This month’s Kent Stars are the Medway Music Society who won Society of the Year at the latest Medway Activities Awards. They won for transforming the society, and running successful events that would often get up to 70 students attending.  

The nomination said: “I think it is impossible to ignore the achievements that the society has made over the past academic year… I wholeheartedly think the Medway campus would simply not be the same without the Music Society.” 

Hear more from the Medway Music Society and its President Skye: 

“We are the Medway Music Society, we hold regular events with amazing live music as well as interactive events such as quizzes and karaoke. Firstly, to introduce myself and my team: 

• President: Skye Ryan, third-year student on the Music Performance and Production course. I am a keen guitarist, bassist and vocalist. 

• Vice President: Chloe Jagger is a second-year student on the Social Sciences course and she is an amazing vocalist. 

• Social Media Manager:  Izzy Logie is a third-year student on the Music Performance and Production Course and she is a great vocalist and drummer. 

• Treasurer: Ash Luk is a third-year student on the Music Performance and Production Course and is a stunning bassist and vocalist. 

Front-left: Chloe Jagger; front-right: Izzy Logie; back-left: Skye Ryan; back-right: Ash Luk 

Society of the Year
“Winning Society of the year came as a complete shock as we thought due to the other amazing societies, who have also done so many amazing things for Medway students, the running would be very tough. Yet to hear that we won we are so grateful. 

“This year we have really pushed the society to get back on its feet and rise to its former glory as we saw how amazing it could be and the experience it provided for students. Though this did not come easy, there was a lot of work to be done throughout the summer in the build-up to our freshers event to make sure we started off with a bang. 

“This event made a great first impression and we couldn’t have done it without the help of the music lecturers Dr Rich Perks and Dr Richard Lightman. They helpfully guided us through the process making sure we thought through every detail so that this event would set us on track for an amazing year and it truly fulfilled its purpose. 

“And so, winning society of the year was not just down to us but down to all those who supported us along the way. Including our returning crowd of students who stuck with us through the hard times as they knew we would come out on top.” 

What advice would you give to other students?

“As for advice we would give other students running societies… 

“First of all, it is not a small job, if you want success you have to be dedicated and stick to the plan even when it doesn’t seem worth it. 

“Secondly, fix the small problems as they cause so much frustration and yet are fixed so easily. For example, we kept having problems with the key code of our cupboard door and this small fix has led to smoother running events. 

“Thirdly, rely on your team. If you can’t do something yourself, ask for help, there is no point in making it difficult for one person when with the help of your team it can get done more easily and efficiently. 

“Lastly, have fun. If you’re not enjoying it then why should you do it. This was the one rule we took on when starting out as we felt that for this society to work it shouldn’t be painful to run. Yes there will be bumps along the way but overall if it is taking a toll on your wellbeing and you can’t fix a better way then just don’t do it..” 

What are your plans for the next year?

“Next year we plan to continue to grow the society, we have an amazing team taking over that have plans to elevate the Music Society to new levels. Such as getting gigs in different locations, perhaps introducing a music society after hours, a dedicated club night and much more (secret plans to be revealed next year so stay tuned). 

“We, the current committee, can’t wait to see how the Music Society will continue to develop next year.” 

Do you know an inspirational student or student group? Let us know. 

Learn more about the Kent Stars campaign. 

This month’s Kent Stars are the Postgraduate Network, who have organised events to build a strong postgraduate community, persevering to ensure the postgraduate student voice is heard at all levels.

Maureen – “My name is Maureen Bungei, a PG student pursuing an MA in International Relations with International Law. I have been the Postgraduate Network Chair during the academic year 2022/2023 and handed over to Miquel Santos at the end of my term in April 2023. I was also supporting the College and Community Life team as a Resident Life Assistant in creating a community and sense of belonging for students on campus. As a member of the Kent Model UN Society, I have attended several conferences in London and the World Harvard MUN, a global event in Paris, France.”

Miguel – “I am Miguel Santos, a Master’s by Research student in English. I’m the de facto Chair of the Postgraduate Network, taking over from Maureen Bungei. My research focuses on 20^th century Anglo-American experimental poetry. I am also a PGR Student Rep for English; the editor-in-chief of the university’s postgraduate, peer reviewed literary journal Litterae Mentis; and a committee member of the Research Salon. I have contributed to the Templeman Library’s ‘100 Years: T.S. Eliot and The Waste Land’ exhibition. I did my undergraduate at Kent as well, where I was involved as Environment Officer and in the Turing College Committee.”

Tell us about the Postgraduate Network and how you are making sure the postgraduate voice is represented at Kent.

