Stephenson College Year In Review 2022/2023

Principal’s Letter

I am delighted to welcome you to our College Year in Review for 2022/23. One of the key roles of the College, is to provide a safe and welcoming place for our students to thrive in their academic studies, as well as explore and develop their passions and skills. I am extremely proud to see how much our students have pursued these aims over the last 12 months post Covid, embracing new opportunities, developing their skills, and meeting the challenges that have come their way.

We are a modern, progressive, values led College, and as you look through the following pages you will see how our values (curiosity, responsibility, inclusion, courage, and kindness) are reflected in everything our students do. For example, curiosity has been a key feature throughout the year, and our Stephenson Ideas talks, our societies and trips to regional cultural sites have provided opportunities for our students to explore areas of interest and discover new things. We have also seen our excellent JCR and MCR Executive and Non-Executive teams demonstrate their commitment to the College through their roles of responsibility. Last year we were very fortunate to have had so many students putting themselves forward for roles of responsibility; from JCR and MCR posts, being a Freshers Week Representative, a member of a sports team, or a society, to working in the café/bar and volunteering in the shop. Their efforts, and the success our students have achieved across the College including in sports, music, theatre, intellectual enquiry, and enterprise this year has been outstanding.

Another key College value is inclusion, and we are always delighted to welcome a diverse range of students from around the world and from different backgrounds to Stephenson. Through our College grants we have tried to ensure every student has been able to engage in the opportunities available and the JCR and MCR have put on some excellent inclusive activities and events. We have also marked important times of the year such as Holocaust Memorial Day, Wear Red Day showing Racism the Red Card, Pride Week and Eid ul-Fitr, which have brought our community together.

Throughout the year I have been full of admiration for students who have demonstrated enormous courage, whether that is in overcoming their own challenges or supporting others. As in previous years, this academic year I have felt a strong sense of community across the College, which has helped provide a supportive, and friendly environment for our students to learn and grow.

Last but certainly not least, I have been struck by the kindness our students and staff have shown to each other, their peers, our guests and the wider

community. Our student volunteering has grown significantly over the year, and it was wonderful to see our students and staff recognised at the Volunteer Awards evening. Our commitment to both the local community and the wider world is an important feature of the College.

Thank you to all our students, staff, our College Advisory Board, the Common Rooms, and everyone who has supported Stephenson College over the last year. Your support has been very much appreciated and has contributed to a very successful and rewarding year. We are always grateful for support from our alumni and friends, and we hope you will continue to engage with the College as you progress in your life and career. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We are always delighted to welcome alumni back to College.

I hope you enjoy the Year in Review and we look forward to another exciting year ahead.

Professor Rob Lynes CMG Principal, Stephenson College

Junior Common Room

of this year. Under the direction of JCR Senior Welfare Officer Ella Wolstencroft, we’ve seen vast improvements across JCR welfare. Some highlights include the campaigns they’ve run throughout the year, ranging from housing in Michaelmas, Pink Week in February (which raised over £500 for charity), and Stress-less in May. The team has also been working with Cerina, a mental healthcare app, demonstrating some of the innovation we’ve seen this year from the team. Overall, we’ve seen amazing engagement with the team’s well-being activities, tote-bag painting, clay evenings, and petting farms!

Through the work of Alice and the rest of the Volunteering and Outreach team, we’ve been able to continue having a positive impact on the wider community. Our volunteers have engaged with a number of charitable organisations, making numerous trips to help out at a local foodbank and Sherburn House. They’ve also helped our

fundraising efforts, helping organise our aforementioned Pink Week alongside our Welfare Team. I look forward to seeing what they do next.

Whilst students will have a variety of reasons to engage with the JCR, one of the most important ways in which they can do so is via getting involved with our elections, either as a candidate or a voter. As a democratic organisation, such exercises are one of the main ways in which we respond to the demands students have for us. Therefore, I am very pleased to say that we received good turnout, with over 700 votes cast across the elections we ran this year, with most positions being contested. A particular highlight was the JCR Presidential election, with three candidates running for election, and 331 votes cast.

Whilst there is clearly work to be done, and improvements to be made across the entirety of the JCR (at the very least as we respond to the changing demands

JCR President: Charles Lawrence

Overall, the 2022-2023 academic year was one defined by both glowing successes and significant challenges. On the one hand, in many areas, we were able to build on the success of the previous year to provide a more holistic experience to our members and help further enhance WSE at Stephenson College, bringing it to greater heights. Yet on the other, we faced significant challenges. The cost-of-living crisis put a great deal of pressure on students, whilst changing patterns of engagement meant we had to think creatively about what we put on throughout the year.

JCR events proved popular once again, with the return of old favourites like Oktoberfest, pumpkin carving, the Xmas Party, Masquerade Ball, St Patrick’s Day, and of course, Stevo Day, which was a great way to end the year, with students able to enjoy good food, live music, inflatables, and even a caricature artist! A huge well done to Ellie, our JCR Events Officer for all her hard work this year.

We also had a few new and improved events, with a Charity Decades Night in February (which seemed to be enjoyed as much by the bar staff as the attendees!) We had our first Pride event in June, involving a parade, live music, karaoke, and great weather! The day was enjoyed by people across the DU community, as well as raising over £230 for the Albert Kennedy Trust. Our charity fashion show also returned this year, and succeeded in raising over £3000 for Nightline, a bonus to what was a great evening.

It would be amiss of me if I didn’t mention the fantastic Winter and Summer Balls we had this year, enjoyed by over 700 students, at the beautiful

Beamish Hall and Hardwick Hotel respectively. I’ve had the pleasure of going to a few JCR balls during my time in Durham and this year’s certainly stand out as some of the best. A massive hand to Gabriella, Rue and all those who helped organise them.

I also wanted to briefly, mention the participation fund that we’ve set up alongside Stephenson College to help support students who want to attend our events and activities. Set up early in the academic year, the fund has been well utilised, supporting over 300 students to access our events. As a student lead organisation, we are convinced of the value this fund serves and pleased we’ve been able to support our community in this way.

In the realm of sports and societies, we’ve really been hitting our stride, supporting over 35 student groups within the JCR, ranging from our Jazz Band to the Boat Club, and from Rocket Theatre to Ultimate Frisbee we’ve got more and more to offer our members. We’re also particularly proud of the support we’ve been able to give to our groups, whether it’s providing facilities for training, matches or performances,

or getting them new kit and equipment.

It was fantastic to be able to celebrate the achievements of all those who received Sports and Societies Colours at the Honours Formal in June and hear about those who have been representing Stephenson College and the JCR across the University. A few shout-outs go to the Men’s Football D team, who won team of the year and the Boat Club, who have seen unprecedented success this year.

That said, in my view, the most important thing is that we have helped to foster an environment in which people are willing to simply give things a go, get involved and enjoy themselves, whether they win or not. That’s why I look forward to seeing more people get involved with our sports teams and societies and see what they do in future! Thanks to Dan Innes and Leah Phillips, who’ve helped support our JCR sports teams and societies this year.

I would happily sing the praises of the welfare team had they simply done what was expected of them, yet the fact they’ve gone above and beyond makes them one of the stand-out parts

Middle Common Room

of our community), and I am very pleased to be finishing the second of my two years as JCR President on such a high note and offer my upmost thanks to all those who have been a part of it. I look forward to seeing where next year’s officers take things!

