Now and Then AW'15

Issue 17, Autumn/Winter 2015 THE MAGAZINE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON’S ALUMNI NETWORK

NEWSWRITER, TV ANCHOR AND FOUNDER OF TOYS WITH WINGS

MOUNA ELHAIMOUD

FOUNDER, FINDING YOUR SPARK

MICHELLE PRITCHARD UEL LAUNCHES INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI CHAPTERS

GET TO KNOW YOUR ALUMNI TEAM

What are we offering you?

If you’re part of UEL’s Alumni Network, you are automatically eligible for 15% off postgraduate fees.* Who’s eligible?

How do I apply?

You must previously have been awarded an undergraduate degree, postgraduate degree, professional doctorate or a postgraduate research degree from UEL or one of its predecessor institutions, such as the Polytechnic of East London.

Just mention on your application form that you previously studied at UEL, and include your old student ID number. The 15 per cent discount will be deducted from your tuition fees after other scholarships, and before any early payment discount is applied.

You cannot apply for the alumni discount if your course involves distance learning or if you are studying towards a master’s and diploma in Architecture (RIBA Part 2), a PGCE, a post-compulsory education and training (PCET) course, or any short course or courses worth less 120 credits.

*Terms and conditions apply—subject to review for September 2016 entry onwards.

> uel.ac.uk/pgfunding

UEL Alumni Network Editor Charlie Werren Design UEL Design & Publications Department Cover Mouna ElHaimoud, Newswriter, TV Anchor and UEL Alumna, Founder of Toys with Wings Cover Photo Ali Alkurdi

Welcome to this year’s Autumn/Winter edition of UEL’s alumni magazine Now & Then. This is the 17th edition and as ever is full of engaging and interesting stories. It gives you the chance to keep-up-to date with the latest happenings at UEL no matter what you have gone on to do since graduating or where you are in the world.

In our last edition we mentioned our ambitious plans to become London’s leading university for Civic Engagement, here we are pleased to give you an update on what we have been doing since then. You can read more about this on pages 4 & 5.

Print and Distribution Sure Print Services ©Now and Then 2015

About Now and Then is a publication of the Alumni Network at the University of East London. It is a platform for graduates and friends across the globe to stay in touch with their university, and maintain relationships with former classmates and the wider UEL community. We aim to provide opportunities for communication, friendship and involvement.

Contact us Alumni Network, University of East London, Docklands Campus, University Way, London, E16 2RD alumni@uel.ac.uk +44 (0)20 8223 2222 uel.ac.uk/alumni

facebook.com/uelalumni @UELAlumni LinkedIn Search for UEL Alumni Network under groups and click join!

Subscribe For the latest news and interviews subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Alumni Chapters . on pages 30 & 31 UCH KEEP IN TO fer you all the e with you and of at ic un m m co to We are only able details are up-tote of UEL if your ua ad gr a g in be ay be wrong, benefits of we hold on you m n io at rm fo in e th r of the date. If you think c.uk and a membe .a el @u ni um al on email then drop us an dated. team will get it up

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Now & Then

22 CONTENTS 04

University of East London celebrates Civic Engagement

06

Get to know your Alumni Team

09

UEL News

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COVER STORY Mouna ElHaimoud – Newswriter, TV Anchor and founder of Toys with Wings

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SeqUEL

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COVER STORY Finding her own spark

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Rising stars

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COVER STORY International Alumni Chapters

Now & Then

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Science Without Borders

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Recent events

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10 minutes with Catherine Holmes

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University of East London celebrates Civic Engagement Staff and students came together at SportsDock in July to celebrate UEL’s commitment to Civic Engagement.

As London’s leading university for civic engagement, UEL encourages students to apply their learning outside the classroom in real-life projects that benefit the wider community.

The event at SportsDock showcased the programmes the University has put in place to make this happen.

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staff and communities. The fund has so far benefited more than 20 projects with 450 student participants. Students have acted as cultural interpreters, investigated discrimination and barriers in sports and sports journalism, and alerted the public to the early symptoms of lung cancer.

Initiatives include a ÂŁ100,000 Civic Engagement Fund, launched in January, which provides money for projects that support, promote and reinforce connections between students,

London Scholars is another new programme launched this year under the civic engagement umbrella. Building on the success of the existing Global Scholars scheme, London Scholars provides resources to students and staff to work collaboratively on a six-month academic project that addresses a key societal challenge in London.

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The inaugural round of projects included an effort by students to convince London City Airport to increase the wages of their lowest-paid workers.

Another project looked at the reasons why young people decide not to go into higher education.

UEL students worked with people in the local community to find out how they make career choices after the age of 18. Silvia Murray, who has just completed a degree in Early Childhood Studies, said the project found that young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds did not see themselves as higher education students.

The internationally-focused Global Scholars scheme was also on display at SportsDock.