Miguel – “The Postgraduate Network is led by postgraduate volunteers and aims to ensure that postgraduates get the most of their time here. We create campaigns and events, representing the voice of the postgraduate community to the university and Kent Union. 

Our committee members include Megan Brown and Nteteawan Bassey-Duke. We’re proud to have a mix of taught and research students, as well as Ntete acting as our Medway representative.  

Our aim is to ensure that the postgraduate experience is as thriving and vibrant as possible. Kent has an incredible postgraduate community who has shown so much support and kindness to me.  

Students enjoying a PG Network event

To support the postgraduate voice, we sit at boards and meetings to represent student feedback. In the autumn term, there was a proposed restructuring of Kent Union’s Officer Team. We organised a student feedback session at Jarman Plaza to gather the views of postgraduates. Because the PG community felt this was a step in the wrong direction, we were able to successfully push Kent Union to drop this proposal in January.

We have hosted events, both in Canterbury and Medway, including socials, study meetings, and a hustings session for the Kent Union elections. With the GRC, we co-organise monthly coffee mornings with guests, including Ben Bradley (Kent Union’s VP Postgraduate Experience), Mark Bass (Careers and Employability Service), and Professor Gordon Lynch (Graduate and Researcher College Director).

On a personal note, I’m indebted to the phenomenal work of postgraduates when I was an undergraduate here, particularly Rowena Bicknell and Tom Ritchie, who inspired me to care about the postgraduate community. I hope that our contributions will ensure that people feel part of the community in the same way Rowena and Tom made me feel.”

What advice would you give to other students?

Miguel – “I would encourage anyone to get involved with co-curricular activities, volunteering or representation. Be optimistic that every action you take and every discussion you have will inform your personal development.

I should also highlight the mental health challenges postgraduates face; as such, it is important to remember you are part of a supportive community here.

Finally, while being nominated for a Kent Star means a lot to me, being part of the postgraduate community at Kent means even more. Although awards and recognition are lovely, we care about the postgraduate community simply because it is the right thing to do.”

PG Summer Coffee Morning.

Maureen – “You have the best time now to take part in co-curricular activities alongside your studies. The university has over 250 clubs and societies where you can take part and nurture your soft skills or sports fitness at your comfort. There are exciting opportunities like student representatives, student ambassadors, and Kent Union Network chairs that will give you an exciting experience that will give you an edge in your CV or interview not forgetting the employability points. Please take them up.

Your health and well-being is the most important aspect of your student experience here at Kent. The university provides academic and wellbeing support services that you are free to utilise and enhance your stay at the university.”

What are your plans for the next year?

Miguel – “The entire Postgraduate Network committee will finish our courses in September; we believe we’ve set a strong foundation for next year’s committee to work closely with the Graduate and Researcher College and Kent Union’s Ben Bradley. The GRC Team and Ben are our biggest supporters!

For myself, I hope to have a job prior to applying for a PhD. I would love to work in higher education in a professional/academic-adjacent role. I’m so grateful for my time at Kent and for all the people who have supported me; I can only hope that my involvement has helped make a difference.”

Students sat together at PG Network event

Maureen – “As I look forward to graduating this July, sadly I might not be here at Kent to oversee the network, but I strongly believe that we as the network committee (Miguel, Ntete, Megan  and I) have done our best and created a sense of belonging for PG community. We hope the next network chair/committee sustains the vibrant community as they will be lucky to work with Ben Bradley who actively supported us during our tenure. Personally, I would be considering doing my PhD sometime later, and the University of Kent definitely has a spot in the top 3.”

Do you know an inspirational student or student group? Let us know.

Learn more about the Kent Stars campaign.

This month’s Kent Star is PhD student Alex Davis, who recently won the NEON Student of the Year Award! NEON is a professional organisation supporting those involved in widening access to higher education. Hear more from Alex:

“My name is Alex. I am a mature student, and I arrived at Kent in 2016 to study BA Classical Studies, having taken an Access to HE Diploma at Canterbury College. I love my subject, and remained at Kent to study MA Ancient History, progressing to a PhD in 2022 (part-time). I am working on the exile poetry by the Roman poet Ovid, in the original Latin. I am President of the Mature Student Society, PGR Student Rep for Classics, and I live in Canterbury with my awesome partner Owen. I run regularly, and am training for a half marathon in August.”

Tell us about your outreach work and winning the NEON Student of the Year Award. 

“Wow! What an amazing honour this is. I am so happy and proud…and still a little dazed! The award ceremony was at the House of Commons, and my partner Owen, and two members of Outreach Widening Participation staff – Vanessa and Ruth – accompanied me. It means so much that the people I work with think so highly of me that they nominated me for this award.