MCR President: Maiya Dambawinna

I’m incredibly proud to have witnessed the exponential growth of Stephenson College’s MCR community during academic year 2022/2023. Not only has this given the MCR great autonomy, allowing the members greater control over what they want to do / see in their community, but has given the MCR perks beyond just what the JCR provides. The postgraduate community this year have been so engaged and it has truly been a pleasure to be a member of it.

The MCR this year has enjoyed a huge number of new social events, including a bowling night, an escape room challenge, inter-MCR pub quizzes and city brunches. The evening competitions were popular, with bowling and the

escape rooms bringing out everyone’s competitive side, whilst the brunches were a much-needed, relaxing counterpart to exam and thesis stress!

One major highlight has been the termly cheese and wine nights hosted in college, a lovely networking and social event for the postgraduate community. Catered for by our wonderful food and beverage team, cheese and wine nights have been a hit for the great food and casual atmosphere! Happening once a term, students from the community gather to chat about anything from welcome excitement to exam stress, or even elections for the next MCR Executive Committee, providing a space to get some free food and drink with a good discussion flowing.

Otherwise, the MCR community has been a true pleasure to get to know; people from all different walks of life, countries, subject areas congregated

to create a truly diverse group who all brought such value to the college. I’ve loved getting to know every single person, and as such, can trust that I’ve left the MCR in the best hands for the year ahead – Adam and Freya are going to do a brilliant job, as they’ve shown just how much they care for their community throughout this year, and I trust they’ll continue to do so next academic year.

Volunteering and Community Outreach

Christmas volunteer cheer at St Cuthbert’s Hospice

On 14 December 2022, the Stephenson staff team volunteered at St Cuthbert’s Hospice. The hospice’s aim is to make every day count for those affected by life-limiting illnesses. Their vision is to be a centre of excellence within our community and to provide all-embracing, compassionate, and individualised care to all those affected by life-limiting illnesses, at a time and a place that is right for them.

Staff spent the morning wrapping hundreds of Christmas presents for hospice users as well as getting to know the staff and hear about the work of the hospice.

This academic year we have established four College volunteering projects alongside regular one-off opportunities, such as beach cleans and volunteering at the County Durham Food Bank warehouse. Students and staff have volunteered over 1,000 hours in the local community, which is a fantastic achievement! Student events and activities have raised thousands of pounds for charity, including our Pink Week raising over £500 for St Cuthbert’s Hospice and our Charity Fashion Show raising over £3,000 for Nightline. Stephenson Swim Club has also raised over £600 for Crisis and County Durham Food Bank.

The school children loved the opportunity to learn and perform a wide range of songs and dances from our East Asian students, and our students enjoyed the experience of getting to know the local community and its people through the promotion of their culture.

The project was shortlisted for the Global Volunteering Award at Durham Global Awards in March 2023 as well as the Best Cultural Effort Award at DU Volunteering Awards in June 2023. Well done to our volunteers!

Brilliant Club Scholars Programme

Through our partnership with The Brilliant Club, Stephenson students have welcomed local school pupils from Newcastle, Leeds, Middlesbrough and County Durham into College as part of the Brilliant Club Scholars Programme.

The Scholars Programme helps less advantaged pupils develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to progress to the most competitive universities. Through launch and graduation events held in College, Stephenson students have shared their subject knowledge and passion for learning with small groups of pupils aged 8-18.

Lunar New Year Schools Outreach Project

Between November 2022 and January 2023, Stephenson students volunteered in six County Durham schools to deliver a fun and exciting Lunar New Year activity programme to local classrooms! East Asian students shared their culture and traditions through art, food, music and dance. In partnership with Durham County Council, this outreach project culminated in a fantastic Lunar New Year Event in Durham Town Hall, where welcomed in the Year of the Rabbit alongside the local community.

Scouts Environment Outreach Days

Stephenson students have run some fantastic weekend activities for local Beaver and Cubs groups from Belmont and Gilesgate over the last year. The children worked towards achieving a very special Stephenson College environment badge by planting their own seeds, completing a science trail in the Botanic Gardens and creating some wonderful art with leaves and twigs!

We have received some fantastic feedback from the pupils who have visited College through the programme. 89% of participants stated that they are more likely to apply to Durham University following their time at Stephenson College and 96% responded that they felt they can study at this level of university when they are older if they work hard at school.

“I think the university is a really good place to study, but I like how no matter where you are from, who you are, what you love, they will respect you. I also think the Scholars Programme is great because it always includes people and makes them feel better about themselves.”

Brilliant Club Scholar, age 9

We look forward to meeting more Brilliant Club Scholars next year!

Sherburn House Intergenerational Project

To mark our joint twentieth anniversary, Stephenson and John Snow Colleges have established Sherburn College Intergenerational Project. This has been a wonderful befriending project where students and elderly residents from a lovely, scenic, retirement community on the edge of Durham come together and enjoy each other’s company on a Wednesday afternoon. To celebrate the end of each term, there was a Christmas party in December 2022 and in June 2023 students and residents enjoyed an afternoon tea party with gentle game of boules on the large lawn and also some soft drinks and fizz! The residents at Sherburn House really enjoy spending time chatting with students and this project gives us a real chance to make a positive impact in the lives of local people.

Durham University Volunteer Awards 2023

Stephenson College had a wonderful evening at the annual DU Volunteer Awards, held at the Radisson Blu hotel.

First year student Flynn Edwards won the Outstanding Newcomer Award for his dedication to environmental volunteering this year. He has been a regular volunteer with the DUSVO Gardening Project as well as volunteering at Old Durham Gardens and on numerous beach cleans. He has also been a volunteer marshal at Durham Park Run and has supported the Stephenson College Scouts Environment Outreach Days.

Assistant Principal Jane Dove was won the Best Social Inclusion Effort Award for her volunteering with Bishop Middleham Village Hall CIO. The hall has been a community hub since the 1960s and is used by a range of community groups.

Jane has led on the development of the hall as a warm space hub throughout the cost-of-living crisis. The hall is used for art exhibitions, food bank donation drives, yoga sessions, concert and band nights, as well as a community Christmas lunch.

Vice-Principal Katie Stobbs and Residential Service Assistant Marie Thornton were also both shortlisted for the Longstanding Volunteer Award. The following students were awarded Student Volunteering Certificates for their commitment to volunteering throughout their degree:

Platinum Award (120-199 volunteering hours)

• Adam Matthews

• Helena Scott Silver Award (60-89 volunteering hours)

• Finola Lawton

• Flynn Edwards

• Yee Lam Hester Poon Bronze Award (30-59 volunteering hours)

• Clara Lam

• Chun Wang

• Sarah Bithell

• Victoria Woodhouse

Congratulations to all!

Arts and Culture

Rocket Theatre Company

Throughout 2022/2023, Rocket Theatre Company retained its status as the centre of student drama in Stephenson College and strengthened its reputation for innovative programming and artistic excellence.

At the end of October 2022, Rocket Theatre Company delivered their first production of the year, The Nether. Focusing on the ethics of technology, this was a highly compelling and thought-provoking show, with the entire cast giving very strong performances all round! The Nether received fantastic reviews and it was great to see this play come to life in the Assembly Rooms Theatre.