Atinuke Okusolubo, who is in the second year of a master’s degree in International Business Management, was part of a group that visited India to promote child literacy. She discussed the venture at the SportsDock celebration.

“I wanted to have a real life experience and not just do research from my desk,” Atinuke explained. “I think that International Business Management and the Global Scholars programme complement each other. This programme inspired me to keep doing international projects in the future.”

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“The worst bit of the trip was the emotional involvement when hearing people’s heart-breaking stories,” she continued. “I had to learn how to distance myself from it because I was losing focus on the project. There was no joy in seeing the harsh reality they live in.”

outside your comfort zone and help those not as fortunate as yourself,” she continued.

Shaherah said trips funded

by Global Scholars offer opportunities for students to develop outside the academic curriculum.

Dennis Kwasi Boateng, in his first year of a master’s degree in Sports Management, went to Ghana to investigate dairy production. The purpose of the project was to find out if there is potential to create a fresh dairy milk company.

“I’ve always been a shy person but this project really helped me overcome my fear and increased my communications skills,” Dennis said.

MBA student Shaherah Jordan joined Dennis in Ghana. Their group did business research but also some ad-hoc charity work, she said.

“While we were there we visited a children’s home, and we took down two suitcases full of toys and clothes,” she said. “A lot of the people in our group had children, and before we left, pretty much the whole group was in tears, because you can take for granted everything you have got here.”

“I think our visit to the home was grounding. It showed us that sometimes it’s all right to go Autumn/Winter 2015

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Get to know your Alumni Team Two new members joined the Alumni Advancement Office this summer to help out longtime Alumni Advancement Manager and Now & Then Editor Charlie Werren. These new Alumni Advancement Officers are dedicated to maintaining the link between you and the University of East London.

Sam Mirza joined the team in May. However, she had previously worked in the office on temporary contracts and was not a stranger to UEL. Here’s a bit about Sam, in her own words: “I was born and raised in east London. I love east London, so working at UEL is perfect for me.

Before this post, I was on a year’s break after having my

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baby boy, who will be two next May. Ironically, I fell pregnant while covering a maternity leave for the Alumni Team! I have also worked in other departments at UEL, including for Corporate Marketing during the year of the London Olympics. I also spent some time working in both the Credit Control and Assessment teams based in Financial Services, so I have a good understanding of how the University works.”

Now & Then

What are the main responsibilities of your role?

“I work closely with Charlie on alumni communications, including putting together the monthly e-newsletter and also assisting with Now & Then. I also manage school-based events, along with my colleague Aziz. In addition to this, I am responsible for the day-to-day running of the office, dealing with general enquiries, updating the alumni database, managing the process behind the Alumni Network passport card, and looking after the team’s social media channels.”

Our second addition to the team is Aziz Shyllon. Aziz joined the Alumni Advancement Office in June. Aziz is a UEL graduate, so he understands what it means to be a member of the UEL Alumni Network.

Here’s what Aziz has to say about himself: “I am originally from Sierra Leone but have been based in the UK for 10 years now with my wife and children. I studied Business

Now & Then

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What do you enjoy most about working in the Alumni Advancement Office?

“I enjoy the events aspect of the role, especially when everything comes together and the event is successful. I also like the fact that you are always encouraged to develop your skills and take on new challenges.”

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

“It’s nice when our alumni give positive feedback on how much they enjoyed themselves at an event or how they enjoyed reading a newsletter.”

Economics for my undergraduate degree and Finance and Risk as a post-graduate – all at UEL. While I was studying I was the Vice President of the Economics Society and a member of the Elite team. Before joining the Alumni Advancement Office I worked for DSGI (PC World and Currys) as a Business Accounts Developer, which was quite a different role than compared to what I’m doing now, but so far I am really enjoying working at UEL and learning new things every day.”

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What are the main responsibilities of your role?

“My main responsibility is to proactively engage with our alumni. A key part of my role has been to set up overseas alumni chapters, and I am proud to say that we now have alumni chapters in Malaysia and Nigeria.

We will be looking to move forward with more locations over the next year.

Like Sam, I manage schoolbased events, but I also spend a lot of time working on events

overseas. I have been lucky enough to get out to both Malaysia and Nigeria to meet some of our graduates.

I support Charlie with any additional projects that come the team’s way during the year, as well as carrying out our annual programme of third-year talks.”

What do you enjoy most about working in the Alumni Advancement Office?

“We have a great team and I really enjoy working with Sam and Charlie. I have also really enjoyed

the challenge of setting up the alumni chapters.”

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

“The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the alumni chapters grow and knowing that I played a part in something that UEL has never done before.”

