10yearsofustinov

years

10

of Ustinov College ALLISON SIEGENTHALER

10 YEARS OF USTINOV COLLEGE ALLISON SIEGENTHALER

CONTENTS FOREWORD DEVELOPING USTINOV USTINOV’S MISSION THE NEW CONCEPT OF A POSTGRADUATE COLLEGE PRE-USTINOV CONSTRUCTING THE COLLEGE SUE SCOTT BUILDING USTINOV’S IDENTITY INTERNATIONALISATION SIR PETER USTINOV CHANCELLORS AT USTINOV LIFE AT USTINOV CAFÉS USTINOV SEMINAR PENNY WILSON UIF USTINOV OUTSIDE FAMILIES FORMALS AND HOLIDAYS THE USTINOVIAN MAGGIE O’NEILL ALUMNI BEYOND USTINOV GRADUATE COMMON ROOM GCR PRESIDENTS STAFF SENIOR STAFF THERESA McKINVEN THE NEXT TEN YEARS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR

5 8 9 10 12 14 16 17 18 19 22 24 26 28 29 30 31 32 34 36 39 40 42 43 44 46 47 47

FOREWORD

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It is a great pleasure to introduce this celebration of ten years of Ustinov College – a unique institution, as this book will testify, and one which is very special to me.

In 2003 the conditions were right for the flowering of just this kind of experiment, with increasing national attention given to the development of postgraduate provision and a new international and global emphasis placed on higher education in general.

In Durham these energies coincided with the meeting of strategic needs through the new Howlands accommodation project, and the involvement with Durham of Sir Peter Ustinov and his internationalist vision. Out of all of this came Ustinov, to offer a dedicated postgraduate equivalent within the collegiate model which is such a distinctive part of ‘the Durham difference’.

Conditions change, of course, even within ten years, and there have been many challenges to be met, differing in scale but all equally unpredictable – from global economic crises and national policies on immigration, to stalactites of ice threatening to fall from roofs on to passing heads. Ustinov has been formed out of such challenges too, and, with all its vividness and creativity and intercultural strengths, has (I am sure) also acquired the resilience to maintain an unsurpassed environment of support and stimulus for generations of postgraduates to come.

Congratulations to the College on its first ten years, and best wishes to all those involved in taking it forward through many future decades.

Penny Wilson Principal, 2005–11

DEVELOPING USTINOV

USTINOV’S MISSION Ustinov College was inspired by a twenty-first century vision of a unique postgraduate community within Durham, underpinned by its internationalist associations with Sir Peter Ustinov, the actor and humanitarian. It is equally founded on another, earlier vision – that of Professor Bill Fisher, in response to the growth of Durham’s postgraduate community in the 1960s.

Ustinov College has grown from the Graduate Society, which was established in 1965 to provide a focal point for the increasing number of postgraduate students Durham was attracting. In the first year of Grad Soc, 94 students were admitted to membership, representing 14 different nationalities and 17 departments.

DEVELOPING USTINOV

Penny Wilson’s column in the THE, 2005 For the 2012–13 academic year, Ustinov College admitted 870 new postgraduate students and had a total membership of 1700 student members from all corners of the world, representing 100 nationalities and as many different programmes.

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THE NEW CONCEPT OF A POSTGRADUATE COLLEGE

Other postgraduate colleges existed before Ustinov, most notably at Oxford and Cambridge, but in the early 2000s a new concept of postgraduate education was being discussed at the highest levels of education. In particular, an emphasis on internationalisation was gaining support in UK universities. This was supported by the Prime Minister’s Initiative 1999, which was designed to bolster the numbers of non-EU students studying in Britain, hoping to reach 75,000 by 2005. The birth of Ustinov College, therefore, was the result of a lucky circumstance: the graduate students of Durham needed a new home just at the time when the zeitgeist was championing such an expansion, particularly for students from outside the UK.

“

Here was an opportunity to combine the strengths of the collegiate system with the strengths of Grad Soc, and we saw it as very much a win–win. Postgraduate students were already living in existing colleges, of course, but here was a new environment for students which also allowed for interaction between different specialties and interests.