In June 2023, the stage in Platform 2 came to life for Romeo and Juliet; a faithful adaptation with a sprinkling of original hilarity among tragedy, created through the stellar performances of the cast.

It is clear the directors (Katie Proctor, Lulu Carrier-Pilkington and Niamh Williams) had a clear vision for what they wanted for their adaption of the beloved play and were assisted by a wonderful behind-the-scenes team to bring the direction to life (Emily Browning, Sarah Kelly).

“You leave the performance still enraptured by the tragedy of the story and compelled by the characters who will simply not leave your mind.”

– First Night review of Romeo and Juliet We look forward to next year’s productions!

Stephenson Creative with Jonathan Quarmby

Stephenson Jazz Band

Founded in October 2022, Stephenson Jazz Band have been a fantastic addition to the musical life of the College. Rehearsing each Thursday evening, they have played a variety of casual gigs to build their confidence and repertoire and did their first big set at the George Stephenson Birthday BBQ, closely followed by an hour long set at Stevo Day.

Students had a wonderful opportunity to speak to award winning music producer Jonathan Quarmby as part of the Stephenson Creative series on Thursday 2 March. The intimate Q&A was held in the new Mark Hillery Music Studios and was a fantastic collaboration between Stephenson and Collingwood Colleges.

Producer, programmer, mixer, string & orchestral arranger, pianist and guitarist, Jonathan works out of the legendary RAK Studios in St John’s Wood, where he writes lyrics and track.

Sport and Wellbeing

Participation in College sport has gone from strength to strength this academic year with 36 JCR sports teams on offer, including a newly established Swim Club. Team Stephenson placed 7th overall in the College sport league, a fantastic achievement!

Students have access to Howlands Gym and to the newly opened Walker gym on-site for personal use. Yoga, dance and krav maga sessions open to all students have been hugely successful and see consistently high levels of engagement and enjoyment!

Stephenson Boat Club

Our rowers have had a fantastic year, with the male and female novice crews completing their first race at novice head and an indoor erg competition. The senior men’s squad was the second fastest college, with the aim of becoming the fastest over the summer! The senior women’s crew with Trevelyan and John Snow colleagues were the third fastest college at WeHoRR (Women’s Head of the River Race). The senior men won Rutherford Head, Tyne United New Year’s Head and were the second fastest college at BUCS and HoRR (Head of the River Race). We look forward to next year

Annual Varsity vs South College

On 11 June 2023, Team Stephenson faced South College in our second annual Varsity match. It was a great day of sport on a glorious sunny Sunday with some great results for both teams. Wining 10-7 overall, Stephenson retains the cup for another year; we look forward to making it a hat-trick next year!

Stephenson Rounders

It has been a successful season for Stephenson rounders, competing in the Premiership Rounders League (Pool B) following promotion last season. The team has played against five other colleges and has beat St Mary’s who were undefeated for four years! The team has also competed in the Festival of Sport and the Stephenson-South College Varsity, which has been great fun for all involved. Stephenson rounders team finished third in the league, congratulations to all!

Volleyball

Stephenson has had two teams playing in the College Volleyball League this year. The A team won Division 1 in college volleyball and will play in the Premiership next season, and the B team finished second overall in Division 2. Members of both teams enjoyed attending the Deep Dish Volleyball Tournament in Portugal in April 2023; a fun time was had by all!

<IMAGES VOLLEYBALL A TEAM AND VOLLEYBALL B TEAM>

Mixed Lacrosse

Stephenson Mixed LAX have finished the mixed lacrosse League 1 undefeated, winning the league and securing a promotion to the Premiership! This will be the first time the club has been in this league since Stephenson moved to Durham City (where it was placed in the bottom of five leagues). One highlight for the team is their success in the mixed lacrosse Floodlit Cup competition and reaching the quarter-finals (we were unfortunate to be seeded against a very strong team at this stage). This year has seen strong recruitment of first year students and as ever, excellent spirit and enthusiasm within the club!

Futsal

The Futsal team was established this year and have participated in the Futsal Premiership Pool 2, finishing in 2nd place in their first season!

Badminton

It has been another successful year for our four badminton teams, consistently winning in the top division. Last year we won the women’s league and also represented Durham University in varsity matches against Loughborough University and York University. The women’s and mixed A teams placed 3rd this year, our men’s team placed 5th and our mixed B team placed 6th. A great year all round!

Men’s Football

Squash

Our men’s A and B and women’s A squash teams have gone from strength to strength this year, with bi-weekly training sessions and regular team socials. The club has doubled in size since its establishment in 2021/2022 with students from all year groups participating.

The men’s A team finished second in Division 1, being promoted for a big season next year. The men’s B team finished 5th in Division 1 and the women’s A team finished 2nd in Division 1, both with a promising chance of topping their league tables next year!

Also worth a mention, the team are very proud of this year’s trendsetting stash which all members have loved and are proud to wear to share the Stevo spirit!

Phoenix Cheer

Building on last year’s success as overall intercollegiate champions, Phoenix Cheer has performed at three varsity events and a range of charity events including a showcase to raise money for Movember, Stephenson College Fashion Show (in aid of Nightline) and John Snow Charity Fashion Show (in aid of Moving On Durham).

The Intercollegiate Cheer Competition

2023 was a great success. Phoenix placed extremely well:

• 1st in all girl main routine

• 1st in all girl stunt group

• 3rd in co-ed stunt group

• 3rd in poms.

These brilliant results are due to the hard work and dedication of all cheerleaders, especially the exec team, and we hope to see similar successes next year!

Men’s Basketball

The Stephenson men’s basketball team was established in the 2021/2022 season and placed in the bottom league. The team has been promoted nearly every term since and are recognised as one of the top competitor teams in the university. The team finished the 2022/2023 season in second place in League 1, just shy of being promoted to the Premiership. The team is aiming to secure a place in the top league next year!

Women’s Football

It has been wonderful to see the women’s football team progress this year. Some of the players on the team went from never playing football before, to buying their first pair of football boots over Christmas and then heading to the quarterfinals of the Floodlit Cup! The team have won many games over the academic year and although they haven’t been promoted, they are in a strong position for next year. We could well see the creation of a women’s B team in the future due to demand!

It has been a successful year for all five men’s football teams this year, with great sportsmanship shown throughout!

The men’s B team have been crowned Division 3 Champions, gaining promotion to Division 2. With the best goal difference and most clean sheets in the league, the B team only lost one game all season and scored 28 goals!

The football C team overcame a rocky start following promotion last year, which steadied throughout this season as they were able to push for promotion again! A 3rd place finish in the league is something they can all be proud of.

The men’s football D team are undefeated for over a year and a half, having won the league this year with 11 wins and 1 draw, and having won the league (Division 6B) last year with 10 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss (the loss took place in October 2021, when we were still finding our feet!). The team has scored 60 goals and conceded 15, with no other team in the league recording anywhere close to this amount! Player Larry Hall individually outscored three of the teams in the league – well done!

Cricket

Butler. This was a key factor that contributed to a final ball win, which sent the Stephenson support into raptures. Wins against Trevelyan, St Mary’s and Grey ensured a positive final season for outgoing captain Robert ArmstrongJones. Many other fantastic servants to the team, including former captain Cameron Rose, were leaving Durham over the summer, and this meant the squad would look very different for the 2023 season.