We hope you enjoyed learning about the team. If you would like to have a chat with Sam or Aziz you can drop them a line on +44 (0)20 8223 2222 or email at alumni@uel.ac.uk

Shalini Ganesh-Ram 02.11.1988 – 11.08.2015 The Alumni Advancement Office lost a much-loved colleague this year. Shalini Ganesh-Ram, one of the team’s Alumni Advancement Officers, passed away on 11 August due to complications that arose shortly after she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Thank you to everyone who has expressed condolences. Our thoughts are with Shalini’s family. Shalini’s passing will leave a hole in many hearts and she will be greatly missed by the Alumni Team and wider UEL community.

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UEL

s w e N All the latest happenings from UEL. Keep up-to-date with what has been going on at your University.

Now & Then

Autumn/Winter 2015 

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FASHION STUDENTS DESIGN FOR NHS TRUST In a unique fashion competition that married the practical with the glamorous, employees with a London hospital trust chose a new uniform from nearly a dozen designs presented at University Square Stratford this spring.

The entries were created by fashion students and alumni from UEL and South Essex College. Participants spent months creating a range of clinical and administrative options for staff at the North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT).

South Essex College student Alanah Smitten won the competition.

The runner-up was UEL alumna Aimee Ward. Aimee’s clinical uniform was designed in twoway stretch organic cotton/lycra fabric tunic with a collar inspired

by First World War Red Cross nursing uniforms.

“I’m really passionate about charity and helping people,” Aimee said. “Knowing I was designing for such a good cause and people working for such a good cause made it that extra bit special.”

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NELFT provides mental health and community health services for people living in the London boroughs of Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham and Havering, as well as community health services for people in southwest Essex.

Stephanie Dawe, NELFT Chief Nurse and Executive Director of Integrated Care (London), said Trust employees wanted work options that were new, exciting and looked towards the future. Ms Dawes dreamt up the competition after NELFT’s discussions with more conventional uniform manufacturers yielded rather uninspiring options.

“It’s really been a true partnership, the students working with our staff,” Ms Dawe said.

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“I am really passionate about charity and helping people” “We fundamentally believe as an organisation that we work with people from the cradle to the grave and this is a group of people that really are the future for us.” She added.

Trust and University officials and employees, joined by other guests, viewed a catwalk presentation of the designs at USS. Nearly 100 NHS Trust employees then voted on their favourite design. A panel of judges selected a winner from the top three finalists.

Now & Then

UEL

News

SPORTS THERAPY STUDENTS GET HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE Three graduates from UEL’s Sports Therapy Employability Programme (STEP) and a current second year student got some valuable hands-on experience at an international cricket tournament in September.

Seven local cricket clubs hosted the week-long stage of group games for the ICC World Cricket League tournament, which featured teams from seven countries including Botswana, Suriname, and the Cayman Islands.

Graduate interns from STEP Najina Campous, Natasha Furnell and Camilla Smee, and second-year student Natalie Crosby, were put in charge of sports therapy for the players from six of the countries, while recent UEL graduate Now & Then

Khian Graham-Minott worked exclusively with Norway’s national team.

Camilla was very positive about the experience.

“The atmosphere was really good and I really enjoyed working with the teams,” she said. “I’ve never worked with cricketers before, so it’s been a great opportunity for me to see what it’s all about and see some different injuries.”

Natalie was equally enthusiastic.

“My time at the tournament was an eye opener. Not only has it confirmed that I am on the right course, with the right university; it also affirms that this is what I want to do. This week has pushed me in ways that can only be experienced in the field. No Autumn/Winter 2015

lecture or practical session can recreate real-life scenarios like cricket balls to the head and adductor tears. Or the feeling of having looked after a player throughout the tournament, who has been extremely grateful for your assistance pitch-side when they thought they couldn’t carry on. I hope that opportunities to work at more major tournaments come around. Events like this and the experiences they give you are priceless.”

Louise Mitchell, the Community Administration and Events Officer at Essex County Cricket, was lavish in her praise of the UEL volunteers.

“The sports therapists who assisted at the grounds and at the hotel were absolutely superb,” she said.

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UEL SUCCESS AT ASIAN WOMEN OF ARCHIEVEMENT AWARDS UEL won the Community category at this year’s Asian Women of Achievement Awards, which were held in May at the London Hilton on Park Lane.

The Community Award recognises organisations that promote ethnic diversity within their workforce, as well as promoting greater understanding of diversity across the UK. The University was pitted against financial giants Deloitte, global energy firm Shell, the advice line The Listening Service, and the disability rights charity Include me TOO. Previous winners include 12

Cisco and the Home Office.

UEL Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Joughin, was thrilled by the success.

this award possible, for their continued commitment to making UEL London’s leading university for Civic Engagement,” he said.

“We’re very happy to have been shortlisted alongside such distinguished organisations, and we’re absolutely delighted to have won this Community category,” he said. “It’s such an honour to be recognised for our commitment to diversity and inclusion, and our passion for connecting with our communities to make a positive difference.

Among the special guests at the evening were the Duchess of Gloucester; senior lawyer Miriam González Durántez, wife of the former deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg; and the newly-elected SNP MP Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh.