”

Sir Kenneth Calman, former Vice-Chancellor 1998–2007

DEVELOPING USTINOV

Before Ustinov existed as a College in its own right, postgraduate students belonged instead to the Graduate Society. Founded in 1965 by Professor Bill Fisher, by the mid-1990s Grad Soc had grown to several hundred students, including a significant overseas student population.

The buildings used by Grad Soc were scattered around Durham city and as far away as Shincliffe Hall, although the hubs of the Society were the offices located on Old Elvet and the Parsons Field Bar. As the postgraduate community at Durham continued to expand and attract students and their families from overseas, it became clear that both a new vision and a new location for postgrad education at the University were necessary.

Fisher Professor Bill 1916-1984

PRE-USTINOV

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30 Old Elvet

Hall Shincliffe

Fonteyn Court Palatine House

DEVELOPING USTINOV

CONSTRUCTING THE COLLEGE: HOWLANDS, KEENAN, BRACKENBURY The construction of Ustinov began in the 1996–97 academic year with the acquisition of Howlands Farm, near the site of the Botanical Gardens to the south of Durham city. Eight halls of residence were originally built, all named for local trees; the former barn also underwent massive renovation, emerging as the new bar and social space we now know as Fisher House.

Two hundred students moved into the Howlands Farm accommodation in 1998, and by 2006 that number had multiplied with the addition of four more, much larger, accommodation blocks. Keenan House and Brackenbury, collectively known as Dryburn Court, were built in 2005 on the other side of the city.

While Grad Soc officially became Ustinov College in 2003, it wasn’t until 2006 that all other University buildings not on Ustinov sites were vacated. The former residences at 38 Old Elvet were sold off and turned into a hotel (now Gadds Town House) and the Parsons Field site allocated to St Cuthbert’s.

Keenan House n tio under construc

The complet ed Keenan House

Brackenbury un der constructio n

DEVELOPING USTINOV

truction Alder under cons

Fisher House The Barn, later

Keeper’s Cottage

The Barn’s inte rior before…

truction Pine under cons

… and after

U

stinov’s first Principal, Sue Scott, is no stranger to the North East: she went to secondary school in Middlesbrough and took her first degree in Sociology at Newcastle Polytechnic. In an academic career spanning 35 years she has built a reputation as one of the foremost scholars of sexuality and gender in the UK. Already a Professor and Postgraduate Dean at Durham in 2003, she didn’t expect to become Principal of Ustinov as well; however she felt that ‘this was an opportunity I just couldn’t refuse!’

The early days of the college were a transitional period, Sue recalls, marked by changes in practice from the days of Grad Soc. ‘Making the transition from society to college was very challenging and sometimes very difficult, as most people don’t much like change and the Graduate Society had its own established traditions, but the reward was a college which raised the profile of postgraduates at Durham and of Durham postgraduate education and facilities around the world.’ In particular, she looked closely at the types of student support the fledgling Ustinov could offer its students. The Graduate Society had focused almost entirely on financial and pastoral support issues, leaving academic support to departments and supervisors. Sue felt strongly that ‘there needed to be a joining– up and that the College and departments needed to communicate more.’

Sue was at the forefront of the new college’s growing pains, dealing with issues ranging from Ustinov’s branding and web presence to accommodation crises to policy-making.

She was responsible for overseeing the

DEVELOPING USTINOV

development of the new College buildings at Howlands Farm and for the final move from the offices in Old Elvet. Sue acknowledges that ‘building a strong team and ensuring that we had the right spread of people on the College Council was an important task and challenge.’

At the same time, Sue had the privilege of being the only Principal to know Sir Peter Ustinov, as he passed away in her last months at the college. Together, Sue and Sir Peter planned a public lecture series on the theme of ‘prejudice’, an issue which was very close to his heart and to Sue’s as a sociologist, and which he had campaigned against in his public life.

