new Olympic Stadium in the British<br />
Universities and Colleges Sports (BUCS)<br />
Visa Outdoor Athletics Championships.<br />
Student, Jarryd Dunn, won gold in the<br />
400m, clocking up a personal best time <strong>of</strong><br />
46.66 seconds, which was also<br />
inside the European ‘A’<br />
qualifying standard (46.70). Also<br />
celebrating was fellow student, David<br />
Lima, who took the silver medal in the<br />
final <strong>of</strong> the Men’s 200m.<br />
<strong>University</strong> launched first<br />
SciFest<br />
We hosted our first ever SciFest in a<br />
celebration <strong>of</strong> science and technology. The<br />
week-long festival in June was created<br />
to enable school pupils from the West<br />
Midlands to discover all areas <strong>of</strong> science<br />
and technology, and included a series <strong>of</strong><br />
interactive activities aimed at Primary, GCSE<br />
and A-level years. The event concluded with<br />
a Public Day on the Saturday to coincide<br />
with the Olympic torch and Blue Peter being<br />
in <strong>Wolverhampton</strong>.<br />
Firefighter training for students<br />
Students were given a taste <strong>of</strong> life as a<br />
firefighter as part <strong>of</strong> an innovative partnership<br />
with West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS).<br />
The BSc (Hons) Fire and Rescue students<br />
spent four weeks at the WMFS Academy in<br />
Smethwick completing the same training as<br />
newly recruited firefighters. The 28 first and<br />
second year students have been learning<br />
to use ladders, pumps and hoses as part<br />
<strong>of</strong> their degree course, which combines<br />
academic theory with practical experience.<br />
09
A day in the life...<br />
Graduate Interns<br />
Schools and Colleges Liaison<br />
James Belsey<br />
BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching,<br />
2011<br />
Sarah Connor<br />
BA (Hons) Business and Dance<br />
Practice and Performance, 2011<br />
9am – Visit to a local school<br />
“One <strong>of</strong> the key roles <strong>of</strong> a Student<br />
Advisor is to engage with schools<br />
and colleges in the West Midlands<br />
and talk to pupils, teachers and<br />
parents about higher education (HE).<br />
This could be a presentation on<br />
the benefits <strong>of</strong> going to university, a<br />
workshop giving advice on how to<br />
complete UCAS applications,<br />
or even a series <strong>of</strong> one-to-one chats<br />
on specific courses and subjects<br />
areas.<br />
“I always try and make my visits<br />
interactive and fun and I have<br />
developed my own resources to help<br />
me. For example, to explain student<br />
loans we created our own version <strong>of</strong><br />
Million Pound Drop called Student<br />
Loan Drop.”<br />
10am – Head back to the<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice to prepare for a<br />
<strong>University</strong> Open Day<br />
“Graduate interns <strong>of</strong>ten help out<br />
at <strong>University</strong> Open Days; giving<br />
campus and accommodation tours<br />
and talking to visitors. We also act<br />
as mystery shoppers which involves<br />
talking to academic staff about<br />
courses, going on various tours, and<br />
observing our real visitors to gauge<br />
what experience they are getting.<br />
“To prepare myself, I spend a bit <strong>of</strong><br />
time researching different subject<br />
areas and thinking about questions I<br />
could ask. Being a mystery shopper<br />
is a lot <strong>of</strong> fun and it’s a great chance<br />
for us to identify ways to improve<br />
Open Days.”<br />
11.30am – Rehearse finance<br />
presentation for a parents<br />
evening<br />
“Tonight I am attending a parents<br />
evening with nearly 200 people,<br />
talking about the financial side <strong>of</strong><br />
university such as tuition fees and<br />
student loans. Parents play a huge<br />
part in helping their child decide<br />
what university to go to and financial<br />
considerations are a key factor.<br />
It’s the largest audience I have<br />
presented to so I’m taking some time<br />
out to rehearse. It’s quite daunting<br />
but it will be a great opportunity.”<br />
12.30pm – Lunch<br />
1.30pm – Respond to an<br />
invite to attend an HE Fair<br />
“Schools <strong>of</strong>ten host their own HE<br />
Fairs and invite local colleges and<br />
universities to attend. These always<br />
take place in the morning and so I get<br />
the date in my diary and make a list <strong>of</strong><br />
the additional materials I will need to<br />
take with me such as prospectuses,<br />
flyers, stands and tablecloths.”<br />
2pm – Volunteer in<br />
The Gateway<br />
“All interns volunteer three hours<br />
every two weeks in The Gateway,<br />
the <strong>University</strong>’s advice centre for<br />
current and prospective students. It’s<br />
a very varied role – one minute you’re<br />
advising a current student about their<br />
loan and the next you’re talking to an<br />
enquirer who wants to know what<br />
support we can <strong>of</strong>fer mature students.”<br />
5pm – Set <strong>of</strong>f for my parents<br />
evening – wish me luck!<br />
9am – Host a school<br />
Taster Day<br />
“To give school children a taste <strong>of</strong><br />
university life we organise mornings<br />
where they can come onto campus<br />
and take part in a range <strong>of</strong> activities.<br />
These can be focused on a specific<br />
course or subject area, or they can<br />
be a general introduction to studying<br />
at <strong>Wolverhampton</strong>.<br />
“Every Taster Day can be different<br />
depending on what the school<br />
wants, but a typical one will involve<br />
a tour <strong>of</strong> the campus including the<br />
