Issuu

2019 issue 03

EXE.

The Exeter College Magazine for Alumni and Friends

MEET ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN MUSIC... It may surprise you.

My Exeter College: An Interview with Sam Heasman, Director of Photography Keeping it in the family: A love of music Leaping to success: The dancer who is set to make it big in the West End

contents

CONNECT

WITH US

How can I get involved? > Come and talk to our students > Be a case study > Attend careers focused events > Offer work experience/work shadowing/ work based activities

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20 Music Academy Our previous award winners who are pursuing their dreams 22 Leaping to Success The dance student who is making it big in the West End 24 In conversation with An interview with Exeter City Coach Dan Green 03 Welcome An introduction from our Principal and our writers

26 Sport News This year in sport

04 College news Some of this year’s big news from around the college 06 From the Archive A selection of old music photos – can you spot yourself?

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10 Sam Heasman Creativity at its finest 12 Three Inspirational Women Meet Vanessa Reed, Ali Golds and Ellis Taylor 18 Keeping it in the Family Generations of music students who continue to choose Exeter College

sam heasemen creativity at its best exe-coll.ac.uk

WELCOME to our third alumni and friends magazine.

As we approach the year 2020, we move towards a very special year for the college. 2020 marks our 50th year as Exeter College, the first tertiary college in England. I too am an Exeter College alumnus, as I studied on a part time basis at the college between 1992 and 1994, and so it will be a special moment both personally and professionally. We hope that there will be moments when all of our alumni and friends join us to celebrate a truly golden history.

our

writers

Each year, we discover more great stories about individuals who attended Exeter College who are now making a difference locally, nationally and, in some cases, internationally. We believe that coming to Exeter College is just the start of what is an enduring connection to our very special college. As well as being a place where lives are transformed through the power of education, our college is a place where lifelong friendships are made and memories are formed. Following last year’s exceptional alumni dinner and the publication of our second alumni magazine, we have been contacted by lots of our alumni. It is, therefore, our plan to celebrate each year a particular area or vocation. Following last year’s spectacular event that celebrated all things Hospitality and Catering related, this year we turn to the arts – in particular, Music. As a college, we are proud of the success of our students and, through the creation of an active alumni, we hope to celebrate this success over time as the careers of our students develop, evolve and excel. Many of the articles in this magazine have been written by our very own students, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for their hard work. It is always a pleasure to speak to someone with a personal story and connection with our college. I do hope our magazine sparks some memories and inspires others to get back in touch. We very much hope you enjoy reading about your fellow alumni and friends in our magazine. Enjoy your magazine.

John Laramy Principal and Chief Executive

For this issue three current students from our Journalism Academy have written articles. The Journalism Academy aims to bring together in one place, the people, skills, resources and contacts students need to make it as a journalist. (From left to right) Charlie Howell – studying A Levels in English Language, Politics, Geography and Maths with Statistics Olesya Isupova – studying A Levels in English Literature and History and a BTEC in Applied Psychology Francesca Dodd – studying the UAL Diploma in Creative Media Production and Technology

get in touch alumni@exe-coll.ac.uk

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NEWS MULTI-MILLION POUND NEW DIGITAL AND DATA HUB

A multi-million pound bid to revolutionise digital, engineering and manufacturing technology education across the South West has been successful. The new Institute of Technology will establish a range of new buildings and facilities across the region. The Exeter element of the bid will help part fund Exeter College’s plans for a new £10 million Digital and Data Hub on its Hele Road site.

A Levels Top 10 Percent Nationally for Outstanding Progress Exeter College named among the UK’s Best to Work For, by The Sunday Times The prestigious Top 100 UK ranking is based on a survey of staff at the college measuring factors such as leadership, wellbeing, personal growth, and giving something back.

For the second consecutive year Exeter College is in the top 10% nationally for the outstanding progress of its A Level learners. The college has been awarded a 2018 Alps Certificate of Outstanding Progress, this is compared to the A Level outcomes of 2,817 schools and colleges in the UK. Alps is the leading post-16 data analysis provider in the country, used by almost 3,000 school sixth forms, sixth form colleges and tertiary colleges.

Exeter College is ranked 60th overall in The Sunday Times 100 Best Not-For-Profit Organisations 2019, and is only one of three organisations with more than 1,000 employees to be featured in the Top 100.

College announced as Microsoft Showcase College We were proud to announce that we are one of only 12 colleges in the UK to be a Microsoft Showcase College, and the first in Devon. Microsoft Showcase Colleges are a global network of colleges ‘engaged in innovative change to improve teaching and learning.’ 04

For more information on any of these stories, please visit our website: exe-coll.ac.uk/news exe-coll.ac.uk

NEWS IN PICTURES

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World leading chefs including Raymond Blanc visit Exeter College as part of the annual Relais & Châteaux conference, hosted by Michael Caines MBE The Education and Training Foundation and Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 award Exeter College’s Stephen Mariadas a Technical Teaching Fellowship An artists impression of the new gym and dance floor, opened in May 2019 We officially open new Apprenticeship and Employment Hub on Queen Street In February, Exeter College held its annual awards celebrating exceptional apprentices and honouring the employers that go above and beyond to encourage these individuals Students speak at and attend TEDxExeter with this year’s theme being The Art of the Possible

get in touch

Students at Exeter College were invited to reimagine their city’s future in Minecraft for the Exeter 2025 Minecraft Challenge. This project was run working with Microsoft Education, Exeter City Futures and Exeter City Council 9 We celebrate student’s achievements at our Annual Student Awards 10 Students graduate at Exeter Cathedral with guest speaker Nicola Dandridge CBE, Chief Executive of the Office for Students