At the time of writing the 2023 indoor league has just been completed, with Stephenson CC producing what can only be described as a mixed bag of results.

The last twelve months have been very successful for the Stephenson Cricket Club, with strong results posted both indoors and outdoors.

The 2022 T20 season produced some very tight games, many of which came down to the final over. Fortunately, we seemed to win many of these close encounters and finished joint 1st in Division 1, failing to gain promotion to the Premiership on net run rate. There were many memorable games, but a special mention must go to James Walker who took a spectacular hat trick against our great rivals Josephine

As the club are in the Premiership, there are no easy games, and the very short preseason seemed to be taking effect as the team struggled in the first three games. However, our fortunes would soon change for the better and we recorded a victory against Hatfield before a stunning triumph against tabletoppers Grey - witnessed by College Principal Rob Lynes. The team batted and bowled superbly in this game to secure a solid mid-table position.

The team had a fantastic T20 season winning all games during Easter Term 2023. Congratulations to the team on a fantastic year!

Spotlight on Societies

One of the things that makes Stephenson such a great place is that there’s simply so much to get involved with. We have a wide range of societies including:

• Stephenson Grow Society

• Stephenson Quiz Society

• Formula 1 Society

• Feminist Society

• Law Society

• Politics Society

• Debating Society

• LGBTQ+ Society

• Christian Union

• Mixology Society

All our societies meet regularly throughout the year and provide a great place to meet people with similar interests, or to pick up a new skill.

Christian Union

President: Nicole Watkins

Stephenson-Butler Christian Union is a welcoming group and space for anybody who is Christian, interested in Christianity or wants to find out more about faith. The group meets regularly throughout the year and always has a fun-packed events schedule! This year members have enjoyed a black-tie ceilidh, a bring and share evening, a CU weekend away and a Big Question BBQ!

Quiz Society

Presidents: Tom Jasinski and Tom O’Hara

The Stephenson Quiz Society has continued to grow over the last 12 months, managing to attract new quizzers from the college and the wider university. The society had over 80 paying members this year, and hundreds more came along to Sunday night quiz events this academic year. In the Michaelmas and Epiphany terms, total attendance was over two thousand students!

Alongside the weekly quizzes, the famous Stevo Bingo nights made a return which attracted a different crowd than normal! As well as giving away thousands of pounds worth of prizes, we have hosted many charity events and donated hundreds of pounds to various causes which we hope can continue in future years. It is fantastic to see the bar full every Sunday evening.

Last year we gave away free limitededition society pens to all our members, this year we upped the merchandise levels and produced some fantasticlooking fleeces which are now highly sought after! We have both had a fantastic time running the quiz for the last two years and we look forward to seeing the society go from strength to strength in the coming years!

Mixology Society

Presidents: Quinn Dines and Hannah Markham

Mixology Society was established this academic year, providing a fun space for students interested in the study or skill of inventing, preparing, and serving mixed drinks and cocktails.

Mixology Soc has held several workshops this year where we have infused spirits and made a variety of mocktails. These have included non-alcoholic versions of mojitos and Shirley Temples as well as apple pie flavoured vodka!

As well as workshops, the society have had a great year for socials where we have been able to get to know our members better and build a sense of community within the society.

in Uganda. The women make sustainable jewellery and their products have been worn by singer Lizzo and have been featured in Vogue Italia and Harper’s Bazaar. 100% of the funds go back to the female entrepreneurs.

Attendees heard from the founder of ZENA about how the organisation supports female entrepreneurship. Members also had the chance to give it a go themselves in a special jewellery workshop!

established Debating Society, with the question “has feminism become so divisive that it is inhibiting progress?” up for debate. The aim was to break down the myth that men cannot be involved in feminism. FemSoc used this event to raise money and awareness for a local domestic violence charity, Harbour Durham City Refuge. They charged £1 to join and dealt out penalties to raise funds. This was a great way to get people talking about feminism and to raise money for a great cause!

Connections Grants

Stephenson College provides Connections Grants of up to £250 to enable students to undertake aspirational activities that further their personal development beyond the requirements of their degree. Students can apply as individuals or as a group. This year, we have awarded 36 grants to undergraduate and postgraduate students to pursue a range of development activities, including:

• British Sign Language lessons

• rowing tank and race fees for Stephenson Boat Club

• taekwondo competition fees

• Spanish language lessons

• an internship with Sky at their London headquarters

• attendance at The Goldschmidt Conference in Lyon

• performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Dwayne Adeyinka – DU Basketball

A Connections Grant provided me with an opportunity for me to pursue a sport that has defined an important part of my life since the age of thirteen. The grant enabled me to become a member of the successful 2022/23 Durham University men’s basketball third team, where I embraced many invaluable experiences in my first year at university.

Izzy Lofthouse –kayaking with DU Canoe Club

Sachin Jai Sehmar –study trip to Prague

The Connections Grant enabled me to attend a one-week trip to Prague, which was an incredibly transformative experience and had contributed to various aspects of my personal development.

Amy Hudson –Ballroom Dancing

Since starting DU Dancesport in September 2022, I have taken part in three ballroom and Latin competitions in Nottingham, Sheffield and Blackpool. As a member of the Durham beginner team, we were thrilled to be awarded best overall in Blackpool!

Dance has become an incredibly significant aspect of my life at Durham. The Connections Grant has enabled me to train in a sport I love, fulfil a lifelong passion and become part of one of the best same-sex beginner couples. The grant has also allowed me to receive high quality dance training, something I would have never been able to afford outside of University.

Throughout the sporting season, I immersed myself in a frenzy of early morning training sessions as well as personal practice sessions. Along with amazing coaches and exceptionally talented teammates, I’ve been able to develop my sport-specific talents, increase my physical fitness, and learn more about the sport’s complexities in ways I’d never done before. I’ve been able to embrace the thrill of competition thanks to the grant, being able to travel and participate in both local and regional tournaments. I’ve proudly represented Durham University and for the first time in the Durham 3’s history, our squad finished in first place in the division!

The grant has also had an impact outside of sporting pursuits. Being a part of the basketball team has given me newfound self-confidence and leadership skills. From self-discipline to teamwork to time management, these lessons will help me well beyond the sport and throughout my life.

The grant has not only provided me with new opportunities in my chosen sport, but it has also enabled me to be a member of a basketball team that feels like my extended family and people who I can now call lifelong friends. It has opened doors not only to greater levels of competition, but also to doors that may determine my future.

First and foremost, the financial support provided by the college grant alleviated the burden of expenses associated with travel. It ensured I could fully immerse myself in the experience without worrying about costs. This generous support gave me the freedom to explore Prague’s captivating sights, engage in cultural activities, and embrace the local way of life, creating lifelong memories. Beyond the financial aspect, my trip to Prague profoundly impacted my cultural awareness and appreciation. The opportunity to explore a foreign city exposed me to a rich tapestry of traditions, history, and artistic heritage. From strolling through the historic streets of Old Town to admiring the breath-taking architecture of Prague Castle, absorbed the essence of Czech culture. Engaging with locals, savouring traditional cuisine, and witnessing cultural events allowed me to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the country’s unique identity. This exposure broadened my global perspective, fostering empathy and cross-cultural understanding.