‘He spoke often of his hope for a centre focused on the study of prejudice. It was a great privilege to speak about him and the College at his memorial ceremony in Durham Cathedral.’

Sue’s vision for Ustinov was that it become ‘an intellectual hub for academic staff as well as postgraduates – a kind of Institute of Advanced Study (which Durham now has separately) with lots of events and lectures and workshops focusing on postgraduate education and training as well as on academic themes.’ At the time she felt Ustinov would develop its own personality precisely because it was postgraduate and so international, and she believes it has accomplished that.

‘I think I was so immersed in it all at the time and so busy that it is only in retrospect that I can think, wow – I was Ustinov's first Principal and it is now a well-established Durham College.’

Sue Scott

BUILDING USTINOV’S IDENTITY Ustinov College’s motto, diversitate valemus, is most commonly translated as ‘strength through diversity’ and was coined by GCR President Zubi Al-Zubi in 2005. Ustinov was uniquely designed to be both exclusive and inclusive. By restricting its enrolment to postgraduate students, it created a space particularly well equipped to deal with the challenges that face more mature students and those completing further degrees. At the same time, its decidedly international outlook and composition fostered an environment where students of diverse nationalities and cultures are welcomed.

“

How Ustinov particularly impressed me was in the degree of shared academic self-help which students were able to offer one another, and in the inclusivity and support offered by a wholly Tony Richmond, former Bursar postgraduate College.

DEVELOPING USTINOV

”

INTERNATIONALISATION

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“

There is nothing that can replace the contact of young people of different nations in contributing to a world at peace and freedom from ugly prejudice. My experience has taught me that children are born without prejudice. I am sure it is possible for young adults to maintain this same pristine tradition, and hopefully these young adults in Durham will be able to influence their seniors.

”

Sir Peter Ustinov, Ustinov College naming ceremony, April 2003

A core tenet of Ustinov’s identity is its commitment to internationalisation. By bringing together students from all corners of the world and giving them the opportunity to study issues that affect humanity on a global scale, the College stands for a philosophy of active engagement with internationalism and intercultural experiences. Ustinov members, who come from over a hundred nations, have created a global society at Howlands Farm and Dryburn Court, and the new contacts they forge with other cultures inform their future perspectives on the world.

“

I came here and I was more or less living in my own community, thinking from an Arabic perspective, a Jordanian perspective; but then there was this beautiful alternative which encompassed everything, focused on academia and the good intentions of people. Ustinov nurtured us: our spiritual aspects, our academic aspects, our social aspects, our needs when we had problems.

Zubi Al-Zubi, former GCR president

”

DEVELOPING USTINOV

SIR PETER USTINOV Sir Peter Ustinov (1921–2004) was an actor, writer, raconteur and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. As president of the World Federalist Movement, his vision of the world was one where nation-states had faded to allow for global governance, free of prejudice and partisan interests.

As Chancellor of Durham University from

1992 until his death in 2004, he was instrumental in shaping a dialogue of internationalisation and tolerance. In 2003 the University renamed its Graduate Society in his honour, due in large part to his beloved status among Durham students; Ustinov College stands as a memorial to his deeply held belief in a truly global society.

“

Someone asked where my roots were and I replied, I hope in civilised behaviour.

”

DEVELOPING USTINOV

CHANCELLORS AT USTINOV

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Bill Bryson and Dr Penny Wilson

Bill Bryson unveils the plaque for the opening of Fisher House

Sir Thomas Allen

Professor Sue Scott and Sir Peter Ustinov DEVELOPING USTINOV

LIFE AT USTINOV

Ustinov’s three academic Cafés – Café Scientifique, Café Politique, and Café des Arts – incorporate research and other work by current Ustinov students, SCR and community members, and visiting scholars. Each Café is held on a number of occasions each year and consists of two to four speakers, with intervals for discussion and a Q&A section at the end where all research strands are brought together by the chair.