“I’d like to sincerely thank all our staff and students who’ve made Autumn/Winter 2015

The awards, co-founded by businesswoman Pinky Lilani in 1999, were conceived to celebrate the often unsung Asian heroines of British life.

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UEL

News

ALL ROADS LEAD TO UEL

After motoring 22,000km on a journey that started in Singapore and wove its way through the Himalayas, an international 4 x 4 motor expedition came to a halt at UEL in October.

With a UEL student participating in the arduous, 66-day road trip, the Docklands campus was an obvious choice.

UEL student Mahathevan Arumugam, who completed his MBA this year, was part of the contingent of 15 cars that grinded its way through terrain in Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, China, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Russia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands.

After they arrived in London on 12 October, some cars headed to the Malaysian embassy while others made their way to Docklands.

“The best part and the worst parts of my journey was going through the Himalayas,” Mahathevan said. “Two from the group got altitude sickness and the vehicles suffered as well due to the thin air. But travelling Now & Then

through the Himalayas was also the best part. The scenery was spectacular and out of this world.”

Another academic institution involved with the expedition was the Women’s Institute of Management in Malaysia (WIM), which is a collaborative partner for UEL’s MBA degree.

Before the expedition began, a WIM banner with greetings to UEL was presented to the convoy. On arrival, the banner was handed over to UEL at a special ceremony on the Autumn/Winter 2015

lawn at Docklands attended

by Vice-Chancellor Professor John Joughin and Deputy ViceChancellor (Academic) Professor Nora Ann Colton.

Ian Bathgate, Director of Business Development and the Centre for Innovation Management & Enterprise (CIME) at the School of Business and Law, said it was a privilege to have the convoy arrive at UEL at the end of its journey.

“We’re thrilled that one of our students was part of this expedition,” Mr Bathgate said.

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Mouna ElHaim Mouna El Haim 14

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a moud a moud

In many ways, Mouna ElHaimoud is a model alumna.

The news writer and TV anchor has gone from strength to strength since graduating from UEL four years ago, and gladly credits her BA (Hons) Media and Communication degree for contributing to her success.

In many ways, Mouna ElHaimoud is a model alumna.

The newswriter and TV anchor has gone from strength to strength since graduating from UEL four years ago, and gladly credits her BA (Hons) Media and Communication degree for contributing to her success.

by Daniela Bragato

Now & Then

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Mouna ElHaimoud

“It enriched my knowledge and gave me the chance to plan my future and concentrate on my next steps,” Mouna says of her academic studies.

Mouna who has worked in Dubai as a producer and presenter for different channels, such as Dubai TV, CNBC Dubai and MBC, believes living and working in such a global city has helped her reach a place of professional and personal satisfaction.

“Dubai is an inspirational city where everything is possible if you strongly believe in yourself and work hard to achieve your dreams,” she says.

Jonathan Hardy, Professor of Media and Communications, says Mouna has many of the qualities that lecturers love to see in students. He describes her as a creator who draws on her love of learning to help her take action, as well as a concerned global citizen who is driven to use her talents to support others.

“Mouna had drive and really wanted to study,” Professor Hardy recalls. “Her energy and enthusiasm shined throughout her studies. Getting her degree was a huge personal achievement and satisfaction, and a formative stage in her career.”

“Dubai is an inspirational city where everything is possible if you strongly believe in yourself and work hard to achieve your dreams.”

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Even before earning her degree, Mouna had achieved notable professional success. She worked as a news anchor for the Telemadrid TV station when it won an award for best news programme in Spain in 2008.

According to Professor Hardy, Mouna’s programme, Media and Communication provides students with the knowledge and skills to make sense of, and contribute to, the expanding field of convergent media communications.

But Mouna says her time at UEL opened up new career opportunities and helped her gain greater insight into the media.

The aim is to help students develop professional media skills and to investigate how communications industries and practices are changing worldwide.

“Having already been in the industry, I found my degree very interesting as it combined theory and practice in a very educational way,” she says.

With Professor Hardy’s help, Mouna has been back at UEL to speak to students about her experiences as a professional journalist, and plans are in the works for future visits.

Outside her professional life, Mouna says her greatest accomplishments include the creation this year of Toys With Wings, a humanitarian initiative to distribute toys to children who are sick or orphaned, or living in areas of war or conflict.

The charity, which is registered in Dubai, has collaborated with local

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and international organisations all over the world, including the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees, Red Crescent, ShoeBox4Syria as well as universities, schools and private organisations.

There are currently chapters in 20 different countries.

The charity has distributed over 20,000 toys so far in locations such as Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Spain.

Kenya, Djibouti, UAE and Iraq.

During Ramadan this year, Toys With Wings organised a special evening meal that raised around $25,000. The money was used to purchase Eid clothing for Syrian refugees in Jordan and orphans in the UAE. Mouna says she now regularly visits children in refugee camps, orphanages and paediatric hospitals.