facilities, which will then be followed<br />
by a workshop. This could be a<br />
jargon buster, a short fun exercise<br />
or, if their taster day is based around<br />
a specific course or subject area, it<br />
could be a mock lecture.”<br />
1pm – Lunch<br />
2pm – Prepare for a UCAS<br />
fair<br />
“Every year the <strong>University</strong> attends<br />
UCAS fairs at other universities<br />
around the country so that<br />
prospective students can find<br />
out more about studying at<br />
<strong>Wolverhampton</strong>.<br />
“I’m due to attend one tomorrow<br />
which means I need to make sure<br />
I have everything I need to take<br />
with me. Thankfully we have a great<br />
team <strong>of</strong> <strong>University</strong> staff supporting<br />
us who have already arranged for<br />
prospectuses and stands to<br />
be delivered to the venue ready<br />
for me.”<br />
2.30pm – Administration<br />
and data entry<br />
“While all the interns have their<br />
own administrative duties, I am<br />
responsible for updating the system<br />
with information about our activities<br />
– for example, the number <strong>of</strong> people<br />
we speak to or the number <strong>of</strong><br />
prospectuses we give out. I make<br />
sure this data is logged so we can<br />
use it to assess how effective our<br />
activity has been.”<br />
3pm – Schools liaison<br />
“Every intern is allocated 10 local<br />
schools or colleges in the West<br />
Midlands and we are responsible<br />
for keeping them up-to-date with<br />
new activities or services we can<br />
<strong>of</strong>fer so that we can build and<br />
maintain strong relationships.<br />
Occasionally we contact new<br />
schools and if they are interested<br />
in a visit I will arrange a primary<br />
meeting to identify and discuss<br />
their particular needs.”<br />
3.30pm – Volunteer in the<br />
Course Enquiries Unit<br />
“Sometimes we provide cover<br />
for the Course Enquiries team,<br />
answering calls from prospective<br />
applicants and sending out<br />
prospectuses. It’s a change <strong>of</strong><br />
scenery and I get to work with other<br />
staff at the <strong>University</strong>, which is great.<br />
It’s also good timing as I can collect<br />
my tablecloth for the UCAS fair<br />
before I set <strong>of</strong>f!”<br />
5pm – Set <strong>of</strong>f for my<br />
UCAS fair!<br />
11
Creating a Big<br />
Bang in Hollywood<br />
LA based actor and graduate, Alice Amter,<br />
talks to the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wolverhampton</strong><br />
about starring in hit TV show, The Big<br />
Bang Theory and what life is like on the<br />
Hollywood scene.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: Alice, we have to say,<br />
interviewing a Hollywood<br />
actress is certainly a first for us!<br />
Congratulations on your success<br />
so far, you must be very proud…<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: That must come in handy being an actor…<br />
AA: Being able to adapt is definitely suited to film work<br />
because you’re a different character every time. But<br />
with TV you’ll be one character on a show that could<br />
run for up to 10 years and so you’re not so much <strong>of</strong><br />
a chameleon then! Saying that, people I encounter<br />
rarely make the connection between me and ‘Mrs<br />
Koothrappali’ and when I tell them, they’re shocked<br />
to see how different we are.<br />
to six weeks.<br />
Currently The Big Bang<br />
Theory is in syndication on four<br />
networks in America so I am on TV every<br />
week. You can work really hard on a film and it<br />
may never reach a single screen because getting a<br />
distribution deal can be really tough. Ideally I would<br />
like to do both, but being able to work in just one<br />
medium these days is a blessing in itself because it is<br />
such a tough marketplace.<br />
AA: Yes I am; thank you. It’s been<br />
a tough journey at times, but to go<br />
from a council flat in the suburbs <strong>of</strong><br />
Birmingham to the hills <strong>of</strong> LA is a<br />
blessing.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: Your big career break came<br />
in 1998 when you appeared in<br />
the hit US TV show ER. How<br />
did you feel getting such a huge<br />
opportunity so early on in your<br />
career?<br />
AA: I was cast in George Clooney’s<br />
final two episodes <strong>of</strong> ER and luckily<br />
I got to work with him. I was a big<br />
fan <strong>of</strong> the show and although I was<br />
new on the scene I was certain I could<br />
do the role. Casting in TV is about fit, and<br />
I fit that role. It was a great starting point<br />
and proved to me that I could make this<br />
work.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: Since then you’ve gone on to<br />
star in films like The Good Girl and<br />
A Man Apart, and you’re now in<br />
another award-winning US show,<br />
The Big Bang Theory, as Raj’s<br />
mother ‘Mrs Koothrappali.’<br />
What’s that like?<br />
AA: I love being part <strong>of</strong> the show. I<br />
play a recurring character so I’m not<br />
there as much as the regular<br />
cast members, but when I do<br />
Above: Alice Amter as ‘Mrs Koothrappali’ with on-screen husband<br />
work it’s very exciting. The cast and crew are<br />
small compared to other shows, so there’s a<br />
real family bond, and they’re all so talented.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: What do you love most about being<br />
on the show?<br />
AA: It has to be a) working with such an<br />
insanely talented group <strong>of</strong> people both in<br />
front and behind the camera; and b) the<br />
response from the live studio audience when<br />