While presentations of papers are the most common format of the Cafés, guests will often break from this tradition. In the last year the Cafés hosted, among other events, a lecture and DJ set from DJ Funky Pharaoh, who spoke about his experiences bringing Arabic music to mainstream party scenes; a display of our artist-in-residence’s sketches set to live cello improvisation; and a demonstration of dominance behaviour in wolf packs. The Cafés are the cornerstone of Ustinov’s commitment to fostering all branches of academia, and with the Ustinov Seminar provide well-rounded fora for discussions of every type of academic research.

CAFÉS

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USTINOV SEMINAR The purpose of the Ustinov Seminar is to allow postgraduates in different disciplines to showcase their research and prepare for external conferences and academic work.

Many Durham postgraduates make their academic debut at the Seminar presenting aspects of their Master’s or PhD theses. Each Seminar has a core theme and typically consists of four or five speakers whose research touches on that theme. Typically speakers come from a broad range of subjects and schools, providing an interdisciplinary experience for the audience.

The Ustinov Seminar, the idea of which was first developed by former Principal Penny Wilson, represents the best of the ideas that brought Ustinov itself into existence: a commitment to excellence in scholarship and research, a representation of a diverse and global academic world, and the creation of a debate which stretches across national and cultural divides.

“

The Seminar is a particular asset of Ustinov that I haven’t often seen in colleges, either at Durham or at other universities. It provides Ustinov students with an excellent forum for sharing their research in a time when it’s crucial for them to be learning how to write and deliver papers, to respond to audience comments and questions, and to learn about what their fellow scholars are studying.

”

John Shafer, former Ustinovian editor

By the time she arrived at Ustinov in September 2005, Penny Wilson was already thoroughly acquainted with the challenges and rewards of College life. After four years of doctoral study in Oxford, she had spent more than thirty years as a scholar in English literature and classics, mostly at New Hall (now Murray Edwards College) in Cambridge, where she also held a series of major college and intercollegiate roles. The transition between Cambridge and Durham, however, ‘was like crossing a frontier, or perhaps several frontiers at once,’ Penny told us, ‘between a work environment mainly focused on undergraduate teaching and support, and the very different challenges and rewards of a postgraduate and international community. Perhaps my biggest contribution was being ready to let very different people have their say, and only occasionally knocking heads together.’

When Penny came to Ustinov, she was charged with encouraging the new research culture already beginning to flourish here.

With the then-Chancellor, Bill Bryson, as honorary patron, the Ustinov Seminar and the ‘Café’ programmes – Scientifique, Politique, and des Arts – were set up, with the first Ustinov Seminar taking place on 4 March 2006. ‘There were so many bright and venturesome people eager not just to develop their own pursuits and achievements, but to make sure that others got the best possible chance to participate fully as well,’ Penny recalls. Today the Seminar forms the backbone of Ustinov’s scholarly endeavours, bringing together researchers from across the university, while the Cafés draw interdisciplinary perspectives from both Durham academics and the wider community.

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Certain aspects of Ustinovian life were more difficult to work around, the most obvious being the relative lack of funding at Durham compared to Cambridge.

What Ustinov manages to do without the facilities that students and staff in Cambridge take for granted is, Penny suggests, very impressive, especially given Ustinov’s larger-than-average size and the number of different demographics it must cater to. The sense of community created here, she notes, is remarkable: ‘It’s a wonderful thought that so many thousands of individuals across the world are linked by their time in this one small spot of the North East of England.’

It’s her academic legacy that Penny treasures most, however: ‘When I left I was presented with two beautifully bound volumes, one a complete set of the Ustinovian, and the other with all the posters from the seminars and Café events of my six years. They perfectly represent one aspect of what I am and always will be most proud of. But there’s a different sort of pride in coming back, as I have often since, and feeling the place moving on through new generations – still the same but always changing, so a very dynamic form of legacy, the most important thing being that it goes on doing what it does without me.’

Penny’s deep love for Ustinov is clear; she speaks of the pride she feels for the College whenever she returns. ‘Ustinov deserves to be much better known, both within the University and outside it: it isn’t perfect, but it is a unique institution in its own right. It is one of Durham’s jewels.’