For more information on these news stories and for the latest college news, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching Exeter College. exe-coll.ac.uk

From the Archive

Big Band performing with famous saxophonist Joey Jones

Big Band performing at Bishop Blackall School

Second year National Diploma Music students having their photo taken before their final major project

National Diploma Music students outside Victoria House

Jazz students performing at The Phoenix bar

Bude Jazz Festival with Mark Knightingale (internationally acclaimed jazz soloist) and Mark Wherry (Digital Instrument Design for Hans Zimmer)

Big Band performing at Bishop Blackall School

Exeter City Flower Festival in Bedford Square

Big Band playing at Picnic in the Park at Bovey Tracey

Big Band playing at St Luke’s College

Workshop with award winning jazz saxophonist Alan Barnes at the Barnfield Theatre

Do you have memories of Exeter College? Share them with us at exe-coll.ac.uk/alumni or email alumni@exe-coll.ac.uk

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A THREE DAY FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, FILM & FAMILY FUN IN NORTHERNHAY GARDENS & AROUND THE CITY Box Office: visitexeter.com/exeterfestival ExeterFestival

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Exeter College is turning

In 2020, we will be celebrating an amazing 50 years as the U K’s first tertiary college. To recognise this we will be marking the occasion with an extra special alumni magazine. We would love to hear your stories from your time at Exeter College, whether you left us five or 25 years ago. You can send us your stories and photos via email to alumni@exe-coll.ac.uk Alternatively, you can share them on twitter by tagging @ExeterCollege

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Sam Heasman

Creative Freedom Creativity: the use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness.

Not many jobs involve this. To be able to be creative in your workplace is a rarity, as so many professions comprise of simple repetition, doing the same thing over and over again. Boring. Sam Heasman would hate that. The former Exeter College student lives and breathes inventiveness and originality, always striving to stand out and make his mark in the ever-competitive industry of TV and film. Currently working as a Director of Photography (also called a cinematographer) for the BBC, Sam found some time in his busy schedule to explain to us exactly what he does. “A Director of Photography is the person in charge of creating the image for the director. I’m the head of the camera department, running the team and sometimes operating a camera myself too. I’m in charge of the image. I’ll also be in charge of the lighting, I take the director’s ideas and create them visually.” Despite being a crucial cog in the film making process (Sam describes them as “hidden heroes of the film industry”), a Director of Photography isn’t a widely known job, but for Sam it was the ideal role. 10

“I’ve always wanted to work in film, since I was tiny, playing with my dad’s camera and stuff like that.” Sam told us, “I’ve always enjoyed that sort of thing, I love telling stories, the idea of disappearing into another world. Then I grew up and realised that’s probably not going to happen but I could create these stories rather than be part of one. I spent a lot of my time at Exeter College working out what makes a film look good. What differentiates a student film from a Hollywood feature? Obviously, a bigger budget! But what is it fundamentally that makes these things different? I learnt that lighting is such an important thing. I sort of fell into loving the impact of lighting and how the camera works. So, my concept of being the one telling the stories started to change to wanting to be a Director of Photography.” After leaving Exeter College, Sam got his first real taste of the industry when he and a friend wrote and shot the short film ‘Who is Afraid of the Watersprite?’ – hiring a professional cinematographer to help and teach them both. The film was a success, going on to win Best Film in the first Cambridge Student Film Festival (2010), an achievement Sam is still rightly proud of. “We won the first year of the Cambridge Film Festival and they renamed their festival to ‘Watersprite’ – in honour of our film. We all went back and did a panel a short while ago, doing a ‘where are we now?’ thing. That was quite fun. The film itself never made any money but it was experience!” Experience is key for getting into the film industry, and experience is what Sam got, initially working as an exe-coll.ac.uk

electrician on movies like Paddington and TV shows such as Black Mirror and Misfits. Being involved on these sets gave Sam a taste of what was to come, but he had to find a way of getting closer to a Photography Director’s role in an industry that doesn’t exactly advertise jobs. “A lot of it (employment) is word of mouth, people recommending me to others.” Sam explained, “I was quite fortunate with my work – it kind of snowballed and got bigger and bigger. Film festivals are key for that, as it’s where I’ve met a lot of directors. I’ll watch their films, then I’ll go up and chat. Film festivals are great for networking, especially if you’ve got a film in there as it already shows what you’ve done. People see films I’ve shot, then they may ask me to do short films, which initially got me work as a D.P (Photography Director) alongside working as an electrician.” The networking paid off, as it led to Sam working with the likes of The Kooks and Wolf Alice on music videos, jobs he really enjoyed. “Music videos were the first paid D.P work I got, allowing me to step up and stop being an electrician. A friend put me forward to a director and I started doing a few music videos – that was kind of my first step into music as an Assistant D.P.” As word of Sam’s work spread, he began to get roles in other areas of the film industry, shooting various commercials with supermarket brands like Flash and Dove, while also taking on a number of short films. “I like the fact you can juggle three different sides: drama, commercials and music videos.” Sam explained, “They’re all so different; music videos you can be a bit wacky and creative, lighting things in ways that don’t make sense but it exe-coll.ac.uk

doesn’t matter. Commercials are about making something look very pretty which is what I enjoy doing and then drama it’s about telling a story.” Recently, Sam got his lucky break into the world of TV, as he worked on the new series of Doctor Who. “It was quite tricky getting into TV because you need experience to get the job so it’s a Catch 22. I got my break when Jamie Childs, a good friend of mine, became the director on the last block of the new Doctor Who series. He was a new director too, but he’d shown the BBC what he could do with a few episodes earlier in the series, gaining their trust, so he gained more control and was able to bring me on board, giving me my opening into the world of TV, which has been brilliant.” Now with TV experience under his belt, Sam is looking to push more boundaries, working on bigger projects and maybe a feature-length movie one day. When that day comes, it is likely that Sam will be working as a Photography Director, he may even be the Director. “I like to think that my role is my role, it’s the top of my field, that’s where I want to be. But, the idea of directing something one day, it could be fun but it’s a lot of work – it’s a very different job. I get my kicks from creating an image as a cinematographer and making something beautiful.” Making something beautiful – it’s what Sam Heasman strives for. Creativity at its finest. Read more about Sam here: samheasman.com Written by Charlie Howell