PhD student Alex with Shadow Minister for Higher Education, Matt Western and the Chair of NEON, Les Ebdon.

I didn’t go to University after A-Levels. I knew nothing about it, and there were no ambassadors back in 1993!  Later, I regretted that decision, so when I had a chance to change career I decided that it was my time.

Coming back to full-time study as a mature student was exciting, and terrifying. I thought I would be the oldest person here, and that I would not make any friends. I was wrong.

Kent Outreach Staff and Ambassadors helped immensely, running talks and workshops at the college, and organising visit days to campus. Their hard work and kindness ensured that I felt at home here from day 1.

That is why I applied to be an ambassador: because Kent ambassadors helped me.

From left to right – Ruth Westbury (Development Officer – FE), Alex Davis with her award, Dr Owen Lyne (Senior Lecturer – Statistics), Vanessa Nedderman (Outreach Manager).

I’ve done my best to inspire the people I’ve worked with, to repay that. I’ve worked with hundreds of students on a wide variety of events, and met amazing people. Many of the best friends I have are via Outreach – some of whom I first met whilst at their college or school. They are now Kent students and awesome ambassadors alongside me.

Outreach makes a huge difference to those we work with, every day.  Widening Participation is so important, enabling students who may not think university is for them, or who feel they have a barrier between them and their dreams, to break down those barriers and do what makes them happy and fulfilled.

I love my job. I know it changes lives. It has certainly changed mine.”

What advice would you give to other students?

“University is not just about our studies. It also provides us a massive variety of other opportunities. Please do engage with as many of those as you can. You never know which one will inspire you, give you a new interest, suggest a career path, or change your world.

I did not know what I wanted to be when I grew up. Now I know that I want to work in outreach after I complete my PhD. My experience here has inspired me to explore a career that I did not know existed before I returned to education. There are so many opportunities out there – go for it!”

What are your plans for the next year? 

“I will be continuing with my PhD studies which I find fascinating and enjoyable, although it is also most challenging. I have great supervisors, and I enjoy the autonomy which PhD study provides. However it can be rather isolating, so it is important for my mental health to have other interests alongside it.

This means that I will also be continuing as an outreach ambassador and tutor, as student Rep, and as part of the Mature Student Society committee. In all these occupations I have amazing friends and activities, all of which make me happy. No changes required!”

Do you know an inspirational student or student group? Let us know.

Learn more about the Kent Stars campaign.

This month’s Kent Stars are the Kent Mind Society. A new society this year, Kent Mind has created supportive events for students and fundraised for charities including Mind and Student Minds. Hear from Shivali and Tommy at Kent Mind: 

Shivali – “Hi, I’m Shivali. I am the President of Kent Mind Society and a third-year Economics student, looking at a career in Philanthropy after my involvement in many of the Community Action Groups here at Kent.”

Tommy – “Hi. My name is Tommy and I am the Campaigns Coordinator for Kent Mind Society. I’m an MSc by Research student in Computer Science and I’ve been a part of many societies throughout my four years at the University of Kent.”

Tell us about Kent Mind Society. 

“Kent Mind Society is a very new society on campus, started in August, with the aims of creating safe and supportive spaces on campus, destigmatising conversations about mental health, and fundraising for Mind and Student Minds. 

We founded Kent Mind to help with the demand for support as we face a student mental health crisis and our desire to enact change on campus. We’ve run a wide variety of events from socials, fundraisers and wellbeing drop-ins, and we’ve raised awareness for important dates like Disability History Month and Time To Talk Day. 

Our greatest success this year was the launch of the ‘Safe Space’ initiative last term, providing a supportive environment with blankets, lights, board games and study materials for anyone who feels lonely, low or bored on a Friday night. This was a safe alternative to ‘Friday Night Drinks’, and we are excited to relaunch the initiative bigger and better in the Summer Term. 

We’ve had the great privilege of working with other local charities such as Porchlight, supporting their NHS-commissioned project on 18-25 year olds who have experienced mental health crises. 

We continued strong this term with our calendar of events for University Mental Health Day, including a Bingo Fundraiser at Woody’s and our Spring Prom at Venue. More details of upcoming events can be found on our Instagram (@kent_mind_society).”

 What advice would you give to other students?

Tommy – “I think that it is important to remember that your mental health is the most important thing. It can be very easy for the university workload and life to get on top of us, and we need to remember that it is acceptable for us to take a step back and look after our own wellbeing.”

Shivali – “My best piece of advice is to take note and make sure to do at least one thing every day that’s just ‘time for myself’. Whether it’s 5 minutes of reflection, going for a walk or having a long bath, try and make time once a day to look after yourself.”