I received the Connections Grant to support my engagement with Durham University Canoe Club. This has made a massive difference in my ability to get involved and participate in a sport I have fallen in love with this year. I have developed so many skills within kayaking: I now have a consistent roll, can dip turn my boat and can confidently tackle in canoe polo. I have been training really hard to improve my skills – consistently turning up to morning fitness and team training sessions.

I have completed my Paddlesport Safety and Rescue Course which allows me to lead sessions on the Wear and I am now the Vice Captain of the DUCC; taking on responsibility to ensure the club operates smoothly so that we can provide a safe and fun environment for people to come and get involved in the world’s coolest sport!

The Connections Grant allowed me to compete in the BUCS polo competition in Nottingham. This was an amazing experience as it gave me the chance to compete as part of a team in a sport that was completely new to me only a few months ago. My boat and ball control massively improved through training and playing in this tournament, and I feel so much more confident in a boat due to the training week and additional practice the Connections Grant afforded me.

I love kayaking so much and am so grateful of the Connections Grant for supporting me in my development in this sport. I can’t wait to continue to practise and improve in this sport personally and as part of a super friendly team and community. I’m really excited to work with the club to provide an amazing experience for next year’s Freshers so that we can continue to develop and grow as a club and get more people engaged in the sport that I love.

Ollie James –representing Wales in the Home National Cross Country Championships

In October 2022, I received an email from Welsh Athletics informing me of my selection to compete in the Home Nations Cross Country Championships in Milton Keynes. This competition consisted of athletes competing from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and my home team Wales. This was a proud moment for me to receive my second international vest, but my first on the muddy and hilly cross-country terrain.

My previous selection came in 2021 at the Manchester International on track. The Connections Grant helped fund my transport costs, hotel accommodation and nutrition in advance of the race.

Without the support of Stephenson College, I would not have been both psychologically and physiologically prepared to compete at such an important event.

It was a hard race but I came 21st place out of 48 runners. My average pace over the course was 3:16 per kilometre giving me a time of 23:28 for the 7.2km distance. I was really pleased with this final result in such a high calibre of field of international athletes, showing that I was able to hold my own and I deserved my place in the Welsh team. As a nation we came 3rd and so picked up the bronze team medal which we were delighted with.

This race taught me that no matter how tough it was, I was still able to dig a bit deeper and find something extra to give. It also taught me that the hard work I do in training always pays off and you get out what you put in. This can translate to life in general when studying for exams or any other situation where hard work is needed to succeed.

I want to thank Stephenson College for providing me with this Connections Grant because I would never have been able to represent my country and fulfil this amazing opportunity without it.

Chloe Almond –Caving with Durham Speleological Association

I received a Connections Grant to help with kit and activity costs associated with being a member of Durham Speleological Association. I have been on eight trips with the society and five personal trips this academic year alone! One of these trips was Swinsto pull through to Valley Entrance, my first pull through trip, where you exit the cave though a different cave and bring the rope with you. This was quite a wet trip but it was super enjoyable despite the sporting conditions and required crawling!

Participation Fund

In response to the rising cost-of-living, Stephenson College and JCR established a new Participation Fund. Students can apply for a grant from the Fund to enable them to engage in student enrichment activities and the wider student experience, which for financial reasons they may not otherwise to be able to engage with. We have made over 170 grants this year, enabling students to engage and enjoy the following activities:

• Engagement in JCR clubs and societies

• Engagement in Durham Students’ Union societies

• College gym pass

• Signature College/JCR events

• JCR/MCR levy payments

•

Global Citizenship

International Futures Youth Summit

Stephenson College had great fun hosting the Erasmus+ funded International Futures Youth Summit and residential in September 2022. Working in partnership with the Centre for International Leadership and Learning and Momentum CIC, it was a fantastic opportunity to invigorate the policy debate on the purpose, practice and funding of international youth mobility. The summit also marked a key milestone in the development of the Durham Global Alliance. With young people and professionals representing 15 different countries, we heard a range of different opinions and cultural perspectives. Keynote speakers included Agnieszka Parol-Górna, Coordinator of the European Youth Capital 2023 in Lublin, Poland and Julie Ward, campaigner, and former MEP. The summit was another brilliant example of why international youth mobility is so worthwhile and we look forward to seeing participant’s projects in action.

Global Goals Summit

On Saturday 4 March, Stephenson College hosted the inaugural Global Goals Summit to kick off Durham Global Week 2023. The summit saw 35 student delegates from Durham University, Durham International Study Centre, Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College and Durham Sixth Form centre come together to learn about the UN Sustainable Development Goals, why they are important, and work on innovative solutions on how to educate consumers on the fast fashion industry through a condensed Game Changer Challenge in the afternoon.

The winning team, comprising of students from Stephenson College, Van Mildert College, South College and John Snow College, developed a fantastic idea for an app which would help consumers track the journey of their garment from

Durham Global Week

Stephenson College marked the first ever Durham Global Week in style! Stephenson students from Mongolia hosted a beautiful stand at World Fest held in the Students’ Union on 3 March and Platform 1 hosted an Arabic Language Café on 9 March, which was a great opportunity to welcome students from Durham International Study Centre into College. Abby Grogan and Yuktha Pradeep represented Stephenson College at the Lord Lieutenant’s Celebration of Youth Service in Durham Cathedral on 5 March 2023.

inception to delivery, incorporating fashion blogs and digital wardrobe experiences as well as a rewards system to promote re-wear and recycling. The team were presented with their certificates at the Durham Global Awards Dinner (hosted at Stephenson College) on Friday 10 March.

Delegates heard from subject matter experts including Professor Mark Allen (Department of Earth Sciences) who will be launching an undergraduate SDG module in October 2023, Rich Hurst (Sustainability Education Advisor, Durham County Council), Sharon Lashley (environmentalist and managing director of Climate Action North) and Dr Helen Goworek (academic in DU Business School and former buyer in the fashion industry).

Stephenson College also hosted the first Durham Global Awards Dinner on 10 March 2023, a celebratory dinner recognising individuals and teams who have made a significant contribution to furthering international collaboration and understanding across the University and wider community.

Vice-Principal Katie Stobbs was awarded the Respect, Fairness and Equity Award for her work promoting global citizenship and an inclusive student enrichment experience at Stephenson College. Congratulations!

Community Connections Trips

Our Community Connections trips enable Stephenson students to explore and connect with the local community around them. The North East of England is a place of big adventures, breathtaking beauty and strong cultural heritage and we want to ensure that all Stephenson College students have the chance to enjoy it. Students have enjoyed trips to Arbeia Roman Fort in South Shields, the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, The Auckland Project, Beamish Museum and Locomotion in Shildon. The trips are fully subsidised for students and hugely popular!

An Inclusive Community

Reflection by Molly Morris

I am really grateful that I was offered the opportunity to participate in the Lessons from Auschwitz University programme delivered by the Holocaust Education Trust in partnership with the Union of Jewish Students. I wanted to participate in this programme as the Holocaust has always been something that I have grappled with trying to understand and this programme offered an unparalleled opportunity to learn more about both the Holocaust and the ongoing impact of antisemitism.