Rocking the global stage: No 3 on the Power List (that’s above Adele!)

To celebrate the amazing things our alumni go on to do, for this issue we have chosen to focus on three amazing women who are doing great things in their field. We spoke to them to find out about their time at college, how study helped them get to where they are today and what they love about their work.

Power List 2018: Top 40 The Woman’s Hour 2018 Power List celebrates the Top 40 most successful women having an impact on the music we’re all listening to. 1. Beyonce 2. Taylor Swift 3. Vanessa Reed (pictured) 4. Adele

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Vanessa Reed

Vanessa Reed, known for her exceptional efforts in campaigning for gender diversity and the equality of women’s right has been profiled on the BBC’s Woman’s Hour Power list as the third most influential women currently working in the music industry.

What did you do after college? Did you go to university? Yes – I really wanted to continue my studies, have the chance to live away from home and to spend a year in Paris. I was able to do this thanks to my combined honours degree in Music and French. What essential skills did college teach you that you now apply to your job? My lecturers encouraged me to think big and aim high. That was important advice. On the other hand, being part of Big Band when I wasn’t a jazz specialist was also an important experience – you don’t always have to be the best to enjoy what you’re doing! What inspired you to go into this field of work? I realised early on that being a composer or clarinettist would be too isolating for me so I decided I wanted to play a supportive role by working behind the scenes and helping artists to realise their goals. I wanted to work in music because I love it and it’s something I’ve always been passionate about. It always surprises me that more career advisers don’t put this simple point at the top of their list: Try to make sure that your work involves what you enjoy the most as it will take up a large part of your life.

An Exeter College alumna, she has had a significant influence on the developments of the contemporary music industry. As founder of the international Keychange initiative, which invests in underrepresented female talent and raises awareness of the gender gap, Reed is said to have had a “huge impact across the board”. Her position as chief executive of the PRS Foundation, responsible for the talent development body which specialises in an array of transformational funding programmes, targeting young up and coming artists trying to make it into the industry, combined with her talents in leadership and perseverance has made “stunning development in the music world as a whole.” These significant developments have helped to mould the future for the industry so it comes as no surprise that Reed has gained the prestigious position on the list. As we go to print the news breaks that Vanessa has been appointed President and CEO of New Music USA, so it looks like she is destined to continue to do great things for the music industry. Having formerly studied at Exeter College Reed explains her journey towards these developments as well as bringing to light the influence of her college experience in the following interview.

How does it feel to be considered the 3rd most influential woman in the BBC Woman’s Hour Power List 2018? Humbling, a bit surreal and exciting too of course. I’m just pleased that it’s drawn attention to the charitable foundation I lead and the important programmes we run. Raising awareness and growing communities of supporters is essential to every charity’s work.

What did you study at Exeter College and to what extent did this help you get into this field of work? I studied A Levels in Theoretical and Practical Music, French and English Literature. This has helped define my career as it led to me studying Music and French at university and taking up roles in a range of music and arts organisations. Thanks to my French skills I was able to live and work abroad as well as in the UK and that was a great experience.

What was your main incentive for starting the Keychange initiative? I initiated Keychange because I witnessed the huge impact our targeted Women Make Music fund had at PRS Foundation. We launched this fund in response to the low percentage of women amongst professional UK songwriters and composers. Keychange takes it to the next level by enabling women in music to collaborate with their peers in six European countries and Canada and by encouraging festival directors to look at the role they play in sustaining the male dominated status quo. With both funds we spotted a problem and did something about it. It was about taking action and being confident that this was needed.

What’s your happiest memory of college? Meeting such interesting people (both students and lecturers) and having a great time with other musicians through the Big Band and Orchestra. Many of us are still friends today.

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Would your considerer yourself a feminist? Yes – I believe in equality and I believe that equality and inclusion benefits everyone. What is your opinion on the current, often naïve perceptions surrounding feminism? I’m optimistic that outdated interpretations of feminism are changing. I’m also encouraged by the way that the younger generation see feminism as a movement that must be inclusive of women from all backgrounds including women of colour, transgender and non-binary people. It’s also good to know there are many men who consider themselves to be feminists too, including my husband.

