Author Archives: Annabel Chislett

Kent Student Awards Gala Dinner 2018

On Friday 1 June, Kent Union and the University celebrated outstanding co-curricular student achievement at the 2018 Kent Student Awards Gala Dinner.

Over 250 students were nominated in 11 categories, with the entire shortlist being congratulated for going above and beyond in a number of activities and initiatives that benefit others.

Student of the Year

The overall ‘Student of the Year’ award, chosen from the category winners, was presented to joint winners Lily Dedman and Valiant Dorian.

Lily won for her amazing work as Kent Union’s Women’s Officer and for organising a wide range of events, including the ‘Reclaim the Night March’ and International Women’s Week.

Valiant won for being a dedicated Kent Union LGBT+ Trans Officer, from helping with the University’s new trans policy to organising a variety of LGBT+ events, notably ‘Fit for LGBT+ Trans Swimming’.

Group of the Year

The Kent Islamic Society was awarded the additional honour of being named ‘Group of the Year’ by judges. This is for their work celebrating and supporting the diverse cultures at the University, fundraising for international charities and celebrating multiculturalism at the Cultural Food Fair.

Highly commended students

The following students were highly commended across multiple categories:

Read more about all the winners and runners-up here.

Paul Andrew March-Russell

Nostalgia podcast with Paul March-Russell

Dr Chris Deacy, Reader in Theology and Religious Studies in the Department of Religious Studies, has just released the second instalment of his podcast series on ‘Nostalgia’.

 

In the latest podcast, Chris interviews Dr Paul March-Russell, Specialist Associate Lecturer in the Department of Comparative Literature. Paul talks about his earliest memories and how television played a role in shaping his identity, from Doctor Who and John Peel to Minipops. He discusses the pitfalls of ‘going back’ to one’s childhood home and about how he followed a path in academia – but that it wasn’t where he necessarily thought he would end up. He also reflects on the role of religion in shaping his values and goals.

 

To listen to the podcast, please see the page here.

Simon Kirchin

Simon Kirchin on life as a philosopher

Dr Simon Kirchin, Reader in the Department of Philosophy and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, has been interviewed for the website What Is It Like to Be a Philosopher?

The site is run by Dr Clifford Sosis, Lecturer in Philosophy at Coastal Carolina University in the US. The site aims to ‘dig deeper into the psychology of philosophers’, asking about their broader personal experiences and what their backgrounds bring to the discipline.

The interview with Simon explores his life, including growing up in the Black Country. He discusses such diverse topics as his Protestant work ethic, hymns, the Sinclair 48k, performing at the Oxford Review, and how his teaching and his personal life inform his research, amongst (many) other things.

The interview was posted today, 1 June 2018, here.

lyle young

Stamatina Liosi in Philosophy Now magazine

Stamatina Liosi, a PhD student and Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy, has just contributed a piece to the latest edition of Philosophy Now magazine, issue 126, June/July 2018.

Philosophy Now aims to showcase the discipline as exciting, worthwhile and comprehensible. The magazine began in 1991 and is now the most widely read philosophy periodical in the English language.

Stamatina’s article is entitled ‘Our Duty to the Dead’ and enlists the help of philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) to discover why we have a duty to treat the dead with dignity.

‘For those of us who think that intuitions or widely held beliefs aren’t enough to explain why things should be done in a certain way, deeper reasons must be found,’ explains Stamatina in the article.  ‘So let’s ask ourselves, why do we have the duty to treat the dead with dignity?’

The full piece can be accessed here.

LAWWeek2018

Kent Experiences – Learning and Work Week

Following on from Learning at Work Week, our Kent Experiences have been advertised and we have already received some great feedback from the first Special Collections tour which took place last week by Information Services.  We have a variety of different experiences now available, with our Estates Department having added 3 NEW activities.

You can view a brief descriptor of all the current opportunities by clicking on this link and then register your interest by following the outlined instructions or by completing this poll. Once your interest has been registered you will be contacted with more information and details of who to contact to finally agree your activity date and time

Most experiences can be arranged on a date and at a time which is suitable for you and they are a great opportunity for you to learn more about the organisation and areas of the University you wouldn’t normally get involved with.

Pride Awards

Kent Hospitality Pride Award nomination deadline

Exam destress

Exam De-stress 2018

Examination period can be an extremely stressful time, and it is important that you are looking after yourself.

Kent Union have created a webpage as a hub for advice, support and activities to help you manage your wellbeing during your exams. Simple tips such as making sure you are taking regular breaks or giving yourself some recovery time between exams can make a huge difference. If you need to talk to someone about your exams, please contact the Advice Centre who can provide free, confidential and impartial advice.

No exams? Not a problem, these events are there for everyone!

For more information click here.

#examcalm #unwindyourmind #stampoutstress

Programme of Events

Here are a sample of the events that will be taking place. For the whole programme of events please click here (Please note that the events calendar will be updated regularly, as and when new events are organised, so keep an eye out).

Mindfulness Practice | 03, 10, 17, 24, 31 May

Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. While mindfulness is something we all naturally possess, it’s more readily available to us when we practice on a daily basis. Whenever you bring awareness to what you’re directly experiencing via your senses, or to your state of mind via your thoughts and emotions, you’re being mindful. And there’s growing research showing that when you train your brain to be mindful, you’re actually remodeling the physical structure of your brain. Further information.

