Welcome to this special edition of St Andrews in the News. Many of you have been asking about when the new term will start, so we are delighted to include an update from the Principal.
Apart from the latest about the University’s response to Covid-19, we also have exciting news about online Saints Sports Awards along with videos and blogs from our alumni and students.
Please contact us if you would like to contribute your story, video or podcast to share with our online community!
Take care, keep safe and well and keep in touch.
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL AND VICE-CHANCELLOR, PROFESSOR SALLY MAPSTONE FRSE
Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends
I wrote to students and staff recently to update them on the decisions we have taken about the start of the new term in St Andrews and I would like to share these with you now. We have assessed the likely pattern of the Covid-19 pandemic in this country and overseas and have concluded that 14 September 2020 is the optimal date to begin the new term in St Andrews. This will offer some certainty to our students, prospective students, their families, and our general University community. Read more.
In the last edition of St Andrews in the News we featured our St Andrews Covid-19 Appeal to highlight our Student Support Fund (designed to respond to the urgent financial needs of both undergraduate and postgraduate students) and the Principal’s Strategic Response Fund (designed to support our University Community Fund and to reach the University’s areas of greatest need).
We launched this Appeal because of students like Sarah. While she counts herself lucky to be safe and well at home with her family, she is also anxious about the loss of income from her part-time job:
‘I still have my rent to cover as my lease doesn’t run out until the end of July. I am constantly worrying about making sure there are sufficient funds in my account.’
Since the launch, we have received a wonderful response and have secured over £424,000. Thanks to your support, we have already been able to distribute donations to some of our students.
We know that the pandemic has affected many people’s finances adversely and we therefore do not ask for your support lightly. However, these are extraordinary times and any donation you can make – regardless of size – is crucial to many other students like Sarah.
If you are able to make a donation at this time, it would be very much appreciated. Thank you.
Donate now.
UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY FUND APPEAL
In our local community, voluntary bodies of all shapes and sizes are responding to the needs of our residents during this time of crisis. Not only is their contribution crucial just now – it will also be key to the town’s ultimate recovery.
The University wants to recognise this by encouraging applications to its University Community Fund. The fund will accept applications for between £250 and £3000, including those which benefit communities in the local area (St Andrews and neighbouring communities). The fund is supported by a core University donation of £30,000, with the opportunity of topping up the fund from donations. Please consider supporting our wider community so it can continue the invaluable work it does.
The University would particularly like to encourage projects that propose solutions to community needs during the Covid-19 crisis. All applications to the University Community Fund will be considered on a case-by-case basis and the fund will prioritise small, grassroots charities and community organisations over larger organisations.
The Fellowship is a group of undergraduate and postgraduate students united by their love and passion for St Andrews. Their quest is to strengthen Town and Gown relations.
But who or what are they soaking? And why?
Intrigued? You should be! Watch this space for more news next month and follow us on Facebook to get the latest updates…
Professor Sir Ian Boyd is a distinguished marine and polar scientist who created the Scottish Oceans Institute at the University of St Andrews and was until 2019 the Chief Scientific Officer to the UK government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Read his recent article in The Conversation about Covid-19 exit strategies.
The Students’ Association Sabbatical Officers at the University have raised £1155 for the Tayside Health Fund and National Emergencies Trust, with Student President Jamie Rodney shaving his head and eyebrows to boost the total. Read more.
In these challenging times, it’s more important than ever that we stick together as a community and do all we can to help each other through. Bearing this in mind, we thought that since you can’t come to the Sports Awards this year, we would bring them to you!
Saints Sport is therefore proud to present a week of sporting celebrations from Monday 27 April to Friday 1 May 2020. You can share in these achievements safely – wherever you are and at a time that’s right for you.
Find out how you can be part of the celebrations by visiting our website.
While we are all staying at home and staying safe, the opportunity to exercise is more important than ever for looking after our physical and mental health: it can give a sense of routine and normality – or even of escape. In light of recent developments surrounding Covid-19, the subsequent closure of the Sports Centre and the ever-changing situation people find themselves in, the Saints Fitness team has developed the Saints Sport fitness programme to help you engage in physical activity and keep fit from home.
If you finished your course 15 months ago, you will be contacted soon and asked to complete the Graduate Outcomes survey. This helps to provide information about where you are in your career and to inspire the next generation of students about their future careers.
When you are completing the survey, please give as much detailed and accurate information as possible – especially about your job title and duties.
Remember that the Careers Centre is still here to help you to progress in your early graduate career with all sorts of advice and CV checks. Visit our alumni careers web page for inspiration and support as a recent St Andrews graduate.
You can also Visit our dedicated careers and alumni networking platform to keep up to date with the latest news from the Careers Centre and to find out more about how you can volunteer your time to help our student community.
Expanding Opportunities in Uncertain Times
Wednesday 29 April, 12pm EST via Zoom
The University of St Andrews Careers Centre and the USA Development Team are hosting a virtual careers panel featuring St Andrews alumni speakers, with Kristyn Emmer – North American Opportunities Manager in the University’s Careers Centre – acting as moderator. The theme is ‘Expanding Opportunities in Uncertain Times’. Students and alumni are invited to join us as we talk about navigating challenging career paths and reimagining our futures. For more details, please visit the event page on Saint Connect.
St Andrews Angels of London Webinar
The St Andrews Angels is a University of St Andrews alumni-led network of entrepreneurs, business leaders and angel investors. Their mission is to create a legacy of entrepreneurialism and investment around university alumni. Join them for a virtual event at 5pm on Wednesday 6 May to hear more about the group's ambitions and to hear presentations from 3 brilliant entrepreneurs. Find out more and register to attend.
Lots of you have been sharing your #IndoorSaints experiences with us through blogs and videos. We hope you enjoy this selection from Adam Spencer who is separated from his girlfriend; Chrissie Boughey who is working at Rhodes University in the Eastern Cape, South Africa; a group of students who are staying in St Andrews and have created a film called HOMEsick and a poem that will resonate with many of you entitled ‘Mum on the telephone’ - written and read by Sebastian Taylor.
And last, but not least, Mike Forde (one of this month’s featured alumni authors) has written a book for his primary school pupils to help them cope with Covid-19. It’s now being read by families worldwide.
If you would like to share a blog, video or podcast, please let us know alumni@st-andrews.ac.uk.
The University has been collecting photography since 1844. The Library now holds about a million photographs, with more than 200,000 catalogued and 100,000 images online ranging from the birth of photography to modern culturally important collections. We have been working to produce a new improved interface to access this comprehensive resource and this is now available to search and has been rebuilt from the ground up to offer a fast and intuitive experience.
Open invitation to virtual book launch: Tuesday 5 May 2020 at 7pm.
Dugald will be reading extracts from the book and taking questions at the event, so come along to The Lizard Virtual Book Launch page on Tuesday 5 May at 7pm to watch and join in (with your drink of choice)!
Mike is a primary school teacher based in Lancashire. He wrote this story to help the children in his class come to terms with the school closure due to Covid-19. He is now sharing the book with others and donating the proceeds to NHS charities.
The book is also available to download for free on Mike’s website.
Alumni and Club events have been cancelled for the time being, so why not use this time to reconnect with former classmates? Get in touch alumni@st-andrews.ac.uk and we will be happy to pass on messages and promote any Club events you are holding. Look out for our schedule of online events for alumni and friends across the world!
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