Wear Red Day

Team Stephenson proudly wears red all year round but especially so on 21 October for #WearRedDay 2022, in support of Show Racism the Red Card. Our sports teams showed their support for this fantastic initiative and the work SRtRC do to fight racism, injustice, and hatred in sport.

Holocaust Memorial Day

On Holocaust Memorial Day, Stephenson College alongside DU Chaplaincy and DU Jewish Society welcomed Martin Bandel into College to share his father’s story. Michael Bandel was a child Holocaust survivor and one of ‘The Boys’ who were brought to Windermere in the Lake District after the end of the Second World War. They set up the ’45 Aid Society to look after each other, say thank you and give back to the society that had welcomed them. This was a very emotional and thought-provoking talk.

After Martin’s talk, we came together for a simple candle lighting ceremony and read the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust’s statement of commitment together.

Eid ul-Fitr

On Friday 21 April 2023, we were thrilled to welcome over 700 Muslim students, staff and members of the local community for Eid ul-Fitr prayers. Partnering with DU Islamic Society, two prayer congregations were held in the morning followed by a celebration event including refreshments, cakes and goodie bags for the children! Eid Mubarak!

Lessons from Auschwitz Universities Programme

From 19-27 April 2023, Katie Stobbs (Vice-Principal) and Molly Morris (first year student) participated in the Lessons from Auschwitz Universities Programme, which aims to educate and equip campus leaders to combat antisemitism and hate and build safe, inclusive and cohesive communities on university campuses. The programme included a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum on 24 April.

The programme consisted of four parts; an introductory seminar, a residential orientation day in Manchester, a trip to the town of Oświęcim and the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps, and finally a conclusive seminar discussing what we had learned and what we aimed to do going forward. One of the most moving parts of the programme for me was on the orientation day when we heard from Janine Webber BEM, one of the only remaining Holocaust survivors to still be speaking about her experience.

To hear how she lost her family one by one and how she watched her younger brother be buried alive by an SS officer was truly horrific. To then put that in perspective, and realise that Janine’s story is one of millions.

Despite my extensive knowledge of the Holocaust and historical antisemitism at large, I was quite naive to the omnipresence of contemporary antisemitism. This is where the strength of the partnership of HET and UJS running the programme became clear, as this allowed myself and the other participants to gain a deeper understanding of the Holocaust itself but also understand the contemporary experience of Jewish students on University campuses today. This taught me the importance of seeing the Holocaust as the greatest expression of antisemitism, but not the climax of antisemitism, as inherent in that description is the idea that antisemitism came to an end following the Holocaust. In reality this was anything but the case. The greatest thing I took away from the programme is the importance of standing up for what you believe in, and that just because something is accepted does not mean that it is right. With regards to antisemitism, it is so important that those who are not subjected to it stand up against it all the same, as ultimately this is the only way that antisemitism, and any other form of prejudice, will be overcome.

Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January, is held to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust.

Stephenson Ideas

It has been another successful year for our Stephenson Ideas talk series, which has seen an excellent range of speakers come into College on a Monday evening. Each talk aims to inspire, challenge and develop the intellectual curiosity of our students. The talk series features motivational and inspiring speakers with a story to tell, sometimes academic in nature, sometimes not, but always providing an opportunity to discuss innovative and engaging topics. The talks are open to all members of the Durham University community.

Speakers this year have included:

• Professor Peter Stone OBE delivered an engaging talk titled “Should we waste time and effort protecting cultural places during war?”

Professor Stone is the UNESCO Chair in Cultural Property Protection and Peace at Newcastle University - the only such Chair in the world.

• Dr Helen Goworek shared her experiences as a former fashion industry buyer and inspired us to think about “Sustainable fashion: how can we reduce clothing waste?”

• Professor Ray Hudson delivered a comprehensive history of the North East economy through his talk focused on “What happened to coalfield communities after the coal mines closed?”

• Dr Juanita Cox gave a thoughtprovoking talk centred around oral history in her talk “The Windrush Scandal: What was it and how far back into history does it stretch?”

Enterprise and Employability

Durham Blueprint Challenge Finalists

Student Employee of the Year – Above and Beyond Award

• Underwater archaeologist and TV presenter Gary Bankhead shared stories of the treasures he has recovered from the River Wear in his talk “Deliberate disposition or accidental loss? Interpreting the Durham River Wear Assemblage.”

• Professor Greg Thwaites of the Bank of England and Resolution Foundation gave a timely and insightful talk on “Britain’s economic predicament: how do we get out of it?” The talk was followed by an interactive panel discussion with Professor Thwaites and Dr Sara Eugeni (Associate Professor in Economics at the Durham Business School), Chris McDonald (Chair of Redhills CIO and CEO of the Materials Processing Institute) and Charlotte Phillips (third year Chemistry student at Stephenson College).

Institute of Advanced Studies Lecture

Every year we host Visiting Fellows from a broad range of academic disciplines through the Institute of Advanced Study. Each researcher has made an outstanding contribution over a sustained period of time in their research field and we were thrilled to host Professor Stefan Brink as our IAS Fellow this academic year. Professor Brink is Professor of Scandinavian Studies and specialises in interdisciplinary research on Viking and medieval Scandinavia. His main focus is place-names and Old Norse philology, but also Norse law and mythology, and he has published extensively on these subjects. Stefan was formerly the Sixth Century Chair in Scandinavian Studies at the University of Aberdeen and has also held appointments at the universities of Uppsala and Bergen.

On 14 November 2022, Professor Brink gave a fantastic lecture focusing on two fundamental questions, discussing gentes and identities in early Europe: Who coins names? and Was the World during this period discussed organised and geographical space identified out from some spatial, territorial structure, or from identified people as ethnic groups?

Professor Brink discussed how it is possible to identify power structures in the landscape, legal assemblies, pagan cult sites and sacral landscapes using the names given to aspects of the landscape.

Stephenson alumni Leo Thomson and Aaron Morris both reached the final of the Durham Blueprint Startup Challenge in June 2023, winning cash prizes for each of their respective start-ups! Over the last six months, both Aaron and Leo have been working closely with the Durham Venture School, a pre-accelerator which brings together exceptional Durham alumni to explore significant problems facing industry and society.

Aaron is co-founder of Choppity, an AI-powered tool that enables users to quickly and easily turn long videos into short, engaging clips for social media platforms such as TikTok, LinkedIn, and more.

Leo is co-founder of Local Energy Systems, a company which aims to eliminate fuel poverty through decentralised energy. LES is pioneering a model for low-carbon energy production that delivers a cheaper, more resilient energy supply, protecting communities against market volatility whilst ensuring net-zero transition does not deep inequalities.

Choppity was awarded £2500 and Local Energy Systems was awarded £5000 annual Durham University Celebration of Enterprise Dinner 2023. We wish Leo and Aaron every success in the future!

Congratulations to Masters student Sreeanta Chakraborty on being awarded the Above and Beyond Award at this year’s Student Employee of the Year Awards Ceremony. Sreeanta was recognised for her work as an International Communication Representative at Voicentric Ltd as a part time employee. Sreeanta started this marketing-based role in November 2022 and has increased her sales and marketing-oriented skills within the organisation, learnt to deal with challenging customers and has also embraced and adapted to the work culture in the UK. Well done to Sreeanta on her fantastic achievement!