we shoot; they are so full <strong>of</strong> praise and<br />
enthusiasm and you feel really loved.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: What’s the most challenging aspect?<br />
AA: To be as good as everyone else. The<br />
show runs like a well-oiled machine and<br />
everyone is a pr<strong>of</strong>essional with a good,<br />
positive attitude.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: You’re known as The Chameleon<br />
because <strong>of</strong> your ability to portray a<br />
variety <strong>of</strong> roles. How did you get the<br />
name?<br />
AA: I gave the name to myself, but people<br />
have always said I’m like a chameleon<br />
because I’m constantly adapting myself to<br />
suit my environment.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: You graduated in Modern Languages and<br />
International Relations and initially went into<br />
teaching English abroad. What made you decide<br />
to pursue acting full-time?<br />
AA: I always had a childhood dream <strong>of</strong> being on<br />
stage, but back then, because I was academically<br />
sound and from a disadvantaged background I did<br />
what everyone thought I should do – get a stable job<br />
that would bring in regular income. But I realised that<br />
even when I had that I wasn’t really happy and I still<br />
wanted to pursue my dream. I had no idea it would<br />
be the most difficult thing I’ve ever done.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: In what way difficult?<br />
AA: Teaching was a stable job but with acting it<br />
takes a while to start making a living. You might<br />
get a role here or there but you have to juggle parttime<br />
jobs such as waitressing or bartending - I did a<br />
little bit <strong>of</strong> teaching English. You can’t control when<br />
auditions come up and it can be very stressful. It<br />
isn’t something you should do unless you are really<br />
passionate about it.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: Do you prefer working in film or television?<br />
AA: I love big budget films like A Man Apart and for<br />
a while I was getting much more film work than TV.<br />
The problem with film though is that the majority are<br />
low budget, which means they take a long time to get<br />
out <strong>of</strong> post-production and even then may never be<br />
cleared for theatrical release. TV on the other hand is<br />
much more immediate. You shoot the show and you<br />
know it is going to end up on air – usually within four<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: You’ve worked alongside some very famous<br />
people – George Clooney, Jennifer Aniston and<br />
Vin Diesel to name a few. Have you ever been<br />
star-struck?<br />
AA: Generally speaking no. Living in LA you get used<br />
to seeing famous people and I’ve never been one to<br />
be intimidated. To me, Jim, Johnny and Kaley are just<br />
fellow co-workers. Saying that, I do remember filming<br />
The Cleaner with Benjamin Bratt and wishing I wasn’t<br />
dressed like an old lady!<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: What are your aspirations for the future?<br />
AA: I want to build an Empire; I want to create brand<br />
Alice – a brand <strong>of</strong> my own that symbolises a lifestyle,<br />
incorporating things like perfume, music, clothing,<br />
books – the lot! I like challenges and this just seems<br />
like a huge challenge. The way I see it, others have<br />
done it so why not me?!<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: What advice would you give one <strong>of</strong> today’s<br />
graduates?<br />
AA: Think really hard about what you want<br />
to do. What I thought I wanted didn’t<br />
end up being what I’m actually<br />
doing. Your career may not be<br />
in the degree you study but<br />
you can always find ways<br />
<strong>of</strong> making it work for you.<br />
Don’t limit yourself; think<br />
really big.<br />
13
We launch a new branch<br />
campus and alumni association<br />
It may only be 45km wide and it<br />
may sit in the middle <strong>of</strong> the Indian<br />
Ocean, but the island <strong>of</strong> Mauritius is<br />
already home to over 150 <strong>University</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Wolverhampton</strong> graduates – and<br />
it won’t be long before it starts to<br />
welcome many more.<br />
At a high pr<strong>of</strong>ile event held earlier this<br />
year, the <strong>University</strong> proudly launched<br />
a new branch campus in Mauritius<br />
that will place <strong>Wolverhampton</strong> firmly<br />
in the heart <strong>of</strong> the country’s education<br />
provision.<br />
Providing courses in law and education,<br />
the campus will <strong>of</strong>fer undergraduate<br />
and postgraduate degrees to the<br />
growing number <strong>of</strong> students seeking<br />
careers in the legal sector and teaching.<br />
The new campus, which is currently<br />
under construction and will open later<br />
this year, will be located in the bustling<br />
Ebène Cybercity, one <strong>of</strong> Mauritius’<br />
rapidly expanding business parks.<br />
Proudly in Mauritius<br />
‘‘ The launch <strong>of</strong> our<br />
campus in Mauritius<br />
is a new chapter in<br />
our relationship<br />
with the country<br />
and our key focus<br />
is to nurture and<br />
enhance educational<br />
development.<br />
‘‘<br />
Sealing the relationship<br />
As part <strong>of</strong> the launch event, which took<br />
place on Monday 26 March 2012,<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Ge<strong>of</strong>f Layer, Vice-Chancellor,<br />
was joined by Dr Arvin Boolell, Minister<br />
<strong>of</strong> Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration<br />
and International Trade; and Dr Rajesh<br />