“I created Toys With Wings because I hope that through the toys we are giving out, I can draw some smiles on children’s faces,” she says.

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Seq UEL Our amazing alumni on life after University

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Elizabeth Harlen Elizabeth Harlen credits her time at UEL with giving her the confidence to go after her dream of being a writer. Since earning her degree in Communications Studies in 2007, Elizabeth’s career has ranged from freelance editing to running her own media company.

Elizabeth got her start editing business-to-business consumer electronics magazine Sound Vision Install. She went on to edit a handful of other industry magazines.

Elizabeth now handles commercial content for a publishing house in Cambridge.

She also runs her own media company, Beth Harlen Media Ltd. Elizabeth said UEL took a chance on her after her A-level results reflected the fact that she was very ill when she took her exams. UEL gave her the opportunity to study a course she had always dreamed of doing, she said.

“UEL pushes you to expand your thinking” Now & Then

Elizabeth said she also wanted to study in London.

The opportunity to mix with people from all types of backgrounds was one of the things Elizabeth enjoyed most about being a student at UEL. “UEL is a wonderful melting pot of cultures, ethnicities, orientation, ages and all manner of backgrounds,” she said. “It all adds to the academic discussion, and I learnt a few new drinking games along the way!”

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Beyond the academic learning, UEL pushes you to expand your thinking and explore the possibilities that you might not previously have considered,” she continued.

Elizabeth’s advice to current students? “Make the most of your time at UEL, because the time one spends at university provides an unparalled opportunity to investigate new ideas, develop new ways of thinking, and explore future possibilities.”

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Seq UEL

Auzzam Chaudhri is becoming accustomed to being top of the class.

The Computer Networks alumnus graduated first in his course in 2013, earning impressive accolades including the Dean’s Prize in Computing, Best Computing Project and the British Computing Society’s award for Best Overall Degree Performance.

In his current role as a solutions architect working in service management and sustainability for Fujitsu, Auzzam recently took home the company’s prestigious “Graduate of the Year” award, beating alumni from the UK’s best-rated universities.

Auzzam credits a “fire in the belly” with giving him the confidence necessary to excel.

“As a company Fujitsu, has one of the best graduate schemes and attracts a whole heap of talent.

I had peers who had graduated

from Oxford and Cambridge,” he said.

“But at the end of the two-year scheme I was awarded “Graduate of the Year” for demonstrating outstanding performance. This, I believe, demonstrates that if you have the belief and hunger, anything is possible,” he said.

In his role at Fujitsu, Auzzam helps create sustainability products for use both internally and externally. He also oversees participants of Fujitsu’s graduate scheme.

Auzzam maintains ties with UEL, volunteering with undergraduates who wish to develop their employability skills. Over threequarters of the students Auzzam has worked with have secured job offers.

Auzzam said he chose to study at UEL because a relative who was a UEL student had done a work placement during his studies. It was important to Auzzam that his

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university had a support system in place to find good placements.

A work placement at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine allowed him to demonstrate in-depth experience when he applied for jobs, Auzzam said.

“I know of others who were having a difficult time progressing in job applications due to the lack of a placement year, so I am extremely grateful for UEL’s employability connections,” he said.

Auzzam said other aspects of his studies at UEL also helped him achieve professional success.

“I feel the whole culture of group work was a mirror experience of what can be expected in the real world,” he said. “Although the group tasks during my course were often filled with frustration, this taught me invaluable skills on how to deal with difficult situations which is now used

on a daily basis.” Auzzam said UEL’s diverse staff and student population helped make his time at university very pleasant.

“From working part-time in telethons to volunteering as a student ambassador, meeting people from so many different backgrounds meant I was constantly making new friends and having a great time,” he said.

“There were also some great teachers throughout my course who were genuinely interested in our learning and development,” he said.

Auzzam advises current undergraduates to believe in their abilities.

“Realise graduation is only the beginning. It is important to find that inner belief and establish the “can do” attitude as this will help you stand out in your working career,”.

haudhri Now & Then

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UEL Coaching Psychology graduate Michelle Pritchard is blazing her way around east London.

Finding her spa 22

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g ark Now & Then

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“I have always been passionate about people’s purposes in life and think that when you find your purpose, everything else falls into place”

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Michelle’s young company, Find Your Spark, is going from strength to strength. Find Your Spark provides career coaching services to young people between the ages of 13-25, mostly through schools and charity organisations.

“I have always been passionate about people’s purposes in life and think that when you find your purpose, everything else falls into place,” Michelle said.

Michelle said the London riots in 2011 showed that youth need more support. Some of the drivers of the unrest included youths’ anger and lack of hope and desperation at a poor economic situation. Michelle points out that 40% of one group of adolescents interviewed by the Prince’s Trust after the riots said they suffered from mental illness and 3/4 of these young people said they had contemplated suicide.