The Durham Inspired Award is a graduate skill development framework designed to support a student’s personal growth through their student enrichment activities and/or part-time work. The Award aims to help students understand themselves more effectively, improve their transferable graduate skills and enable them to have a global experience and perspective, giving students the confidence to shout about the experiences they’ve had at university.

Stephenson College was one of three Colleges which participated in the Award this year, with a unique coaching element on offer for Stephenson students. Students attended interactive workshops focusing on teamwork, leadership,

emotional intelligence, critical thinking, global perspectives, and communication throughout the academic year, alongside group and 1-1 coaching sessions with a fantastic group of DU staff and Stephenson alumni who contributed their time, skills and experience.

A celebration event was held on 21 June 2023, a wonderful opportunity to recognise every student who achieved the Award this academic year. Many students have directly credited the programme with helping to improve their confidence, providing a sense of understanding about themselves and they have enjoyed reflecting on their journey so far and importantly the next steps. The celebration evening was the perfect setting to share some of those stories.

“This award has given me the push to do some invaluable personal development

in terms of recognising the professional skill set I already have and the areas that require some improvement. This helped me secure a place on the North East Partnership SCITT teaching course for September as I was clearly able to discuss during the interview process what my attributes were, but also my weaknesses and what I was putting in place to ensure these areas were improved. As this showed a clear knowledge and understanding of my personal development journey, it put me in a much better place as a candidate to get a place on this course.

If you even have a slight curiosity towards doing this award, I urge you to do it! Your future self post-Durham will thank you for it!” – Leah, third-year Sport, Exercise and Physical Activity student

“The Award has given me so much confidence and has enabled me to build my network, develop my skills and put these to good use by establishing a new Horrible Histories society within the students’ union! The best part of the Award has been my coach, Isabel, who has been so supportive throughout the year. Going forward, I have volunteered to be a Freshers Rep and I want to become more involved in College and JCR activities.” Matthew, first-year Engineering student

Durham Inspired Award

College Events

Stephenson College Charity Fashion Show

Building on last year’s success, our second Stephenson College Charity Fashion Show was held on June 2023, raising over £3,000 for Nightline. The Fashion Show exec and models worked tirelessly to deliver a brilliant showcase of sustainable fashion from a range of up-and-coming designers, with over twenty independent brands featured on the catwalk!

JCR Balls

The Roaring 20s themed Winter Ball was the first flagship event in the calendar, taking place in the last week of Michaelmas term. Set at the beautiful Beamish Hall Hotel, 400 students celebrated the end of term over a threecourse meal. As always, entertainment ran throughout the evening, with dancers, live bands and of course a DJ and dancefloor!

The JCR Summer Ball was just as successful, held at Hardwick Hall on a beautiful sunny June evening. Attendees celebrated the end of the year in a fabulous ballroom, having fun on the fairground rides and dancing the night away!

George Stephenson Birthday BBQ

Staff, students and friends of College came together on a lovely sunny afternoon at the annual George Stephenson Birthday BBQ on 8 June. Over 300 attendees enjoyed a delicious BBQ in honour of our namesake!

Stevo Day 2023

Stevo Day is always one of the most fun days in the calendar and this year was no exception. Students enjoyed “A Day at the Beach” where they enjoyed eleven hours of live music, inflatables and lots of food!

Pride

The College community came together to celebrate Pride on 5 June with a wonderful event to celebrate our LGBTQ+ community. Opening with a parade around the Mound and some moving speeches given by Georgia and Maariya, our outgoing and incoming JCR EDI Officers, attendees enjoyed a fun evening of music and karaoke in Stephenson Central. The event also raised over £230 for the Albert Kennedy Trust, which supports LGBTQ+ young people aged 16-25 in the UK who are facing or experiencing homelessness or living in a hostile environment.

Dinners

Stephenson students have enjoyed some fun dining experiences this year, including a Burns Night Supper with a fantastic address to the haggis by Scottish postgraduate student Fraser Logue and a very romantic Valentine’s Day dinner!

We have also introduced a new kind of dinner; our Connections Dinners are informal sector-themed dinners which provide students with a great opportunity to discuss their interests

and potential future career paths with someone who works in the field. Sitting on a table with other students and a guest speaker, it was a great way to meet subject matter experts as well as fellow students interested in connecting with like-minded people, all over a delicious two course meal!

Honours Formal

We ended the year on a high at our annual Honours Formal, a fantastic evening where current students and staff came together to celebrate students’ achievements across all aspects of College and JCR and MCR life over the last twelve months. We also marked the handover of the JCR and MCR Executive Committees.

Principal’s Awards were awarded to:

• Spirit of Stephenson Award

– Jordan Guthrie

• Unsung Hero Award

– Louie Leventhall

• Stephenson Ambassador Award

– Frazier Clements

JCR Honorary Life Memberships were awarded to:

• Charles Lawrence

• Jordan Guthrie

• Maiya Dambawinna

• Professor Rob Lynes

• Katie Stobbs

The Adrian Darnell Community Award was presented to Alice Theakston and the Stevo Spirit Award was presented to Olivia Doody, who accepted on behalf of Spensley block. The Best Sports Team Award was presented to Stephenson Men’s Football D Team and the Best Society Award went to the Quiz Society. Congratulations to all the aforementioned as well as the many individuals who were awarded full and half colours for their respective sports and society activities. Well done!

Honours Formal Graduation

Facilities

Stephenson College facilities are open to all members of the college community and support student activities and development.

Wylam is the heart of the college and the hub of student activity, with shared spaces that we call Platforms, for study, social events, and activities.

Platform 2

Platform 2 is our social hub, so whether you want to enjoy live music, play pool or relax with friends in front of a film, this is the space to do it.

Student performances in music, theatre and spokenword are some of the most popular events across the year. Platform 2 is one of the areas in College used for hosting productions with a stage and audience seating. This year we have invested in a new lighting rig to further support student performance in College.

Platform 1

We are very proud of our café - bar and it is one of the focal points of College - a place to meet, chat and relax. The café and bar are ran by our Food and Beverage Service Manager with support from our student leaders, who volunteer as members of our JCR Bar Committee. There is also the opportunity for students to work part-time as members of our bar staff.

Located in Platform 1, the café is right in the heart of College. With ample seating and serving hot and cold drinks, snacks and hot food, it’s ideal for calling in between lectures or grabbing something on the go.

Transforming by night, Stephenson Central bar hosts regular JCR and MCR events such as the weekly Sunday quiz night, as well as showing sporting events on the big screen! We promote a culture of responsible drinking across Stephenson College.

Throughout summer 2023, a new outdoor café/bar seating area will be installed to give our students even more reason to enjoy our wonderful green space!

Howlands and Walker Gyms

Our College gyms allow students to train and keep fit, right on their doorsteps. Both of our gyms have all the facilities needed for students of all experience levels, including a choice of cardio and weight machines as well as a squat rack and bench and free weights.

The Walker gym is brand new and will open in summer 2023. This gym will host dedicated hours for female students alongside standard use.

Music Room and Steinways

Stephenson’s Music Room is located in the Howlands Building and is bookable for individual or group music practice. We have two beautiful Steinway pianos which are available for all students to play on. Our baby grand piano is located in Saltwell.