What are your plans for next year?

“During our summer term, we hope to continue our ‘Safe Spaces’ initiative to provide a chilled and relaxed space amongst all the exam-related stress. 

In the next year, we would love to continue our fundraising schemes and collaborate with other Community Action Groups, sports clubs and societies to raise even more money for some great causes. 

We’d also love to work closer with student committees to raise awareness of how to look out for your members and be considerate of mental health.”

See more Kent Stars and nominate a Kent Star. 

Nicolette and Tobias are this month’s Kent Stars. Tobias and Nicolette, both peer mentors, created a series of successful workshops for fellow Psychology students to ensure knowledge and connection was not lost between year groups after the pandemic. Hear more from our motivational mentors Tobias and Nicolette:

Nicolette – “Hi, my name is Nicolette Wilson and I’m a second-year psychology student. Psychology has always been an interest of mine. Since coming to university, I have become a student representative and a peer mentor. These responsibilities have allowed me to connect with and explore my passion to help others, using the insights I gain from studying psychology and human behaviour to learn how I can inspire others to succeed at becoming the best versions of themselves.”

Tobias – “My name is Tobias, I am a Stage 3 Psychology student at Kent. I am a student mentor and part of the student experience team that organises seminars to highlight critical study skills needed to pass the first year of Psychology. I have experience as an assistant researcher, through the Research Experience Scheme in a cognitive neuropsychology project investigating mood, emotion, and executive cognitive control in my Stage 2. This year I am writing my final year project on individuals’ approval of out-group aggression in forensic and social psychology.”

Tell us about your APA Finesse workshops and how you came up with the idea to help reconnect students.

Tobias – “When I started my degree at Kent in 2020, the UK went into lockdown shortly after start of term. During my first year all lectures were online, effectively isolating each year group from one another. By the time we came out of lockdown we were still facing restrictions such as social distancing and Stage 3 students had graduated. In Stage 2, I realised that by the end of the year, another generation of psychology students would graduate and that their experiences would not be passed on to the next generation. It was time to rebuild and to start collaborating again.”

“As a Stage 2 peer mentor, I saw meaning in helping other students through their transition to university life. I came up with the idea when I was speaking with a fellow peer mentor about working together to help our mentees understand American Psychological Association (APA) writing style and report structure. Due to the lockdown, there was a decline in student-to-student coursework collaboration, making it more challenging for students to figure out what information was most relevant for each academic term.”

“We organised a workshop where we presented foundations of psychology essay writing in APA style to our peer mentees. This was the start of APA Finesse, and in subsequent workshops we invited other Stage 1 students, regardless of whether they were part of the peer mentoring program. APA Finesse has since then expanded to include students of both Stage 2 and 3 as well as postgraduate students of various psychology disciplines.”

Nicolette “I became a student representative in my first year and took an interest in how students were finding the course. It immediately became apparent to me that there was a common need among students to better understand how to approach their assignments and with adjusting to the new expectations at university.”

“I went along to Tobias’ APA Finesse session and found it incredibly useful. I knew the potential it had to help the rest of the students in my year too. I was inspired get involved and help Tobias reach more students. By this point, I had already been thinking deeply about the causes of problems faced by students. We began discussing how to approach these problems, and pitched a series of workshops to a few lecturers, who welcomed and supported us with feedback and publicity. As a student, I can bring my own student perspective on how to overcome these issues, in a way that can’t be covered by lectures.”

“We launched the sessions at the beginning of this academic year for the new Stage 1 students, covering the key skills that are important for a student to develop, to grow and succeed in the course, including the basics of APA format and how a good essay is structured. The workshops encourage engagement from the students, getting them to answer and ask questions which develop their understanding of these key skills. Three workshops so far have been recorded and uploaded to Moodle, creating useful resources for students to refer to, whenever they need.”

What advice would you give to other students? 

Nicolette – “Use your time as an undergraduate as a chance to discover your interests. University is a unique place and time in your life, full of opportunities. There are many ways to learn and develop your interests during your time here, so normalise trying new things and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Even though it is often scary to do so, it is the best thing you can do, and it will always be worth it. Dedicate some time to getting involved with the things you discover you are passionate about. It is both exciting and rewarding and will lead you to some amazing places. Many opportunities await, so get involved!”

Tobias – “Although diversifying your friendships to include persons outside of your discipline or even non-students is healthy, I sincerely advise all students to identify at least one student on your course, preferably someone that you have multiple modules in common with and building an academic relationship with them. I can say with certainty as a senior undergraduate student and as a peer mentor, that having a study partner in your specific discipline will boost your engagement with the learning material. A solid academic relationship will also cultivate your independence by increasing your personal accountability as well as your accountability to others.”