Michelle said she was a vulnerable, at-risk teenager after her father passed away when she was 14. This has allowed her to understand the trials that young people experience, she said.

Michelle created Find Your Spark with the goal of inspiring others.

“It is a good idea for young people to have help finding their purpose early on. Even if they change their mind later, at least they will have some experience to put on their CVs,” she said. Michelle said it is vital for 16-18 year olds to get as

Now & Then

much professional experience as possible while they are living at home with their families and have minimal expenses. Her career coaching is designed to lead to work experience placements.

incubates and provides hands-on practical support to social enterprises. The programme’s aim is to generate wealth and jobs by identifying and helping local entrepreneurs.

Michelle has been working with Highbury Fields School and the Think Forward charity to match young people with placements of their choosing.

Michelle was also successful in a recent application, made with help from UEL, to participate in an Ernst & Young Foundation mentoring programme. The scheme provides Michelle with monthly business coaching from an Ernst & Young employee, quarterly workshops on topics such as accounting and social investment, and networking sessions.

Michelle has taken advantage of numerous programmes designed to bolster her entrepreneurial efforts, and UEL has played a role in her applications.

Through UEL’s partnership with Haberdashers, Michelle was awarded a Haberdashers’ Company Entrepreneurs Programme grant, which provided her with £1,000 to invest in her company.

“I was excited to have won and it has opened doors for me” “I was excited to have won and it has opened doors for me and allowed me to build my network further,” Michelle said. “It was a fantastic opportunity.”

Michelle also won a grant from the Bromley by Bow Centre to participate on the ‘Beyond Business’ programme, which

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“I’ve had the privilege of being invited to one of their alumni sessions which took place at the British Museum. We got to see their exhibitions free of charge, which was fun,” Michelle said.

The business coaching sessions provide someone for Michelle to discuss ideas with – a helpful tool as being a social entrepreneur can be lonely, Michelle said.

“The coaching has been invaluable and I have learnt many new skills such as financial forecasting. I also get to network with like-minded peers,” she said.

Research that Michelle carried out for her master’s degree is scheduled to be published in the International Coaching Psychology Review. Michelle will also speak at two conferences at the end of the year.

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Ben Nizan

Daniel Fahey

Rising stars

The creativity emerging from graduates of UEL’s computer games programmes is causing a stir. Recent alumni have scooped honours ranging from Baftas to places on Develop magazine’s “30 Under 30” list of promising young stars.

by Daniela Bragato

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“We want our students to stand out when they leave, especially because people can be critical regarding games courses,” Gameplay Design Lecturer David Dorrington declares.

The new crop of talent includes Ben Nizan, a recent graduate of the Computer Games Design: Story Development course. Ben worked as a writer/designer for online gaming company Gamesys for three years but decided this year to take a leap of faith and become an independent games designer based out of his “box room in south London”.

This spring, Ben released his first game, Hexderity. It’s similar to the classic Pairs game but pits users against the clock, giving them ten seconds to find matching sets. More time is added to the clock each time a pair is found, but the action also gets faster and faster.

“For me, what makes a good game is a simple set of rules that can have a lot of complexity come out of them,” Ben said. “And then I like a good story if there is one.”

Staff on UEL’s computer games courses have pushed hard to show that games design is a bona fide university subject. Students are asked to academically frame every project they do.

For example, students gauge the emotional experiences of game

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players by monitoring facial expressions, heart rate and brain activity.

“Students make prototypes and then do tests on the subjects to see if they’re getting the response they designed,” David Dorrington explains.

It’s just one way the Games Design: Story Development and the Computer Game Development courses uniquely position graduates.

Another Computer Games Design: Story Development alumnus, Daniel Fahey, based his new Tube Surfer game on his experience commuting on the London Underground.

Daniel says he often amused himself by standing on one foot or balancing himself without holding on to anything.

Tube Surfer is designed to be played on the Underground. The player tilts their device so that a surfboard, which is affected by the real movement of the train carriage, stays in the middle of the screen. The closer the surfboard stays centred, the more points the player earns.

Daniel currently works in Reading as a test associate for Microsoft, where he was involved with testing core features of the Xbox One before it was launched in 2013. He’s also worked on a number of best-selling games such as Forza Horizon 2 and Fable Legends.

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“Games give you that addictive feeling that makes you want to play it again” “What makes a good game? I’d say fun and replay ability,” Daniel says. “If it’s a mobile game then you have to be able to replay it easily because games give you that addictive feeling that makes you want to play it again. I like that drive to carry on.”

A sense of community is also part of the UEL computer games experience. It’s difficult for beginner designers to create games on their own, so collaboration is encouraged.

“One of my best memories is about a very good presentation we delivered in my second year,” Daniel says. “I worked with a great group of people and we won an internship for the summer.”

Ben recalls how he refined his programming skills at the end of his first year by practising with fellow students in the library.