Penny Wilson

UIF The Ustinov Intercultural Forum is dedicated to fostering diversity and cultural awareness in Durham’s postgraduate community. Events such as international fashion shows, cultural dances, potluck dinners, and language exchange programmes showcase the UIF’s core principles of inclusion and open learning. The UIF’s year of events culminates in a Cultural Day, in which students create booths displaying examples of their home cuisine, dress, music, art, and everyday life.

“

The Intercultural Forum aims to enhance and consolidate Ustinov’s diversity through promoting activities and opportunities which will help develop mutual and in-depth cultural understanding among Ustinovians and beyond.

First-ever UIF flyer

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”

USTINOV OUTSIDE: SPORTS AND LEISURE

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The sporting life at Ustinov has something for everyone, helping to provide a complementary focus to postgraduate studies and fostering social interactions between students from all disciplines. Some teams, such as football and basketball, are based at Ustinov; others, such as rowing, are run jointly with other Colleges. More informal groups such as the Walking Club and the Allotment Society round out the many ways Ustinovians have to get outdoors and get active. For those who are less outdoorsy, the pool and darts teams offer an indoor option to compete and make friends.

Honours Night 2013

Unwinding in the common room

allotment Howlands Farm

-10 ball club 2009 Women’s foot

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FAMILIES Ustinov is unique amongst Durham University colleges in that it provides accommodation specifically for families. Keenan House allow students from overseas to bring their partners and children with them to the UK. The result is a vibrant community made up of many nationalities and cultures. Children at Keenan grow up with friends and playmates from all over the world, echoing Sir Peter’s hope for a future free of divisions between nations.

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FORMALS AND HOLIDAYS

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The Ustinov community gathers all year ound for festivities, religious holidays, and celebrations of its diverse College culture!

In December, Father Christmas comes to visit; at Easter the children of college members come to Howlands Farm to hunt for Easter eggs. Ramadan is marked by an iftar open to all, and the Ustinov Americas Society holds a Thanksgiving potluck.

Traditional British holidays such as Burns Night and Bonfire Night are commemorated with formals and fireworks.

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THE USTINOVIAN A termly publication reporting on every aspect of life in Durham, the Ustinovian covers recent academic events, sports club and athletics results, suggested activities for students in and around County Durham, op-ed pieces on current events, and a ‘Ustin-Onion’ humour page. The first Ustinovian, published in May 2005, was three pages long; eight years later, it’s a full fifty, complete with colour photos and a five-person editorial team.

5 Spring 200

Michaelma s LIFE AT USTINOV

2013

Epiphany 2 006

011 Summer 2

33 008 2 s a m l e a Mich Spring 200 9

Special Ed ition: Bill Bryson (Winter 20 10)

s Michaelma

2009

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Maggie O’Neill came in swinging when she took over the role of Principal in 2012. In her short time here she has expanded Ustinov’s connection to the outside world, ‘taking Ustinov into the broader cultures and communities of the region and beyond and, at the same time, bringing these communities into Ustinov.’

Hailing from Consett, just a few miles down the road from Durham, Maggie gained her PhD in 1995 and has been a Professor in Durham’s Criminology department since February 2010.

Since then she has been a leader in her field, devoting her time to several research networks. Community, equality, diversity and social justice have underpinned both her research activities and her leadership at Ustinov.

‘It’s clear to me,’ Maggie says, ‘that what sets Ustinov apart is the international community, the hospitality and the passion for learning, knowledge and making a difference; this is so obvious to anyone spending time here. I’ve enjoyed my time leading Ustinov immensely – it is a very special community that just works, from the housekeepers and porters to the College staff, students, mentors and SCR members. It is an amazing global community in which to live and work.’

During the last eighteen months, Maggie has forged links with organisations all over the UK and beyond. Part of this has included supporting the Ustinov Seminar, the Intercultural Forum and Cafés Politique, Scientifique and des Arts with a renewed focus on being more ‘outward-facing’, bringing in a greater variety of speakers from other universities and organisations.