My Exeter College

Why do you consider the Keychange initiative an important movement in the music industry? Keychange is important because it’s the first international pledge that has attracted significant global media attention. It’s now been supported by over 150 festivals and the movement is still growing. It’s simple but it’s creating change and it’s using the momentum of #MeToo and #TimesUp to capitalise on many men and women’s conviction that change has become essential. As a creative industry influencer do you notice the gender gap affecting other areas besides the music industry? Yes – as soon as you notice a gender imbalance in one field of work it’s hard not to spot it everywhere. Some creative industries are better than others but there’s a consistent lack of women in senior roles across most creative industries. The way we’re brought up and educated means that certain professions always attract more men than women (the recording studio, conducting and backstage are the obvious examples in music). I’m encouraged to see so many different collectives and campaigns launching in response to these challenges. I hope that more role models, more flexible working conditions and zero tolerance sexual harassment policies will make things different for future generations of talented women who could be taking up a broader range of roles across the creative industries. What problems did you notice within the industry which motivated you to launch transformational funding programmes? Even if you’re not from a background that’s underrepresented in music, succeeding as a composer, songwriter or artist is tough, particularly at those fragile, early career stages. The way music can be created, discovered and listened to online means that there are more ways to reach new audiences than ever before and yet it’s extremely challenging to develop a sustainable career and to cut through in such a saturated environment. That’s why we’ve 14

focused on seed funding for diverse artists at critical stages in their career as this enables them to invest a bit more in their next steps as they hone their craft as an independent musician. We know that these have been transformational from the financial and artistic success many of our recipients have had, including lots of musicians who’ve gone on to win industry awards, be signed to major labels or increase their income from music. Would you say that the gender gap in this industry has subsidised in the last few years? Awareness of the gap has increased significantly so that’s an important start. The statistics, when it comes to songwriters and composers, are not moving that quickly but I’ve been hugely encouraged by the way that festivals are booking more of the many hugely talented female artists amongst the current and next generation who will strengthen their festival programmes. Several Keychange festivals have already reached their 50-50 target of an equal mix of male and female artists. What was the most significant/ valuable lesson you have learnt from working within the industry? Choose your battles and focus on where you can have the most impact. What are two bits of advice you would give someone wanting to go into a similar industry or career? If it’s your passion – go for it and if it’s an area where someone of your background might be in a minority then be empowered by how much you and your input will be needed. Find out more about Vanessa by following her on Twitter @vanessa_prsf prsfoundation.com keychange.eu Written by Olesya Isupova exe-coll.ac.uk

Ali Golds

Ali studied for her PGCE at Exeter College then taught Business Studies and Management at the college. She is now a very successful Life Coach and was recently named by The Independent as one of the top 20 extraordinary women. What do you remember about your time at Exeter College? I remember how helpful the teaching staff were, how much they inspired me to go into teaching myself, and also how much I looked forward to coming to college and learning. What came after college? I taught at the college for a year, before moving back to Sussex. In 2011, I started my own enterprise education consultancy, which saw me working with over 50 colleges across London and the South East; before being asked to work alongside Lord Young as his lead adviser on the 2014 government review of education, Enterprise For All. I went on to start my own charity, The Juno Project, which supports vulnerable teenage girls, wrote two best-selling books, and coach business founders to be successful - working with start-ups, through to multi-million-pound organisations. How did it feel to be named by The Independent as one of the top 20 Extraordinary Women of 2017? It was surreal! Seeing my name alongside women such as Malala, Hollywood actress Rose McGowan, and footballer Eni Aluko was amazing. Better than that was the impact that it had on the girls I work with, who now see that they too can go on to be recognised for their work, despite their difficult start in life. You are also author of the best-selling book “How To Be Your Own Boss As A Single Mum” - was it your own experiences that inspired you to write this? It was. I was working with a large East London college, helping students to start their own businesses, and came across so many single mums who didn’t believe they had the skills to work for themselves. I’m a firm believer that running a business is just like running a household, so single mums are eminently able to work for themselves - they just don’t always believe it. I wrote the book to reach as many as I could, to show them how to start their own venture, and to give them role models in the other women I feature. It’s been very rewarding to hear stories of women who’ve exe-coll.ac.uk

used my book to start on the road to economic independence, via entrepreneurship. Tell us about the Juno Project - why do you think projects like this are important? The Juno Project supports vulnerable teenage girls who have been, or are at risk of being, excluded from school or becoming NEET (young people not in education, employment or training), to develop self-esteem and confidence, and go on to achieve their goals. The girls have had particularly difficult starts in life, and they often don’t believe that they’re worth anything. We show them through the This Is Me programme, by telling our own back stories, that they can use their challenges to great effect. I’m proud that all our girls have decided to stay in school, and/or go onto college or an apprenticeship, and achieve things in excess of anything they may previously have thought. It’s a testament to their determination. Projects like this are vital; sadly, the education system is set up to enable some young people to fail, and these are often the girls that we’re privileged to work with. They need more support (educational and mental health), more understanding (teachers are hard pressed to offer this with the level of bureaucracy they’re required to work within), and a different way of learning - due, either, to their home circumstances or learning abilities. Quite a high percentage of our girls also have learning differences, as I call them, (and as do I), so this also causes problems for them. If we don’t support young people who struggle, mostly through no fault of their own, we’re setting ourselves up for continued problems with gangs, knives, and drugs. That’s not what I, or my wonderful team, want to happen - and, through the This Is Me programme, we’re committed to changing as many lives as we can. Everyone deserves a chance to achieve their goals; our girls are no different. 15

As well as all the above, you are a growth coach and motivational speaker – what is it about your past experiences that makes you so successful at this? When you’ve overcome challenges and problems, it gives you a unique insight into how to turn difficulties to your advantage. Whilst I was studying at the college, I had to seek sanctuary in a women’s refuge from an abusive partner, and I made a promise to myself that I would use that experience to help others. If just one person listened to my story and changed their own life in a positive way as a result, then my struggles would have been worth it. Coaching my clients to grow their businesses, and themselves, requires me to have knowledge of how business works (I’ve been working in business for over thirty years, nineteen of those in my own businesses), as well as empathy and understanding of the

challenges entrepreneurs face. I often say that 90% of the problems my clients have are related to their confidence, not their business! Using my own personal challenges, going back to when I was very small, I can teach my clients strategies and tactics that have worked for me - and can also work for them. And finally, if you had one bit of advice for your younger self, what would it be? If you believe you can’t do something, you’re right - you can’t. If you believe you can, then the world is your oyster. Success is just a mindset. Read more about the Juno Project at: thejunoproject.co.uk