“I think we were there for four weeks every night doing it,” he says. “It was a nice group that got together, everyone helping each other. Everyone was learning a little bit at the time and sharing knowledge.”

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New Internation Alumni Chapters 28

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There are over 120 nationalities represented in UEL’s student population.

In recent years Africa and Asia have become an increasingly important source of prospective students, meaning that they are now home to a large number of our graduates.

nal

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As part of the Alumni Advancement teams outreach work, and to recognise our graduate presence across these continents UEL recently hosted Alumni events in Nigeria and Malaysia.

The aim of the events was to launch our first International Alumni Chapters, an exciting engagement programme that UEL has recently embarked on.

The purpose of setting up Alumni Chapters across the world is to allow its members to be more actively involved with the University. Our Alumni Chapters are designed to be an effective way to enhance the experience of our graduates and encourage them to network with each other and contribute to the future of UEL. In July the team hosted the first of our Alumni Chapter launches in Lagos, in Nigeria. Over 80 graduates attended, as well as family members and friends.

The event took place at the Four Points by Sheraton Lagos Hotel.

It was hosted by a delegation of UEL staff led by Deputy ViceChancellor (Academic) Professor Nora Colton.

> Lagos Nigeria

thousands of Nigerian alumni, she said at the Lagos launch.

“It is really the alumni that are most in my mind, as they are a group of very bright, talented individuals who have come to UEL and been really transformed, then taken that back to Nigeria and contributed to the society,” Professor Colton said.

“I had the opportunity to meet people who majored in Business, Health, Computer Science, Law, and more and these individuals have come back and really made a difference,” she continued.

Joining Professor Colton in Nigeria were Dr Jummy Okoya, Director of UEL’s MBA programme; Dr Branislav Radeljic from the School of Social Sciences; Associate Dean Helen Mitchell of the Cass School of Education and Communities; Niru Williams from International Admission and Compliance; Tolani Jaiyeola from the International Recruitment Office; and Aziz Shyllon from the Alumni Office. Nigerian alumus Sunday Oluwadare chaired the evening.

Professor Colton said Nigeria was a special country for UEL. Hundreds of the country’s citizens were currently studying at the university and there were

An award for alumni engagement was given to Economics graduate Martin Adebiyi Sonariwo. Martin, who works in the oil industry, was recognised for regularly returning to UEL to advise current students and staff.

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“It is really the alumni that are most in my mind, as they are a group of very bright, talented individuals who have come to UEL” (Professor Colton)

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“This just the start. We will be launching alumni chapters all over the globe in the New Year�

(Charlie Werren)

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< Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

After the event, many put themselves forward to be a key part of the Chapter, and we are pleased to say they are now up and running and meeting on a regular basis.

In October the team hosted the second of our Alumni Chapter Launches, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The event took place at the prestigious Le Meridian Hotel.

Representing UEL was the Dean of the School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, Professor Hassan Abdalla, the Dean of the School of Business and Law, Professor Matthew Humphreys and Alumni Advancement Officer, Aziz Shyllon. The team was lead by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Joughin.

The event was chaired by alumnus Soorya Muttu and had over 130 alumni with their friends and family in attendance.

Some who had graduated just the day before from our partner intuition WIM. Professor Joughin began by explaining the importance of Malaysia to UEL and the transformational stride that UEL is making to add value to our degrees. This was followed by presentations from Professor Humphreys Abdalla At this event yet another alumni engagement award was

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presented. The recipient was Business Information Systems graduate Abdulkadir Shehu.

Abdulkadir graduated with a first class honours degree and now lectures in one of our partner institution the FTMS. He is a PhD candidate in leadership and e-commerce and has authored two books on web development.

Professor John Joughin said, “We are really pleased with the turn out at the launch of our Malaysian Alumni Chapter, it is great to have had over 130 graduates in attendance, I hope that as many of them as possible take up the opportunity to be involved with the Chapter moving forward.”

Our new International Alumni Chapters will be a platform for networking, guest speakers, professional club events, fundraising activities, and promoting UEL. Alumni Advancement Officer Aziz Shyllon, who helped organise both events, said the Alumni Chapters had been a fantastic success.

“Which underlines the wisdom of the idea of setting up International Alumni Chapters,” he said.

“This just the start. We will be launching international alumni chapters all over the globe in the New Year,” said the teams Alumni Advancement Manager Charlie Werren.

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Science Without Borders

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Science without Borders, or CiĂŞncia sem Fronteiras, is a Brazilian government scholarship programme that sends Brazilian undergraduate and postgraduate students to universities around the world to study science, technology, engineering, mathematics and some courses in the creative industries.

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Over 350 students have studied at UEL through the programme.

Aquilla Nolasco is one of them.

Aquilla, 24, is the first member of his family to enter higher education. He won a full scholarship to study civil engineering at a top university in Brazil. A hard worker, he honed his English language skills on the internet because English lessons in Brazil are expensive.