Her commitment to the ‘transformative role of art and creativity’ has manifested with the

LIFE AT USTINOV

presence of both an artist- and writer-inresidence, who have led workshops, talks, and excursions.in conjunction with the Café des Arts. In addition to working with other Durham colleges and strengthening links with the IAS, she has also connected Ustinov with the ArkLight Foundation and the Peter Ustinov Foundation, working to expand the alumni network and provide opportunities for Ustinov graduates all over the world.

At the same time, Maggie’s own research has often been a jumping-off point for her outreach activities. Her work with local asylum seekers culminated in a day-long conference at Ustinov on Asylum, Migration and Community, including a performance of the play The Space Between Us by Open Clasp, a theatre group based in the North East. Another project finished with a photography exhibition and film in collaboration with Purple Rose, a community of displaced women in Sunderland, and the Regional Refugee Forum North East.

‘One of the things I have worked really hard to do is “brand” the College with the ethos of Sir Peter – people are probably getting tired of me saying this at formals now! Intercultural understanding, creativity, inclusion and global citizenship underpin the Ustinov College community, and it’s important to me that our community hosts events that reflect these values. I am totally committed to supporting postgraduate students and it is such a pleasure and privilege to be part of (and lead!) Ustinov’s community.’

Maggie O’Neill

ALUMNI BEYOND USTINOV

Susan Mathew Susan graduated from Ustinov in 2010 with a PhD in theology, having submitted a thesis on women’s ministry in the Roman Empire. In the same year she founded the Deepti Centre in Kerala, a charity for children in India born with developmental difficulties. The Deepti Centre provides special-needs teachers, transportation, and focused schooling for these children, who otherwise may not receive the education and care they need.

Eduardo Lopez-Reyes A New Englander, Eduardo returned to politics after earning his MA in the School of Government and International Affairs, which he completed concurrently with military service and Arabic language studies in Egypt. In 2011 he was elected the National Vice Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus, which works to incorporate libertarian political ideals into the wider framework of the US Republican Party. He also serves on the National Leadership Committee for Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry.

Hana Al-Hirsi After completing her MA in International Relations in 2006, Hana joined Pyramedia, a film and television company in Abu Dhabi, as Head of International Publicity for a number of Arab cultural television projects and documentaries. She now divides her time between the UK and the UAE, where she heads the Film Industry Office for the Abu Dhabi Film Festival, an event she helped to establish in 2009.

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Olga Dodd Olga completed her MSc in International Corporate Finance in 2006 and her PhD in Finance in 2011.

She is currently a Senior Lecturer in Finance at the Faculty of Business and Law, Auckland University of Technology in Auckland, New Zealand.

Zeray Yihdego Zeray earned his Law PhD at Durham in 2006. After lecturing at Oxford Brookes University and in his home country of Ethiopia, he took up a post at the University of Aberdeen.

Zeray is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy; a member of the UN Expert Group on the Firearms Protocol, which supplements the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime 2000; and acts as a consultant for the Vienna-based UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

“

My stay in Ustinov College was a pure joy. The beautiful scenery and tranquility of the College impressed me the most when I first arrived here from Hong Kong. As a truly international college, Ustinov offered me numerous opportunities to meet and collaborate with people coming from cities I have never visited and speaking a wide range of languages.

It brought me an unparalleled supportive environment to gain knowledge Man Ki Maggie Chu and friendship that would last for a lifetime.

Dan Kahn

�

Following a career in the Army, Dan changed his career path to practising and teaching complementary therapy. He joined Ustinov College while studying his MA in the History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine. He currently splits his time between the Army Reserves with the University of London Officer Training Corps and teaching complementary therapies, meditation and personal development courses.

LIFE AT USTINOV

Zubi Al-Zubi Zubi Al-Zubi served two terms as President of the GCR while completing his PhD at the Business School; he oversaw the first Ustinov Barbeque and the first Cultural Day at the College. After graduating he took a position at the University of Jordan and has since progressed to the post of Senior Lecturer. In the autumn of 2013 he was named Dean of the Business School.

