Students see the light in shadowing scheme

25/04/03

Students see the light in shadowing scheme

Potential school and college-leavers were given the chance to shake off any apprehension about heading to University when they took part in the Shadow A Student programme last month. The annual event - run in conjunction with St Mary's College and the University of Surrey Roehampton as part of the widening participation programme - promotes University to pupils who might not otherwise consider signing up for a Degree.

More than 300 young people from schools and colleges across the region, teamed up with Kingston students to get their first taste of seminars, laboratory sessions and workshops. They sampled subjects ranging from Music and Psychology to Radiography and Aerospace Engineering.

First year Accounting and Finance undergraduate Summer Wilson, 33, was one of the students on hand to answer questions. She was encouraged to enrol at Kingston after attending last year's Shadow A Student event. "I found coming to the lectures and tutorials really helpful. I looked at the work students were doing and realised I could do it myself," she explained. "It also made me see that I could fit in."

Andrew Akomaning, 17, from Southfields Community College, praised the scheme for giving him the incentive to go to University. "I came here to learn about Business courses and I now have a much clearer idea about what I want to do," he said.

Business Studies Course Director Debbie Anderson said the programme helped students make vital decisions about their future. "Youngsters are seeing that the University is an exciting place to study and that, if they want to strive for good academic qualifications, Kingston is the place to come," she said.

Bridge - The Kingston University magazine
April 2003