Ellis Taylor

Ellis studied a BTEC in Print Based Media, alongside A Levels in English Language, English Literature, and Philosophy. She then went on to the University of Surrey to study English Literature, briefly returning to Devon for a placement year at Devon Life magazine (which she describes as brilliant) before finishing her degree in 2015. She now lives in London working for a global marketing agency. What do you remember about your time at Exeter College? Climbing up the stairs in the Hele road tower block will stay with me forever! I absolutely loved my time at Exeter College, it was a great place to meet people from so many backgrounds with such different stories. The lecturers were always there to help if you needed it, and they really knew their stuff. I loved the freedom that came with study at Exeter College, it always felt like your future was in your own hands; you got out what you put in. Tell us a bit about what you did after finishing your degree. I then moved back to Exeter again and had a bit of a rollercoaster time career wise! Six months into my graduate job, I was made redundant and felt pretty lost. I ended up working part time at the Northcott Theatre and did a bit of marketing…that sparked my interest and now I live in London and work for a global marketing agency. I do the marketing for the agency (rather than being client side), and work with colleagues all around the world; from Singapore to San Diego and everywhere in between. Very strangely, one of my colleagues in Singapore also went to Exeter College! 16

You are the founder of social group - “Exeter Feminists” - What inspired you to set this up? When I was about 16, I went to Port Elliot festival in Cornwall, when I was there I met some really awesome women who introduced me to feminism and what it meant. That started the journey, and when I was living in Exeter doing my placement year, I was exploring what it meant to be a young feminist in a rural setting. I wanted to meet other people and learn from their experiences and create a platform that would allow others to speak up. Whilst there are some great groups in the area, they didn’t quite fit what I was after…so I set up my own.

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Ellis Taylor with Exeter Feminists 2015

I ran regular meet-ups until 2017, when I moved to London. My three years of running the group was brilliant, and there were so many wonderful people I met as a result of it. We had people from all walks of life sitting together and learning from each other. I remember one evening we had a young girl, she was probably about 16, who was struggling with an adult in her life who often made sexist comments. Women of all ages talked to her and advised her how to deal with the situation, and we could all see how much talking about it helped her. I always hoped that the group would give people the chance to learn more about feminism, build friendships, and feel supported. In 2015, you were 1 of 100 people to visit Facebook HQ to attend a talk by UN Ambassador, Emma Watson – tell us about how that came about and your experience there. The UN put out a request for applications; you just had to say what level of involvement you have in feminism and what you’d ask Emma. It was quite exciting as Exeter Feminists wasn’t even a year old at that point. I must admit, the day didn’t get off to a great start – I fell over on my way there, ripped my tights and cut my knee. I didn’t look Emma Watson-ready at all! The event itself was really interesting, although I felt that many of the answers

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weren’t as honest as they could have been. I have total respect for her, but that session was very top-line and missed out a lot of issues that are faced by women around the world. Now your career has moved to London, you have started to write articles for London based magazine Gender + the city – what inspired you to get involved and what do you write about? I took part in Gender + the City’s special on the pill last year because it’s something I don’t think is spoken about enough. Many women feel that there’s an expectation that they should be entirely responsible for contraception, regardless of what the side effects might be. In my personal experience, and several of my friends’, the pill has had a really negative impact on mental health. Women shouldn’t have to sacrifice their mental health for contraception, and we need to speak up about it. What would you say to the next generation of women to inspire them to reach their potential? Listen, explore, and read. Go to events and talks on topics that interest you, study subjects that you want to learn more about, and read everything and anything. The best way to grow is to learn about things beyond yourself.

Keeping it in the

family

sam norris

Our music faculty often sees numerous generations from one family through its doors. This love of music is passed on from one family member to the next and we are lucky that they choose Exeter College to further hone their skills. Here we talk to three families about their time at college and find out what they are doing now.

Sam Norris & Ben Norris Ben Norris is now in his second year studying Jazz Saxophone at Leeds College of Music, whilst working full time as a music producer/composer. He regularly gigs around Leeds playing Jazz and sometimes gigs abroad where he plays the music he produces as a DJ. He says: “Going to Exeter College is one of, if not the best decisions I have ever made. I had a selection of fantastic teachers who motivated and encouraged me along my musical journey. My favourite thing has to be how I met so many new like-minded people, who quickly became my best friends. I am still in contact with most of them now, some of which I see regularly and collaborate with.” Ben’s brother, Sam Norris is in his second year of study at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama doing a classical performance degree, with his main study being the viola. He hopes to become a professional working musician. Sam says: “Studying at Exeter College was an absolute pleasure. I felt extremely involved within the community of the music department and will be forever grateful for the fantastic tuition that I received from the wonderful musicians that taught there. For me, the best thing was being a part of an extremely diverse range of music projects at the college, for example; playing the violin in the string group, playing the guitar on my performance course and playing bass in Jazz Project and Big Band. It really helped me develop as an allround musician!” 18