Jeetah, Minister <strong>of</strong> Tertiary Education,<br />
Science, Research and Technology,<br />
who together signed a partnership<br />
agreement sealing the relationship<br />
between <strong>Wolverhampton</strong> and<br />
Mauritius.<br />
Ge<strong>of</strong>f said: “Our aim at the <strong>University</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Wolverhampton</strong> is to provide<br />
an excellent teaching and learning<br />
experience for our students, whether<br />
they study with us in the UK or<br />
overseas.<br />
“The launch <strong>of</strong> our campus in Mauritius<br />
is a new chapter in our relationship<br />
with the country and our key focus is<br />
to nurture and enhance educational<br />
development.”<br />
The launch at the Hennessy Park Hotel<br />
also featured a welcome address via<br />
video from the <strong>University</strong>’s Chancellor,<br />
The Rt Hon Lord Paul <strong>of</strong> Marylebone<br />
PC.<br />
Lord Paul said: “The <strong>Wolverhampton</strong><br />
initiative in Mauritius responds to<br />
one <strong>of</strong> the most significant trends in<br />
the area <strong>of</strong> higher education – the<br />
internationalisation <strong>of</strong> learning and<br />
the value <strong>of</strong> transferring and sharing<br />
knowledge.”<br />
The Mauritius branch campus will<br />
welcome its first cohort <strong>of</strong> nearly<br />
100 students in September with an<br />
inaugural graduation planned for 2013.<br />
Mauritius Alumni Association<br />
As part <strong>of</strong> our celebrations, we were<br />
also delighted to recognise our current<br />
graduates in Mauritius by launching a<br />
new Mauritius Alumni Association.<br />
The Honourable Mr Yatindra Nath<br />
Varma, who is the Attorney General<br />
<strong>of</strong> Mauritius and a <strong>Wolverhampton</strong><br />
alumnus, was appointed Honorary<br />
President <strong>of</strong> the Association. Mr Varma<br />
graduated from <strong>Wolverhampton</strong> with<br />
an LLB (Hons) Law in 1998.<br />
Graduate, Reaz Ghanty<br />
(LLM International Corporate and<br />
Financial Law, 2005), was also<br />
appointed Chairman and will be<br />
responsible for establishing an<br />
executive committee and running<br />
the day-to-day operations <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Association.<br />
He said: “The <strong>University</strong> enjoys a long<br />
and distinguished relationship with<br />
Mauritius, with many <strong>of</strong> our graduates<br />
going on to become key figures<br />
within the country, either as part <strong>of</strong> its<br />
Government, or as leaders in its legal<br />
and financial sectors.<br />
“The Alumni Association will <strong>of</strong>fer our<br />
graduates a network through which<br />
they can engage with the <strong>University</strong><br />
and each other; opening doors to<br />
enhance their pr<strong>of</strong>essional careers and<br />
achieve their individual aspirations.”<br />
For more information about the<br />
Mauritius Alumni Association,<br />
including how to join, visit:<br />
www.wlv.ac.uk/mauritiusalumni<br />
Join the Mauritius Facebook page at:<br />
www.wlv.ac.uk/mauritiusfacebook<br />
15
Making<br />
a splash<br />
It’s all going swimmingly for Sports<br />
Studies graduate, Lauren Smith,<br />
as we talk to her about being the<br />
former Captain <strong>of</strong> the Great Britain<br />
Synchronised Swimming team, how<br />
it feels to win a Commonwealth<br />
Bronze Medal, and what life is like<br />
today working for the London 2012<br />
Olympics.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: Well Lauren, you’ve achieved<br />
so much it’s hard to know where<br />
to begin! How does it feel to be<br />
part <strong>of</strong> the greatest sporting event<br />
this country has seen in over 60<br />
years?<br />
LS: It’s amazing and I’m so excited!<br />
I’ve always wanted to do events<br />
management in sports and so<br />
working on the Synchronised<br />
Swimming event for London 2012<br />
is like a dream come true. I was the<br />
first person to swim in the London<br />
2012 Aquatics<br />
Centre last<br />
year, which<br />
was a huge<br />
privilege,<br />
and when<br />
I got my<br />
Olympic uniform it gave me goose<br />
bumps.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: You’re the Administration<br />
Group Leader for Synchronised<br />
Swimming. What does your role<br />
involve?<br />
LS: I’m part <strong>of</strong> the team responsible<br />
for organising the Olympic Games<br />
Synchronised Swimming event. I<br />
manage the logistical aspects, which<br />
can range from organising transport<br />
and accommodation for the athletes<br />
to training volunteers for the different<br />
venues. It’s a very diverse role and it<br />
is hard work – I <strong>of</strong>ten work 16 hours<br />
a day – but I love every minute <strong>of</strong> it.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: You first started<br />
synchronised swimming aged 11.<br />
What made you take up the sport?<br />
LS: I did gymnastics for eight years,<br />
but at 10 years old I still couldn’t<br />
swim properly. At a swimming<br />
lesson with my sister, the instructor<br />
suggested I try synchronised<br />
swimming because <strong>of</strong> my<br />
flexibility from my gymnastics.<br />
After one class I<br />
absolutely loved it and three weeks<br />
later I took part in a competition and<br />
won. I knew it was the sport for me.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: Why did you decide to<br />
study BSc Sports Studies at the<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wolverhampton</strong>?<br />
LS: I loved studying sport at school,<br />
both the practical and the theoretical<br />