Man Ki Maggie Chu After graduating from Durham with her MA in Financial Management, Maggie began work as a valuation analyst, working for companies listed in Hong Kong, mainland China, the US and the UK. Her current main responsibility is carrying out analysis of capital investment projects in the technology sector across the world.

Lev Tobias Lev, who earned his MA in International Relations in 2012, volunteered in with Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts for eight months following the storm, supporting grassroots relief efforts in Brooklyn, including managing a 60,000 square foot recovery warehouse. He is currently working as a Program Manager for Disaster Recovery at Lutheran Social Services in New York while waiting to deploy as a logistician with Medicins Sans Frontieres.

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GRADUATE COMMON ROOM

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Every Ustinov student has the chance to become involved in student life by running for a position in the Graduate Common Room committee. Every one of these positions – whether it’s the Welfare Team, the representatives of each college site, or the seven students who make up the Executive Committee – takes dedication and creativity, and each one plays a significant role in shaping the year to come. The GCR is run entirely by volunteers who give their time and energy for nothing in order to make Ustinov the best it can be. Many students run for a GCR position as soon as they arrive as a way of making new friends and participating in Ustinov life from day one.

“

The GCR helps you learn other skills – teamwork, leadership, all these things you cannot get from the classroom. You need to get involved in Ustinov – get involved with the GCR or other college societies. In a way it helps your future career as well.

”

Frankie Chau, former GCR bar manager and now Senior Lecturer, Business School

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GCR PRESIDENTS Name: Ad nan Ball och Degree: B usiness, PhD Years as presiden t: 2013

ll k Cresswe Name: Nic g, PhD ngineerin Degree: E 2–13 ident: 201 s re p s a Years

Name: M att Hann Degree: P olitics, M A + PhD Years as presiden t: 2010– 12

Wood PhD Name: Lara gy, MA + lo o h c y s P Degree: 9–10 ident: 200 s re p s a Years

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on on Robins Name: Sim re, PhD sh Literatu li g n E : e Degre 08–09 sident: 20 re p s a rs a Ye

Name: G uy Siviou r Degree: M athemat ics, PhD Years as presiden t: 2007– 08

i Al-Zubi Name: Zub hD usiness, P Degree: B 005–07 resident: 2 p s a rs a e Y

Name: A ngelo Go ode Degree: Politics, M A + PhD Years as presiden t: 2004– 05

n cy Johnso Name: Sta litics, MA –04 Degree: Po ent: 2003 id s re p s a Years

LIFE AT USTINOV

STAFF Ustinov College only runs smoothly because of the army of people – porters, cleaners, office staff, and café and bar workers – devoted to the cause. The staff at Ustinov sort post, mop floors, brew coffee, fix dripping taps, provide advice and guidance, mow lawns, pull pints, salt pavements, and do all the other little things that go unnoticed. Not only do they form the backbone of the College community, they’re devoted to Ustinov and to the well-being of its students (6am fire drills every October notwithstanding).

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SENIOR STAFF

Martin Clemmett

Tony Richmond

Paul Metcalfe

John Hirst

Bursars. The Bursars work closely with University administration and are responsible for the financial health and well-being of the College.

Sarah Lee

Hannah King

Assistant Senior Tutors. The Assistant Senior Tutors work together with the Senior Tutor, particularly in the areas of student life and community support.

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Theresa McKinven lives and breathes Ustinov College: Ustinov’s first – and so far only – Vice-Principal & Senior Tutor freely acknowledges that ‘my blood, sweat and tears’ have gone into its development and continuation. Now in her eleventh year at Ustinov, she continues to devote herself to the smooth running of the College.

Theresa got her start in higher education as a teacher of academic English, work which took her as far abroad as Turkey and China and which acclimatised her to working in international communities. Uniquely among senior staff at Ustinov, Theresa was simultaneously a staff member and a postgraduate member of the College, completing her EdD in 2011. Her thesis?