ben norris

Joanna Rottenbury, Martin Cartwright, Jon Rottenbury & Mark Rottenbury Joanna Rottenbury (previously Joanna Cartwright) was taught at the college by her father, Martin Cartwright, who still teaches here today. She is now married to Jon Rottenbury who also studied at the college. Jon now teaches for Birmingham Music Service as a Brass tutor. He performed for the Led Zeppelin Masters Tour and plays in pit orchestras for shows too. Her father-in-law, Mark Rottenbury, also studied at the college. Joanna says: “Since moving to Birmingham, I have been able to take lots of opportunities to perform. I toured with the vocal group G4 a couple of years ago and have been enjoying freelance gigs including playing in theatre productions, orchestras and string quartets. Whilst at conservatoire, I set up my own string quartet, which now undertakes regular performances all over the UK at weddings and events. I also work as a teacher for Solihull Music Service in Birmingham, which I really enjoy. Whilst at college, one of my favourite memories was being encouraged by Roz Harding to join Jambassadors - she was keen for ‘unusual’ instruments to be heard in the jazz genre, and I think being part of this project was hugely beneficial exe-coll.ac.uk

perform, as well as land a teaching assistant job in my local special needs school, which has allowed me to run singing assemblies and touch upon music therapy.” After completing his A Levels and BTEC courses last summer, Finn signed up for the HND. “I was blown away by how good the courses were, how many great young musicians there were to work with, and how much I learned about music, but also myself...I am in my third year and can’t seem to get away. It’s full of inspiring course leaders, hardworking teachers, and passionate young musicians.”

joanna rottenbury

To find out about our wide range of Music courses visit our website at: exe-coll.ac.uk

holly morwenna to me. I also enjoyed taking part in the college orchestra, as well as a few chamber music opportunities - one of which was to perform in a two flute and cello trio for the Queen when she visited Princesshay.

Holly is also full of praise for her time here. “College for me, was the best time of my life. No joke. I had the opportunity to study the creative subjects I loved with such enthusiastic and supportive teachers. I valued the community at college and recommend every student to use collaboration to make new friends and develop broad skills. I have made friends for life through collaborating with Photography and English students.” Finn says: “Exeter College music has really helped me to find myself as a musician, as it is so open, and offers so many invaluable opportunities, ranging from college music clubs like Jazz Project, Exeter College Big Band and Live Lunch to chances to watch concerts from the likes of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, as well as write for some of their musicians. There are also opportunities for instrument tuition, from vocals to piano, to violin and flute, which I would strongly recommend for any music student...One of the teachers at college said this to me at the beginning of the year: “The more you put into music at college and university, the more you get out of it”. It was such a simple piece of advice, but I have never forgotten it.” “I still have one more year after this academic year has finished at Exeter College. I am confident that I will develop as a musician, and as a person through all these great events and experiences!”

Finn (second from left) in a photo shoot with folk band Talisker.

I also (unexpectedly!) loved being taught by my Dad, whilst studying for the SubDip in Music Performance. I know I’m biased, but I saw how much my peers enjoyed his lessons too, and I loved being part of different bands with my fellow students. This did wonders for my confidence, and I took part in so many memorable performances.”

Finn Rawlings & Holly Morwenna Brother and sister duo, Finn and Holly both enjoyed their time at college. Finn is now in his third year, studying a HND in Creative Musicianship with our Centre for University Level Studies. After completing A Levels and BTECs at Exeter College, Holly went onto Bath Spa University to study Commercial Music. As well as this, she continues to gig regularly, has several part-time jobs, which include working at a Special Needs School and volunteering for a music club for adults with learning disabilities, called the Music Man Project. She says: “The opportunities these jobs have brought to my life are invaluable. I have been very lucky to have gone to the Royal Albert Hall with the Music Man Project to

Talking about the band, Finn says: “We were put together in the first year of college through the music performance course, we stayed together for both years throughout college, and are still together now. The other members work or study, but we still rehearse and gig a huge amount, and have an EP releasing soon.” 19

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Finn (second from left) in a photo shoot with folk band Talisker.

Music

Academy naomi green - student awards

Naomi Green

Running since 2013, our Music Academy provides a varied enrichment programme. This supports our students’ ongoing development through the provision of instrumental and vocal lessons by some of the top working musicians locally, nationally and internationally. Here, we look back at some of our Music Academy Award winners to find out what they are doing now. 20

Naomi Green Naomi studied Music Technology at Exeter College and was an active member of the Chamber Orchestra, Big Band and student choir. She is now at Plymouth University studying Music specialising in Music Technology. Since leaving college, she has done sound and lighting for the university student union as well as at the Edinburgh fringe. She is currently musically directing two shows and leading the university acapella group. Naomi says: “I really miss college; the music resources were incredible to work with including a moog synthesizer. The lecturers genuinely cared about us as students and I miss having my lectures led by them. One of my main memories is of performing at the Carol concert. Nobody would play the cymbals so I asked if I could and it was the most fun I have ever had.” exe-coll.ac.uk

Over the last three years, more than 30 of our students have secured places to study music at some of the most prestigious conservatoires and universities (in some cases with scholarships).

jonah hitchens

Jonah Hitchens Jonah is about to graduate from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, studying Jazz Performance. One of Jonah’s fondest memories of college was performing in the Big Band and for the jazz project. “It was a fantastic opportunity to play with similar minded musicians in an expressive way that allowed you to discover who you are as a musician. Without projects like that I probably wouldn’t have pursued music with the same intrigued attitude that I have today.”

“I always enjoyed meeting up with my friends in the practice rooms in Vic House to just enjoy playing music together. I remember one time I was showing a chord sequence I was working on to a friend and he completely turned it on its head. He showed me there are so many ways of getting the same idea across, and I’ve been using that advice ever since.” “I loved the music academy because all the staff and students involved were always supporting and celebrating each other. There are so many different opportunities to get stuck in to and there is something for everyone.”