side, and so a degree in the subject<br />
was an obvious choice. I chose<br />
<strong>Wolverhampton</strong> because, unlike<br />
other universities, the course <strong>of</strong>fered<br />
the right combination <strong>of</strong> modules<br />
that suited my interests.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: You were competing while<br />
you were a student. How did you<br />
combine your training with your<br />
studies?<br />
LS: To be the best it was crucial<br />
that I kept up my training and so<br />
whenever I had a spare minute I<br />
was either in the pool or in the gym.<br />
My lecturers were very supportive,<br />
especially when I was competing<br />
abroad and needed the time for<br />
assignments. They were genuinely<br />
interested in what I was doing, which<br />
was a real confidence boost.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: You joined the GB<br />
Synchronised Swimming team<br />
full-time in 2007 and throughout<br />
your career you’ve been British<br />
Champion and competed at<br />
the World Championships and<br />
Commonwealth Games. What was<br />
your favourite competitive event?<br />
LS: It has to be the Commonwealth<br />
Games in 2010 in Delhi as that was<br />
where I won the bronze medal for my<br />
solo routine. My dream was always<br />
to go to the Commonwealths but I<br />
didn’t necessarily think I would come<br />
away with a medal. As the Games<br />
drew nearer I decided I wanted the<br />
bronze. There was a lot <strong>of</strong> pressure<br />
for me to get it – and I did!<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: How did it feel on the<br />
podium receiving your medal?<br />
LS: Very emotional. As I stood there<br />
I could see everyone who had come<br />
to support me and when I was<br />
interviewed I broke down in tears. I<br />
realised that all my hard work had<br />
paid <strong>of</strong>f and I just wanted to thank<br />
my parents because without them<br />
I couldn’t have done it. It was the<br />
pinnacle <strong>of</strong> my career.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: Was it always your dream<br />
to Captain the GB Synchronised<br />
Swimming team?<br />
LS: It was never my goal but I knew<br />
in my last year that I had the skill<br />
and experience to lead the team and<br />
so when I was <strong>of</strong>fered the position<br />
I gratefully accepted it. I retired in<br />
2011 and when I look back I have a<br />
lot <strong>of</strong> fond memories; including the<br />
time I greeted Tony and Cherie Blair<br />
as they arrived into the village at the<br />
Melbourne Commonwealth Games in<br />
2006, being interviewed live on BBC<br />
news, and meeting Alex Ferguson.<br />
Earlier this year I was also invited to<br />
a ‘Women in Sport’ reception at the<br />
Houses <strong>of</strong> Parliament in recognition<br />
<strong>of</strong> my athletic career and my work at<br />
London 2012. It was a real honour.<br />
<strong>WLV</strong>: What are your aspirations<br />
for the future?<br />
LS: I definitely want to continue in<br />
sports and events management<br />
and my job at London 2012 has<br />
set me up for a successful career<br />
in that area. I also write articles for<br />
Swimming Times magazine, which<br />
is another avenue I’d like to explore<br />
more. As for my synchronised<br />
swimming, my sister and I are part <strong>of</strong><br />
a company called Aquabatix which<br />
puts on synchronised swimming<br />
performances for different events<br />
and in 2000 saw us star in a scene<br />
in the film Love’s Labour’s Lost.<br />
It’s been a great year for me since<br />
retiring, but I’m sure I won’t be<br />
packing my costume<br />
away just yet.<br />
17
& Sport<br />
Physical Activity Society<br />
An Olympic <strong>University</strong><br />
Did sport play a big<br />
part in your <strong>University</strong> life?<br />
Whether you played for one <strong>of</strong> the <strong>University</strong>’s teams or clubs or whether<br />
you just like sport to keep fit, the Sport and Physical Activity Society is a<br />
great way <strong>of</strong> getting back in touch with old friends and meeting new ones.<br />
Membership is free and open to everyone – whatever your age or ability.<br />
Join today, visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/sportssociety<br />
Since the moment it was announced that the Olympic Games would be<br />
coming to London in 2012, the whole country became united as hosts. From<br />
large cities to small rural villages, and from multi-billion pound global<br />
companies to your local high street store, everyone wanted to get involved –<br />
and that included us…<br />
Our facilities<br />
We welcomed the Australian judo team<br />
to our Walsall Campus after they chose<br />
our Sports Centre as their <strong>of</strong>ficial training<br />
base.<br />
Six members <strong>of</strong> the team, plus their<br />
coaching staff, set up camp at the Centre<br />
for their all-important pre-games training<br />
in preparation for the competition.<br />
The Sports Centre was selected as one<br />
<strong>of</strong> the country’s <strong>of</strong>ficial Olympic training<br />
bases in 2008 in recognition <strong>of</strong> its elite<br />
sporting facilities. It was included in the<br />
Guide for National Olympic Committees<br />
(NOCs) for the sports <strong>of</strong> Judo, Basketball,<br />
and Taekwondo.<br />
Director <strong>of</strong> Sport, Mike Chamberlain,<br />
a former British Judo Champion and<br />
international competitor, said:<br />
‘‘<br />
The <strong>University</strong>’s Walsall<br />
Campus <strong>of</strong>fers the perfect<br />
environment for the<br />
Australian team, with<br />
the best judo training<br />
facilities in the country<br />