Evening Hypnotherapy: Managing Stress | 03, 10, 17 May

This is a free one hour session of hypnotherapy for fast, safe, and permanent relief from exam stress and anxiety. Get back in control of your mind and body and be able to achieve your aims and goals in a confident and relaxed manner. No need to book – just turn up promptly at 6pm in DG01 Templeman Library (Ask at the library helpdesk if you need directions). Further information.

First Aid for Stress | 04, 15 May

First Aid for Stress is designed to reduce the risk for stress reactions in fire and rescue personnel. It recognizes quickly those individuals who are reacting to a wide range of stressors in their work and personal lives, and are in need of interventions to promote healing. Stillness helps focus. Take time out to learn a strategy to combat stress. Location: Templeman Library Chill Out Zone, D|3|15.  Further information.

Juggling Workshop | 07, 14, 21, 28 May

Complete this workshop to make your own Juggling balls, learn how to use them and recieve a certificate of completion. There is a small cost for this workshop. £4 for Week 1 – making your juggling balls, £3 for each session thereafter. Further information.

Poi Workshop | 08, 15, 22, 29 May

Poi is a form of dance, where weights on the ends of tethers are swung through rhythmical patterns. Poi dance is part of Maori tradition. Complete this workshop to make your own Poi, learn how to use them and recieve a certificate of completion. The workshop will take place in Darwin Peter Brown Room, and will cost £4.50 for week 1, and £3.50 thereafter. Further information.

Guided Labyrinth Walks | 09, 16 May

What is a labyrinth? The labyrinth is a walking meditation, a path of prayer and an archetypal blueprint where psyche meets Spirit. It has only one path that leads from the outer edge in a circuitous way to the centre. There are no tricks to it and no dead ends. Unlike a maze where you lose your way, the labyrinth is a spiritual tool that can help you find your way. Helping us to relax by using outside spaces to reflect our creative and spacious selves. Further information.

Pets as Therapy | 11 May

As simple as it sounds, take a break from revision and head over to the Sibson building where you will be able to pet and cuddle dogs. What could better? Further information: https://kentunion.co.uk/events/id/471-pets-as-therapy

Food Foraging Walk | 5 June | Oasis Garden, Canterbury campus
12:00-13:00 and 13:00-14:00

Unwind, de-stress and discover what Nature’s Larder has to offer on a wild food foraging walk with Natural Pathways.
An affective way to de-stress is to get outdoors and let nature help you to upwind and why not learn a new skill whilst you are at it? Our natural larder is full of exciting discoveries and can be particularly abundant at this time of year. Join us for a short walk and we will take you on a brief journey into the world of foraging where you can discover the amazing wild plants that grow on campus and learn about Best Practice and how to stay safe whilst foraging.’ Free workshops with Carol Hunt and Hannah Nicholls.

Wellbeing Map | Canterbury Campus

If you’d like to spend some time out and explore your surroundings at the Canterbury campus we have updated the Wellbeing Map that highlights our indoor and outdoor relaxation spaces, as well as guided walks and the wellbeing support services we have onsite. To access the map click here.

Got an event that you want to advertise? Just fill out the form here!

Have your say on the University’s Employability Strategy

We have exciting news!!

We are launching a joint (University and Kent Union) Employability Strategy in September and we want to get your views on what our thoughts are so far.

This is a great opportunity to help shape the University’s future Employability focus.

Come along to a discussion group (and get free food) on either:

  • 17 May 12.00 – 12.45
  • 22 May 14.00 – 14.45

Make sure you sign up for the session so we can make sure we have enough pizza for everyone.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScB6z64DdQABLbyiyeoiAdAa4CsUSe2XWFyVBUJcVlapfRWbQ/viewform

kent sport

Running workshop 2018

The Kent Sport Physiotherapy Clinic would like to invite members, non-members and local runners to the fourth informative running workshop. In this workshop we will be looking at what your running is worth. Could your time be better spent?

The workshop will be split in to two sessions; In the first session, we will re-visit running drills as there is always room for improvement. The second session will then look at how much time you invest in your own functional movements and identifying weaknesses.

When: Saturday 21 July 2018, 10.00 – 12.30

Where: The Pavilion, University of Kent, Canterbury Campus, CT2 7NL

Who: Open to members and non-members. All abilities welcome

Cost: £6 per person with complimentary tea and coffee on arrival

Payment: Must be made before the event by visiting reception at the Sports Centre or the Pavilion

To register: Either email your application form to: physio@kent.ac.uk or mail / drop it off to the Physiotherapy Clinic.

What to bring: Running gear if you would like to complete parkrun first, plus additional running attire that is both comfortable to sit in during the lecture and then straight into the practical elements

For more information about the running workshop, please visit the running workshop webpage.

Night_Liminal

#EarBox: ‘Night Liminal’ to explore the transition from daylight to dusk at Studio 3

In a first for the ever-developing #EarBox series that brings together music and visual art, the next event on Thursday 24 May features the hypnotic soundscape of ‘Night Liminal,’ an electroacoustic piece by Simon Cummings inspired by the transitional period of Compline, which will be unveiled in the sepulchral environs of Studio 3 Gallery.

Released in 2012, the piece is an enthralling sound-odyssey, a slow-moving exploration of the mystery of the ever-changing moment. Like drifting clouds, sounds blossom gradually, changing as they grow in a way that reflects the creeping changing of shadows as daylight fades and dusk draws on.

The piece lasts just under forty minutes and will unfold against the backdrop of Studio 3 Gallery’s new exhibition, ‘Enhancing the Frame,’ which opened last week.

Admission to #EarBox is free, and the event begins at 13.10. Prepare for an  immersive experience of contemplative listening; more details online here:

Find out what’s on here.