Jonah has put a band together from the great players he has met in London and they recently played at the famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. “As well as this I have been writing a lot of music and recently released an EP in the summer and will be due to release another one this coming summer. Before going to Exeter College Music Academy, I didn’t even know that colleges like the one I studied at existed. I was only at the Academy for two years, however so many things happened that I will be forever grateful for. I can’t thank the Academy enough!”

Harry Sewter Harry is currently studying Jazz piano at Leeds College of Music, where he says he is improving all aspects of his music with the aim of making music a career. One of his favourite memories of college is performing with the Big Band and Jambassadors. “I was fortunate enough to compose for both groups and performing with such talented musicians with such a passion for jazz will be something I’ll never forget.”

The lecturers genuinely cared about us as students and I miss having my lectures led by them - Naomi Green exe-coll.ac.uk

harry sewter 21

Sharol Mackenzie

Leaping to Success:

Sharol Mackenzie is a former student of Exeter College and has created a career based on her passion for dance. Sharol studied dance A Level and BTEC alongside getting an AS Level in Biology and an A Level in Geography.

image by Nicole Guarino

Sharol’s dance journey began in Swaziland, where she was born, and at the young age of three years old she started dancing. It started with her taking ballet classes after school, but it wasn’t until she reached 13 years old that she started taking dance seriously. It was at this point in her life that she realised she could make her passion and hobby into a career.

In 2019 we opened a new £2.4 million gym and dance studio

Sharol remembers the feeling she first got when she started performing; “I really loved performing and the buzz you get after doing a show!” All the nerves and excitement bubbled up to create a feeling that got Sharol hooked to performing. She still gets the same buzz after each performance; however, she has learnt that she must get into different mind sets for each show to give the best and most relatable performance.

image by Ben Harris

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Sharol explained; “Different pieces require different ways of performing and not every piece is very showy”. Sharol loves this because the variety brings new challenges for her to face, it also improves her as a performer as well as a dancer. “It keeps thing interesting.” Sharol is fortunate that she hasn’t sustained any major injuries whilst dancing but that doesn’t mean she has had it easy. She has still put blood, sweat and tears into dancing and has worked tirelessly to get to where she is today. There are always smaller physical challenges, she is always sore from the constant training and has “little niggles” she must work around. However, this all comes with the territory of professional dancing. Whilst studying at Exeter College Sharol’s teachers helped and supported Sharol to be the best dancer she could be, they encouraged her every day to follow her dreams. They applauded her strengths and pushed her to work on her weaknesses. Sharol said; “their enthusiasm and support made me want to not only do well for myself but for them as well.” “I think Dance A Level and BTEC offered good performance opportunities which I don’t think I would have had at a sixth form.” Whilst at college she took part in site-specific performances in Princesshay and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum as well as in theatres. Sharol also performed a piece by Jasmin Vardimon called In Between on a national tour. She did this through the National Youth Dance Company at Sadler Wells in 2012. (Jasmin Vadimon is a very respected UK-based choreographer, dancer and artist director of the Jasmin Vardimon Company. She is also an associate artist at Sadler’s Wells Theatre). During this training she had the opportunity to perform with the Rambert Dance Company at Sadler Wells. After progressing in her contemporary dance training, Sharol graduated from Rambert School of Ballet in 2017. She received a First-Class Honours degree in Contemporary Dance.

The best feeling in all performances is when you get to a point where your body knows what you’re doing, and you’re so invested in what you’re doing that everything else falls away. image by Jack Thomson exe-coll.ac.uk

Sharol has recently been preparing for her biggest show yet, she will be making her debut in Romeo and Juliet by Matthew Bourne. “This will be the biggest show that I have taken part in as a professional dancer.” Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet will make its UK premiere tour this year. There will be a lot of professional choreographers and performers watching this show, which could lead to even more great things for Sharol in the future. It will be exciting to see where Sharol will be in her career a few years down the line. If Sharol could give her ten-year-old self any advice it would be to tell herself “not to worry so much about what other people think of you.” Sharol has overcome this to be able to achieve what she has, it’s not easy to believe in yourself but once you do you can achieve so much more. Sharol also said, “I would also say that everything will work out fine.” Sharol said, “I don’t think I have one performance I am the proudest of!” It’s safe to say that Exeter College is looking forward to seeing Sharol grow even more as a professional dancer in the future and to watch her flourish. Written by Francesca Dodd 23

In conversation with:

Dan Green Exeter City’s Under-23’s Coach

Owned by the fans, it is one of just three professional teams in Devon and having an outstanding reputation for developing young footballing talent, the Grecians are known throughout the UK for producing quality players like Matt Grimes, Ollie Watkins and Ethan Ampadu, who all are City academy products currently playing in the higher echelons of English football. However, these players don’t develop by themselves; they are supported by an array of coaches, all eager to help the players progress so they can fulfil their potential and more. Current Under-23s Coach and former Exeter College student Dan Green is the latest in that line of coaches looking to bring through the Grecian’s next generation. After completing his BTEC National Diploma at Exeter College, Dan then returned later to study with the college again and graduated from the Foundation Degree in Football Coaching and Development. He says he enjoyed his time at Exeter College. “It provided me with the support and in equal amounts, the freedom to work out what I wanted to do as a career.”