The Music Room has a number of instruments available for use by our students, including an upright Steinway piano and drum kit.

Platform 3 and Heighington

Platform 3 is a quiet study space located in Wylam. You can find a collection of books on global literature and wellbeing and the space can be used for seminars and group work.

Heighington (located in the Saltwell building) is a space for innovation through independent study and collaborative working, whether in the open study room or in the group breakout rooms.

Indoor and Outdoor Sports Facilities

Stephenson has one indoor sports facility in Howlands Hall plus two outdoor sports playing areas, including a floodlit MUGA which can be used to play tennis, netball and basketball amongst others, and a playing field which is used for football, hockey, ultimate frisbee and lacrosse! Stephenson’s boat house is located on the River Wear near the Sport and Wellbeing Park.

The Terminal

The Terminal is open every day from 4-7pm during term time and is run by student volunteers, who then are able to apply for the bar paid jobs in College as recognition of their service to the community. Here you will find cupboard essentials, toiletries and sweet treats! The Terminal also offers a range of seasonal products.

Student Support and Wellbeing

It has been an exciting year for student support at Stephenson College, building on existing connections and piloting new initiatives to support wellbeing amongst the College community.

We’ve continued to work closely with a number of colleagues across the University to bring information, resources and support into College, to try and improve awareness and accessibility across our student body. We’ve held roadshows for sexual health, drugs and alcohol and money management.

Eva the Greyhound has been a valued member of the Student Support Team this year, providing a warm welcome to

JCR Welfare

Across the past year, the Stephenson JCR Welfare team have worked tirelessly to bring informative and engaging campaign weeks on a variety of topics. From crafts sessions to cute animals, we hope that anyone who attended enjoyed themselves and maybe even learnt something along the way. We also want to say a huge thank you for the people who engaged with our events and social media, it was always lovely to have such great attendance so thank you again!

During Cancer Awareness Week, we teamed up with both St Cuthbert’s Hospice and Alice, the Volunteering & Outreach Officer. The pinnacle of this week was our Pink Night where students donated over £500 to ensure Rob performed karaoke!

For SHAG week, we created the “Protected Sex on the Beach” cocktail where each drink included a free

any student dropping in or attending the weekly wellbeing walks.

In Michaelmas term we launched the first in a series of wellbeing workshops in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation. The U OK? Initiative trained six Stephenson students as Mental Health Ambassadors who could facilitate workshops and discussions around mental health and wellbeing as well as financial, social and academic pressures. To mark University Mental Health Day, we launched a partnership with Cerina to pilot the use of medical grade mental health care through a mobile application to support students in dealing with anxiety. The app offers digital Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) in a selfguided manner; a structured, anxietyspecific care available at your fingertips and supplementary to the wellbeing and mental health support already offered by the University. This combines two of our core themes; wellbeing and innovation. The pilot ran throughout Epiphany and Easter terms, and we hosted a number of visits from Cerina colleagues who promoted wellbeing in College with group discussions, wellbeing walks and improv workshops.

Sadly, we have said goodbye to three longstanding members of the College team this year, who have been the face of student support at Stephenson College for many years. Annie Robinson (Student Support Officer) and Alex Haigh (Student Support Administrator) have moved onto new roles as Student Support Officers in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and St Cuthbert’s Society respectively, and Jane Dove (Assistant Principal) will start a new role as a Case Manager in the Student Conduct Office in August 2023. Everyone at Stephenson College is grateful for their outstanding contributions and the care and support shown to thousands of students over the years, and we will them well for the future.

A very warm welcome to Laura Grant, who joined the team as our new Assistant Student Support Officer in April 2023, and to our new Assistant Principal Paula Furness who will join Stephenson College in September 2023. We’re very much looking forward to building upon the team’s fantastic achievements over the last year and are excited to see what 2023/24 brings for student support.

of my proudest achievements from University so far and are a testament to Stephenson’s welcoming and open environment.

Alumni and Friends

It was fantastic to catch up with many of our recent alumni at our informal after-hours event at The Counting House, London on 22 November 2022. Hosted by the Principal, it was a great opportunity to come together and update alumni on recent developments at Stephenson College, enable them to reconnect with fellow alumni, and discuss our plans for the future.

Get involved

Inspire the next generation

Creating opportunity

Stephenson now has a lifelong global community of over 7,000 alumni. Whether you graduated last year or in 2001, we’re always happy to hear from you and to keep you connected to the College and to each other. Through our regular communications and events, we endeavour to make you feel as much a part of Stephenson as you might wish to be, and to keep you informed about many of the extraordinary events and activities that happen throughout the year.

Alumni community Events

condom. These slightly more fun collaborations opened up conversations surrounding important subjects such as STIs and safe sex.

Furthermore, in Wellbeing Week we worked with Guide Dogs UK to host a Meet the Guide Dogs Doggy Destress, which was brilliantly attended and enjoyed across college. Animals also proved to be a big hit in Stress-Less Week where we had Animals About Town come in with a mobile petting farm. Many of these events are some

Alongside the physical events, our campaigns ran online on our Instagram page (@stephenson.welfare) which received excellent engagement straight away from Fresher’s Week. ~Tipsy~ stories quickly became a tradition, and the personable aspect of Welfare was continuously praised when we asked for feedback and suggestions.

As Senior Welfare Officer, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time and I am eternally grateful for all the help from my Welfare Officers, Ben, Georgina, Manu, and Rosie, as well as the wonderful Jane. A huge thank you again to everyone who has been involved and helped Welfare achieve everything we set out to do and so much more!

Welfare love, Ella and the team x

We are proud of our reputation as one of the friendliest Durham colleges and we aim to constantly provide opportunities for our students, staff and alumni to meet, engage, teach, learn, and inspire. There are opportunities for Stephenson alumni to deliver talks and workshops in College, as well as support students through more informal networking and employability focused activities such as our Connections dinners.

All Stephenson alumni are eligible to join our Senior Common Room. We would also welcome any alumni members who are interested in becoming development coaches to current Stephenson students, helping them make the most of the opportunities available to them whilst at University and prepare them for life after university. Email stephenson.inspired@ durham.ac.uk to find out how you can be involved.

Stephenson College is committed to ensuring that all students can take advantage of every opportunity during their time in Durham. No student should feel prevented from studying at Stephenson because of their financial background, or experience hardship while studying here. By making a gift to Stephenson College, you are creating an opportunity for a talented young person to not only explore their academic interests at a world class institution but to also experience all that Stephenson and Durham have to offer. Any gift, of any amount can have a huge impact on the life of a Stephenson student. If you are interested in supporting Stephenson students financially, do get in contact.

Stephenson alumni events provide an opportunity for members to reconnect with their peers, as well as opportunities for networking and mentoring. Our upcoming alumni events are advertised in the monthly Newswire email as well as via our alumni mailing list.

Keeping in touch

Please keep us up to date with your contact details by emailing stephenson. alumni@durham.ac.uk so that we can let you know about news and events. We’d also like to hear any news of your achievements, appointments, publications, honours, or events such as a marriage or a new baby, so that we can include it in our Year in Review.

Visiting Stephenson College

We’re delighted to welcome Stephenson alumni visiting the College at any time of year. Please email stephenson.alumni@ durham.ac.uk to arrange a time.