complimented by modern<br />
campus facilities to give<br />
them a truly excellent<br />
experience.<br />
‘‘<br />
The Sports Centre is a British Judo<br />
Association High Performance Centre,<br />
one <strong>of</strong> only a few in the UK, and plays<br />
host to many international sporting<br />
competitions. The Great Britain judo<br />
team also used the Centre in 2008 in<br />
the run-up to the Beijing Olympics.<br />
19
Our academic expertise<br />
Our research excellence<br />
Our student body<br />
Our role in the community<br />
<strong>University</strong> dance lecturer, Dennie Wilson,<br />
received international recognition when<br />
she was appointed to produce the Olympic<br />
victories ceremonies.<br />
Research into the emotional experience <strong>of</strong><br />
runners by Pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> Sport Psychology, Andy<br />
Lane, was awarded the prestigious ‘Inspire’ mark<br />
from the London 2012 Olympic Games.<br />
The Students’ Union received Gold<br />
accreditation for its work supporting the<br />
London 2012 Olympic Games as part <strong>of</strong> the<br />
nationwide project, ‘Be a Champion.’<br />
We helped to bring the Olympics to the Black<br />
Country when we hosted two major events for<br />
the region.<br />
The Birmingham-based choreographer was appointed Victories<br />
Ceremonies Producer for Athletics (Games Time), responsible for<br />
leading, training and directing the Victories Ceremonies Team for<br />
athletics at both the Olympics and Paralympics.<br />
Dennie works part-time as a senior lecturer in Dance at the<br />
<strong>University</strong>’s School <strong>of</strong> Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure and is a<br />
teacher <strong>of</strong> Contemporary Dance at the renowned Elmhurst School<br />
for Dance in Association with Birmingham Royal Ballet.<br />
She said: “This truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity and<br />
I’m hugely proud. It’s not <strong>of</strong>ten that people in the arts get the<br />
opportunity to represent their country in the same way that<br />
sports people do, so I am absolutely thrilled to be part <strong>of</strong> such a<br />
magnificent event.”<br />
Dennie is also the Artistic Director <strong>of</strong> dna3d, a dance, design and<br />
digital performance company that brings together dance and<br />
performance artists, sound and vision to create unique ensemble<br />
performance-based work.<br />
The ‘Inspire’ mark recognises exceptional projects and events that<br />
have been inspired by the Games coming to the UK.<br />
A psychologist by background, Andy’s research interests include<br />
emotion, emotion regulation and psychological skills in sport<br />
performance. The award-winning research was conducted as part<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Emotional Regulation <strong>of</strong> Others and Self (EROS) project; a<br />
national collaborative project <strong>of</strong> university researchers who examine<br />
different types <strong>of</strong> psychology, covering areas such as work, social<br />
and sports.<br />
Andy leads the sports and exercise psychology aspect <strong>of</strong> the<br />
EROS project, which focuses on emotions in sport and exercise.<br />
His work has examined specifically how athletes regulate their<br />
own emotions, in particular before, during and after competition,<br />
and the effectiveness <strong>of</strong> interventions to help athletes regulate their<br />
emotions.<br />
‘Be a Champion’ is aimed at the UK’s student population<br />
and encourages them to make the most <strong>of</strong> the huge range <strong>of</strong><br />
opportunities that the Games present – whether running sports<br />
activities, being creative with art, showcasing the country’s culture<br />
and traditions, or raising awareness <strong>of</strong> the importance <strong>of</strong> creating a<br />
sustainable environment.<br />
The Students’ Union was initially awarded Bronze accreditation<br />
before moving up to Silver and then finally Gold, the highest<br />
accolade available. Representing <strong>Wolverhampton</strong> Students’<br />
Union, current student in Sport and Exercise Science, Victor<br />
Dimakopoulos, undertook an art-based project featuring<br />
photographs <strong>of</strong> local residents, each holding a board stating what<br />
the Olympic Games has inspired them to do. The photographs<br />
were put together to create a montage <strong>of</strong> images that represent<br />
the different ways the Games has inspired the local area.<br />
Victor said: “As a Sports Science student and an avid athletics<br />
and sports enthusiast, I was excited to get involved in the<br />
Olympics. I wanted to give the <strong>Wolverhampton</strong> public the<br />
opportunity to share their thoughts about the Games and how it<br />
has inspired them. Hopefully my passion and philosophy will help<br />
encourage new athletes to push their sport and ambitions to the<br />
limits.”<br />
In collaboration with the Black Country BeActive Partnership, we<br />
hosted the Black Country School Games Winter Festival and two<br />
Sports Makers conventions, bringing the magic <strong>of</strong> the Olympics<br />
into communities across the region.<br />
Over 1,100 young people from primary and secondary schools in<br />
the Black Country took part in the School Games Winter Festival,<br />
which was held at our Walsall Campus Sports Centre and included<br />
over 20 different sporting events. The School Games initiative is<br />
designed to encourage young people <strong>of</strong> all ages and abilities to<br />
participate in competitive sport.<br />
Similarly, our Active Volunteers programme played a leading role in<br />