Most people know that Exeter City FC isn’t your ordinary football club. After spending his youth years as a player in City’s academy, Dan was released at 18 but he continued playing with National League South sides Truro City and Dorchester Town. While many players would try and keep their playing career going for as long as their body could sustain it, Dan made the unusual decision to retire early from playing, choosing to take up coaching on a full-time basis. “I think ultimately you reach a point where you work out what sort of (playing) level you’re capable of getting to and it was important for me to recognise that in my football I’d reached the highest level that I was probably capable of. Then I thought that my coaching was where I was going to put all my focus and really try and reach the highest possible level that I could.”

Despite his tender age, the 27-year-old is far from being the new kid on the block, as he explained to us in an exclusive interview.

It certainly seems like his time studying coaching at the college helped him to move into this role.

“I started coaching here when I was 19,” said Dan, “but I kept playing at the same time for a good four or five years and I think that was important as it’s good to keep playing for as long as you can.”

“I would recommend the college because of the variety of knowledge and experience of the staff that supported my passion so that when I found what I wanted to do, I was able to move into a job off the back of my education and experiences.”

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In May 2016, an opportunity surfaced for Dan after the departure of Exeter City under-18 manager Lee Skyrme, who left to work with England’s national side. A successful interview resulted in Dan being appointed as boss of the young Grecians. He went on to have two successful seasons in the top role, leading City’s youth to back-to-back Youth Alliance South West League titles, becoming the first side ever to do so. However, the departure of long-serving first team manager Paul Tisdale and the subsequent appointment of Matt Taylor to the role saw a chance for Dan last summer, as he put his name in the hat for the now-vacant position of Under-23s Coach. Despite being younger than even some of the first team’s players, let alone the other candidates, Dan was again successful, stepping up from the academy and taking on a different challenge with the first team. “It’s just different really, the challenges are different but it’s enjoyable still, ultimately you get to help players develop and that’s exactly what I enjoy doing. So, it’s a different challenge with players at a slightly different age but ultimately all professionals want to improve so it’s just part of our job to help them as best we can.” “I currently work with our under-23s group, and within that I work with the first team on a daily basis – we train together,” Dan said whilst explaining his role to us, “then I’ll lead the under-23s when they have matches as well. It’s basically my job to try and get them from the under-23s group to the first team group on a full-time basis.” It’s with those under-23 players that Dan is having a fruitful impact, especially with 19-year-old Archie Collins has become a mainstay of City’s starting eleven since the New Year and Alex Hartridge and Will Dean are also regulars on the bench. “Success-wise from my role with the under-23s it’s been great to watch Archie progress into the first team. We’ve also had numerous other players such as Josh Key, Harry Kite and Joel Randall playing at times in cup matches, and Alex Hartridge has played with the first team in league matches. So, it’s been great in terms of that to see the opportunities the manager (Matt Taylor) has provided for those young players. With the under-23s it was unfortunate we didn’t quite get through in the cup this season but, from the experience I’d like to think we’re in a healthier place for next year, ready to progress and to do better.”

The cup Dan referred to is the Under-23 Premier League Cup, a competition which has seen Exeter excel in recent seasons against higher league opposition. While this year’s campaign didn’t quite meet previous year’s standards, the tournament has provided a key stepping stone into the Grecian’s first team for some players. “You look at Archie (Collins) who played the first game in that competition and then went on to play for the first team. Alex (Hartridge) has also played in that competition and made his debut this year.” Many young coaches only see their roles as temporary, as they aim to one day land the top-job and be manager of a first team. But for Dan, who’s already shown his willingness to buck trends by ending his playing career earlier than most players, he would much prefer to concentrate on his coaching career for the time being. “I’m very happy with how I am at the moment, I don’t see management as my route personally. I really enjoy working with the players, I really enjoy working with the under-23s, I just really enjoy developing players and that’s where my focus is at the moment, I just want to try and be as good as I can with that.” With a third playoff campaign in a row still possible, Exeter City may not know for sure what league they will be in next season, but one certainty they can rely on is that Dan and the Grecian’s other coaches will continue to work hard, pumping out successful quality players, keeping the future bright and red and white. Read more about Dan at: exetercityfc.co.uk Written by Charlie Howell Photo credit: PPA UK

College provided me with the support and in equal amounts, the freedom to work out what I wanted to do as a career. exe-coll.ac.uk

This year in sport Sport at Exeter College is exceptional. We strive to offer students the very best of what is available to ensure they enter the world of sport with the best chance to succeed.

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1> Students visit Scotland for the Association of Colleges (Aoc) Sport Open Golf Championships 2> Exeter College held its first ever Squash 101 Leader’s Award at Exeter Squash and Racketball Club, where 13 students achieved this prestigious award 3> Foundation Degree Football students visit Wembley Stadium to watch England vs Croatia in a UEFA Nations League fixture 4> Both the men’s and ladies hockey teams qualified for nationals after competing in the regionals at Plymouth University. In addition to this, four ladies and one of the men have been chosen for the British Colleges U19 teams

5> The men’s Exeter Chiefs Rugby Academy flew to Japan in May (representing England) to take part in the Sanix World U18 Rugby Tournament for the second year running 6> The women’s Exeter Chiefs Rugby Academy will be going to Canada. The Canada team will play three games in total in the form of three friendlies and then a small round robin tournament as the last fixture 7> Exeter College win the AoC Premier Rugby Play- Off, winning 40-33 against Hartpury 8> Nell Ridgeway, JoJo Baylis and Leah Atkins who have been selected for the GB U20 woman’s Ultimate Frisbee team playing in the European Champs Wroclaw Poland August 2019

For more information on any of these stories, please visit our website: exe-coll.ac.uk/news

7 For the latest sports news follow @execollsport on Twitter.

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