Living Together: investigating student interaction in a multi-national postgraduate community, a case study in integration and intercultural learning conducted at an anonymised postgraduate residence in the North East of England.

Theresa arrived in Durham in the very last days of the Graduate Society, as the staff and postgraduate students prepared to make the leap from society to college, and found a lot of restructuring waiting for her. ‘In the beginning, the work was pretty much focused on getting very concrete things in place: for example, students had to get through two locked doors to see staff members, and there was some considerable speculation among students as to whether certain members of staff actually existed. That might sound funny, but it did indicate a real separation between what staff focused on delivering and what students were interested in receiving from “the College”.’ Along with Sue Scott, Theresa is responsible for many facets of Ustinov life students now take for granted:

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the remit of the GCR, the structure of student support, and the culture of openness and collaboration that exists between postgraduate students and Ustinov staff.

In her time at Ustinov, Theresa has done anything and everything. A typical day involves ‘more meetings than you can possibly imagine’ with other University staff members, touching on matters from financial to administrative to PR tasks; commissioning content for college brochures, offering support to students in need; more meetings with the student leaders of the Cafés, the Seminar, and the Ustinovian; and at the end of the day attending a talk in Fisher House. ‘I can go from talking to a student about a serious illness or family bereavement to welcoming a visiting speaker in the space of five minutes. You have to be infinitely adaptable.’

Theresa’s approach to her work at Ustinov combines idealism about the College’s mission and vision with practical application, encompassing a philosophy of what could be described as ‘hard graft’. In her eyes, it’s important to have a vision, but even more important to work out what that vision means in practice ‘I think that’s pretty much my constant question – “What do we actually have to do to achieve that idea?”

I’m perfectly happy starting with a completely inchoate notion, but then I think you need to plan how you’re going to turn that idea into reality.’

Theresa is proud of the way Ustinov has grown and thrived over the last ten years. ‘From the perspective of 2013, it doesn’t surprise me in many ways what Ustinov has become – after all, we’ve worked very hard to achieve it.’

Theresa McKinven

THE NEXT TEN YEARS As Ustinov looks back over its first ten years, it’s amazing to see the ways in which the College has grown. From its roots in the Graduate Society and the big move to Howlands Farm, through lots of trial and error and creative problem-solving, Ustinovians have brought together their differing experiences to forge a College rich in diversity, in academic strength, and in community spirit.

The future of Ustinov will, no doubt, bring more surprises and successes. When the College community looks back again in 2023, Ustinov College will certainly have continued to develop while staying true to its sense of internationalism, its strong interdisciplinary spirit, and its driving principles of openness and equality. Here’s to another wonderful ten years!

“

It is a privilege to be a member of the Ustinov College community, and the challenge for the future is to grow our facilities, sustain and develop scholarships and funding for postgraduate education, and to continue to develop our College community around the principles of participation, creativity, research, scholarship and global citizenship.

”

Principal Maggie O’Neill

LIFE AT USTINOV

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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Thanks to Hana Al-Hirsi, Zubi Al-Zubi, Ryan Bennison, Sir Kenneth Calman, Frankie Chau, Maggie Chu, Nui Deesomsak, Carrie Gilroy, Matthew Griffiths, Uli Harder, Miranda Hines, Dan Kahn, Hannah King, Tina Kover, Ed Lopez-Reyes, Susan Mathew, Maggie O’Neill, Céline Ophelders, Sue Scott, John Shafer, Lev Tobias, Samawat Ullam, Penny Wilson, Zeray Yihdego, and all members of staff at Ustinov College.

Special thanks to Theresa McKinven, Sheila Seal and Brian D Taylor.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Allison Siegenthaler came to Durham in 2010 from Portland, Maine to complete a Master’s degree in archaeology. She now works as a freelance editor and copywriter.

LIFE AT USTINOV

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Ustinov College Howlands Farm South Road Durham DH1 3DE Tel: +44 (0)191 334 5470 Fax: +44 (0)191 334 7231 Web: www.durham.ac.uk/ustinov.college /UstinovCollege