bringing the national Olympic legacy programme – Sport Makers<br />
– to the <strong>University</strong>. Hosting two conventions, students were given<br />
the opportunity to find out how they could become a Sport Maker<br />
and get involved in sporting activities across the region, either<br />
through leading and organising events, or by simply taking part.<br />
The students also got to meet Olympic 400-metre runner, Daniel<br />
Caines, and Commonwealth and European Swimming Gold<br />
Medalist, Adam Whitehead.<br />
21
My <strong>Life</strong> Jerry Nulun<br />
LLB (Hons) Law, 1997<br />
Jerry Nulun’s life began in the isolated highlands <strong>of</strong> Malaysia with early<br />
hardships that not many people could imagine experiencing. Never<br />
in his wildest dreams did he think that one day he would graduate as<br />
a lawyer. But with his late father’s “never say never” attitude, at age<br />
37, Jerry was given the opportunity to study Law at the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Wolverhampton</strong> via distance learning which changed his life. Since<br />
graduating in 1997 he has worked for some <strong>of</strong> the world’s largest oil and<br />
gas companies, managing some <strong>of</strong> the biggest contracts worldwide.<br />
Above: Jerry as a child<br />
Above: Jerry’s father, Mr Nulun Tuan<br />
Never say never<br />
“My father single-handedly raised me in Bario, the<br />
capital <strong>of</strong> the Kelabit Highlands, an isolated region<br />
within Sarawak, Malaysia. The Kelabits are mostly<br />
farmers and are known to place a lot <strong>of</strong> importance<br />
on education. I believe this is why, against all odds,<br />
and having witnessed many injustices around me<br />
as a young boy, I was prompted to study law.<br />
“When I completed my tertiary education in 1976 I<br />
initially became a temporary teacher before being<br />
employed by Sarawak Shell as a store man. I was<br />
eventually promoted to contract executive, but all<br />
the time l still harboured the desire to become a<br />
lawyer. My salary with Shell was not enough to pay<br />
for my distance learning programme and my father,<br />
who was a farmer, earned less than the equivalent<br />
<strong>of</strong> £1 per month.<br />
was one <strong>of</strong> the happiest moments <strong>of</strong> my life!<br />
My father gave me his entire life savings to start<br />
me <strong>of</strong>f and then subsequent fees were paid by<br />
Shell.<br />
“As a distance learning student my experience <strong>of</strong><br />
university life was different to a typical student’s. Studying<br />
while working has unique experience and benefits that<br />
include being exposed to diverse cultures, team dynamics<br />
and problem solving in the workplace. I consider these some<br />
<strong>of</strong> the key ingredients for fostering innovation and richness<br />
<strong>of</strong> ideas in life.<br />
Dreams to reality<br />
“Through helping me to develop the necessary knowledge<br />
and skills I needed to pursue a career in law, <strong>Wolverhampton</strong><br />
nurtured my dreams to reality. After graduating I was<br />
promoted to senior contract executive at Sarawak Shell<br />
Malaysia where I stayed for another few years; raising my<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>ile and mastering the required skills. Since then I have<br />
moved to several different oil and gas companies such as<br />
Exxon Mobil and OMV, each experience enhancing my<br />
career development through gaining new skills and achieving<br />
promotions. The hardships and difficulties faced in my early<br />
life have conditioned me and put me on a strong and stable<br />
footing to face challenges in life and in my career.<br />
“In September 2010, I became the senior contracts manager<br />
with TOTAL E&P, one <strong>of</strong> the world’s leading oil and gas<br />
companies. In my role, I oversee many challenging contracts;<br />
most are international agreements which are incredibly<br />
complicated as you need to consider the different taxation<br />
laws, statutes, ordinances, judicial decisions, executive<br />
orders and other applicable laws in different countries. I also<br />
lead on strategy development for the contract department’s<br />
activities and ensure compliance to company policy and<br />
procedures, as well as government regulatory bodies. My job<br />
<strong>of</strong>fers many challenges, but I always draw great satisfaction<br />
in solving problems and leading a project to its fruition.<br />
Building a global pr<strong>of</strong>ile<br />
“International exposure enhances employability in my line <strong>of</strong><br />
work and the skills acquired through working with people<br />
from different cultural backgrounds and overcoming language<br />
barriers makes me more attractive to employers. I have been<br />
developing my own global pr<strong>of</strong>ile over the years and look<br />
forward to the new opportunities coming my way.<br />
Where are<br />
you now?<br />
We love to hear about where life has<br />
taken our graduates – the next steps they<br />
have taken and the joys and successes<br />
they are experiencing.<br />
Why not tell us where you are now and<br />
be featured on our alumni website or<br />
maybe even in future editions <strong>of</strong> <strong>WLV</strong><br />
@lumni e-zine and <strong>WLV</strong> <strong>Life</strong> magazine.<br />
You could write about your:<br />
• career success or further study since<br />
graduating<br />
• travel experiences and adventures<br />
• hobbies and interests<br />
• personal life such as marriage and<br />
children<br />
• any other fantastic experiences you<br />
have had!<br />
To find out how to send us your story,<br />
and to read where some <strong>of</strong> our<br />