When Aquilla learned about Science without Borders, he seized the opportunity to come to the UK.

“I loved my time at UEL. I love the facilities, including the library and SportsDock. I love the campus and its location,” Aquilla said.

Studying at UEL was a great experience for Aquilla. He said he received help from a number of different areas, including the International Team and the Careers and Employability Team, which helped him with his CV and securing an internship.

Although students who study at UEL through Science without Borders do not follow a traditional graduation route, they are still considered part of the UEL family.

Aquilla has now returned to Brazil to finish his studies. His advice to UEL students is to “enjoy your time studying and make the most of the opportunities that UEL offers you.”

“I loved my time at UEL. I love the facilities, including the library and SportsDock. I love the campus and its location” 36

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Recent 窶テvents 25 06 15

Annual Psychology Event

Over 80 guests attended a major alumni event hosted by the Alumni Advancement Office and the School of Psychology on the Stratford campus on 25 June.

The gathering kicked off with a lecture by Dr Kate Hefferon, a senior lecturer at UEL and head of the Post-Traumatic Growth Research Unit.

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Attendees also participated in two workshops. One session was led

by Dr Hefferon and centred on character strengths. The second workshop, guided by Dr Rona Hart, looked at goal setting and the science behind positive psychology.

The lecture and workshops were followed by light refreshments and a chance for guests to network.

The evening was a great success.

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If you would like to hear more about our up-and-coming events, make sure you are on our mailing list by emailing your details to alumni@uel.ac.uk or joining our facebook page facebook.com/uelalumni.

19 09 15

Public gets an inside look at University Square Stratford

The University of East London offered the public a glimpse of the unknown in September when it opened the doors of its sleek University Square Stratford site for London’s prestigious Open House architecture festival.

Attendees of the day-long event included local Newham residents, contractors and architecture fans making the rounds of Open House buildings.

“This is the first time we’ve entered USS in the Open House event,” UEL Strategic Projects Manager Max Krafchik said. “It’s a great opportunity to show off the building to the general public, and allow people to see its stunning design and cutting-edge green technology at close range.”

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The annual Open House gives people an opportunity to visit architecturally significant buildings which are normally closed to the public. This year’s programme included hundreds of diverse structures throughout London, from 10 Downing Street and Whitehall to the headquarters of London Underground and private Hampstead homes.

USS, a joint venture between UEL and Birkbeck, University of London, opened in 2013 at a cost of £33 million. Designed by London-based Make Architects, the building’s 8,600 square metres is spread over five floors and consists of teaching and performance space, offices and a large, atrium. It is located in the heart of Stratford’s cultural district.

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Are you interested in becoming a UEL Advocate?

Did you participate in any of our outreach activities, such as taster days, master classes, mentoring or summer schools, before becoming a UEL student? Did you find the experience informative and inspiring? Would you like to return to your former school or college to help inspire, inform and encourage young people to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for successful study in higher education?

If you would like to find out more about becoming an advocate for UEL contact: Yvonne Bentley Partnerships Manager (Schools and Colleges) Email: y.bentley@uel.ac.uk

The Schools and Colleges Team, part of Education and Community Partnerships, is looking for highly-motivated graduates to represent UEL. Support the team in its mission to widen participation in higher education and help students in local schools and colleges prepare for and make a smooth transition into higher education. UEL Advocates will be expected to talk about their journey to UEL, their student experience, and their current employment or plans for future employment.

10 MINUTE S W ITH...

C AT H E R I N E H O L M E S

Catherine Holmes is currently studying towards her MA in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at LCC, and currently works as a self-employed photographer.

Catherine studied BA (Hons) Photography at Barking and Dagenham College, which is a UEL partner institution. However, she benefitted from opportunities provided by UEL, such as guest lecture programmes.

Westminster Minds mental health services.

Her CV includes a speaker role at the Royal Academy of Art’s In Practice event. She was also selected by online creative platform Ideas Tap to participate in a weekend workshop with Magnum Photos.

Catherine advised other students to be brave. She said that being part of a creative course was a unique chance to make space in your life and practice for experimenting. She said that it’s important to draw inspiration from everything and everyone and also look at the industry with a worldwide perspective.

“The course gave me a direct insight into the industry and also confidence to move forward to assistant work and working independently,” Catherine said. “We studied a professional practice module which prepared us for industry and identified our aims beyond the degree.”

“If you can get business advice, contacts and develop a portfolio early in your career, it is a good step forward,” she said.

Catherine has since lent her talents to photography workshops run by the Portugal Prints division of Wandsworth and

If you would like to see more of Catherine’s work, please visit her website catherineholmes.co.uk

Romanian Summer, Summer camp tents, Transylvania, Catherine Holmes

Catherine, studied BA (Hons) Photography at UEL, and graduated in 2013

MÂNCA, A CONVERSATION WITH A LOCAL SHEPHERD, ROMANIA, CATHERINE HOLMES