graduates from the past 50 years are now,<br />
visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/alumnistories<br />
Above top: The house where Jerry grew up. Above bottom: Jerry at his home in Miri Sarawak, Malaysia<br />
“My big break came in 1993, when Sarawak<br />
Shell <strong>of</strong>fered to sponsor my law studies, subject<br />
to acceptance by a recognised university. When<br />
my application to study law was approved and<br />
accepted by the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wolverhampton</strong>, it<br />
“In the meantime, I dedicate my time to my family and, like my<br />
father, I have persevered to ensure that all <strong>of</strong> my four children<br />
have been able to go to university. Studying law and becoming<br />
a lawyer has been a life-changing experience. I will be forever<br />
grateful to the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wolverhampton</strong> and to Shell.”<br />
23
Puzzle Page<br />
We know that you all have busy lives, but why not take a five minute break from it with these quick<br />
puzzles. Answers and solutions will be published in the next edition <strong>of</strong> <strong>WLV</strong> <strong>Life</strong>.<br />
Quick crossword<br />
1<br />
6 7<br />
9 10<br />
11<br />
12<br />
15 16<br />
18<br />
2<br />
17<br />
3 4 5<br />
8<br />
14<br />
13<br />
19 20<br />
Across<br />
6 Made a derisive sound (6)<br />
8 Prophecy (6)<br />
9 Pavement edge (4)<br />
10 Very great (8)<br />
11 Tedium (7)<br />
13 Fold (5)<br />
15 Lustrous gem (5)<br />
16 Into pieces (7)<br />
18 Words <strong>of</strong> gratitude (5,3)<br />
19 Irish Gaelic (4)<br />
21 Young foreign family (2,4)<br />
22 Male goose (6)<br />
Down<br />
1 Ten cent coin (4)<br />
2 Version (7)<br />
3 Wretched (5)<br />
4 Early slide projector (5,7)<br />
5 Final (8)<br />
7 Underground (12)<br />
12 Refurbish (8)<br />
14 Relieve (pain) (7)<br />
17 Aromatic resin (5)<br />
20 Waxy fat (4)<br />
If you have an engineering or physics<br />
background I invested then teach with a PGCE<br />
Secondary: in my future Physics with Maths.<br />
As you hold “Studying highly sought-after for the MBA qualifications was more than and a expertise you will be eligible for a<br />
comprehensive<br />
qualification<br />
package<br />
for<br />
<strong>of</strong><br />
me;<br />
benefits, was an<br />
including:<br />
achievement<br />
and a constant driver in my life.”<br />
• up to £20,000 bursary, dependant on your qualifications to help you through this one-year course.<br />
• excellent employment prospects - there is a national shortage <strong>of</strong> physics and maths teachers.<br />
Marie Buckley<br />
• between £21,000 Master <strong>of</strong> and Business £27,000 Administration starting salary (MBA) with clear progression routes for improvement.<br />
For further details please call: 0800 953 3222<br />
or visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/physicswithmaths<br />
21 22<br />
Sudoku<br />
7 8<br />
2<br />
4<br />
6 3<br />
5<br />
9 8<br />
2 4<br />
5 3 9<br />
2 8<br />
6<br />
6 9 7 1<br />
4 3<br />
6<br />
Winter 2011/12<br />
answers and solutions<br />
Crossword answers<br />
Across: 1 Tore; 4 Guyed; 8 T<strong>of</strong>f; 9<br />
Function; 10 Contrariwise; 12 Cola;<br />
13 Lava; 17 Eat humble pie; 19 Fixation;<br />
21 Wink; 22 Solve; 23 Hark<br />
Down: 2 Offenbach; 3 Effort; 4 Gantry;<br />
5 Yet; 6 Drops; 7 Poncho; 11 Will power;<br />
14 Vienna; 15 Empire; 16 Blanch;<br />
18 Aries; 20 Ail<br />
Sodoku solution<br />
7 3 4 2 9 8 1 6<br />
9 1 6 7 5 3 8<br />
5 2 8 4 1 6 9 7 3<br />
2 9 3 8 6 7<br />
6<br />
4<br />
3<br />
5<br />
8<br />
7<br />
1<br />
9<br />
7 5<br />
9 1 8 5<br />
4<br />
5<br />
4 5 1<br />
4 2 7 3 8<br />
3 1 2 9 6<br />
1 6 2 3 7 4 5 8 9<br />
8 4 5 6 2 9 3 1 7<br />
6<br />
2<br />
2 4<br />
Can we tempt<br />
you with science?<br />
The School <strong>of</strong> Applied sciences has developed some new unique courses investigating core areas<br />
<strong>of</strong> forensic science and an accredited Prescribing Certificate. Developed in close collaboration with<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional services in healthcare and government departments, these courses are designed to<br />
enhance your employment opportunities and to explore new challenges in research.<br />
• Postgraduate Certificate in Prescribing Studies<br />
- study from September 2012<br />
• MSc Medical Bioinformatics<br />
- study from September 2013<br />
• MSc Forensic Genetics and Human Identification<br />
- study from September 2012<br />
For more information about all <strong>of</strong> our exciting postgraduate courses<br />
visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/sas<br />
tel: 01902 322 667<br />
email: sas-enquiries@wlv.ac.uk<br />
25
<strong>Life</strong> by email<br />
Help us to cut down on the amount <strong>of</strong> paper we use by<br />
receiving <strong>WLV</strong> <strong>Life</strong> by email.<br />
There are three ways you can read <strong>Life</strong> online:<br />
• Flip page magazine – just like the paper version<br />
• <strong>Download</strong>able PDF – all the pictures and the jazz<br />
but just one page at a time<br />
• Collection <strong>of</strong> webpages – just the text and a picture<br />
Let us know your email address<br />
If you have an email address and would like to receive future<br />
editions <strong>of</strong> <strong>Life</strong> by email let us know at: www.wlv.ac.uk/life<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Wolverhampton</strong><br />
Wulfruna Street, <strong>Wolverhampton</strong><br />
West Midlands, WV1 1LY<br />
United Kingdom<br />
Tel: +44 (0)1902 323 056<br />
Email: alumni@wlv.ac.uk<br />
Fax: +44 (0)1902 322 099<br />
Website: www.wlv.ac.uk/alumni<br />
MAC1076