What are your plans for the next year? 

Tobias – “I will stay at University of Kent next year to take a master’s degree in Forensic Psychology to pursue the independent BPS qualification route in forensic psychology as a trainee. I intend to further support undergraduate students in the hopes of strengthening the student culture at the School of Psychology. I hope to join the Psychology Society Committee next year and continue my work with fellow students of psychology and our professors, whose communication efforts and support have been invaluable.”

Nicolette – “I am involved in a research experience scheme project with some lecturers and students, aimed at understanding the current challenges for students in university education and how this impacts mental health. I hope to conduct research into this area for my final year project. I also joined the Association of Speakers Clubs earlier this year to practise public speaking. Writing speeches has been an excellent outlet for me to begin speaking about the topics I am passionate about and develop my character.”

Learn more about our Kent Stars campaign.

This month’s Kent Stars are the Korfball Society. They went from having very few players during the pandemic, to coming second in the national BUCS competition! A fantastic achievement. Hear from team members Gemma and Josh:

Josh – Hi, my name is Josh Jardine and I’m currently doing a master’s by research in Sport and Exercise Science. My main interests are mostly anything sport related, I’m a big QPR supporter and enjoy going out with friends and family.

Gemma – I’m Gemma Bealey and a Law and Politics LLB Student. Among other interests I am a very keen korfball player. I started playing korfball at age 7 after I was introduced to it at primary school and have played ever since. This has included playing for Kent Junior age groups and now playing in the National Korfball League. I’m also a qualified coach and have been able to coach in my old club for many years as well as coaching one of the Kent Youth Teams.

Tell us about Korfball and Kent’s national success. 

Gemma – Korfball is a mixed-sex game which originated in the Netherlands and has similarities to both netball and basketball. It is very fast paced and relies on a diverse team where all players can attack and defend. I joined UKC Korfball last year and was grateful to be able to join such a welcoming and social club. Due to not running for a year as a result of the pandemic, the club was much smaller than it is now, and nearly every member was new to Korfball.

Josh – Last year we competed in three tournaments: prelims, regionals, and nationals against other universities all over the country. After winning regionals we qualified for the national championships. At the nationals we managed to reach the final but unfortunately lost by two goals against UEA but being second in the country is nothing to be ashamed of!

What advice would you give to other students? 

Josh – Advice would I give to other students would be to join a society. Societies provide a great way to meet like-minded people or people with the same interests and hobbies as you.

Gemma – I would advise any students to just get stuck into university as much as they can through joining societies. This gives a student an instant social circle and an easy opportunity to make more friends. It also offers students with a better work/life balance to take the pressure off their studies. Korfball is a very welcoming and inclusive game with players of all abilities and level of experience. As not many players have played before we offer the opportunity learn a new sport together as a team which isn’t always possible in other games. Being mixed also gives the game a rare dynamic which is very refreshing.

What are your plans for the next year?

Gemma – I will graduate from Kent this year and know that I will continue to play korfball following this. I have continued to play with clubs outside university while I have also been representing the University at BUCS tournaments and while I will miss being able to play BUCS, I’m glad I will still be able to play the game at a competitive level. I also hope to be able to continue my coaching once I have left university and I have always enjoyed this.

Josh – While completing this master’s degree, I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to work for Gillingham Football Club while collecting data. So, my aim after this year is to hopefully get a job in a Sport Science department at a professional football club.

Learn more about the Kent Stars campaign.

Our Kent Stars campaign celebrates our students doing amazing things – and Millie Knight already has some incredible achievements under her belt. Being visually impaired from a young age, she has not let this stop her and is not only a Paralympic Medallist in Skiing, but also a Commonwealth Karate Champion! Hear from Millie:

“My name is Millie Knight, and I am a 23-year-old 4x Paralympic medallist and 2x World Champion in Alpine Skiing. I am also a National and Commonwealth Champion in Karate. I also happen to be blind, but that bit is dull. I studied Psychology at Kent (graduating this week) and received an Honorary Doctorate in 2017.”

Tell us about winning a Bronze Medal at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games. 

“The 2021/22 season was extremely busy with Nationals, European Cups, World Cups, World Championships and Paralympics within three months. Winning the World Championships was an unexpected result and a significant confidence boost going into The Paralympics.

Beijing was my third Paralympic Games and a different experience from my previous two Games (2014/2018). Due to Covid restrictions, there were challenges, like no spectators and a requirement to wear FFP3 face masks all day (even when skiing). Despite the limitations, I enjoyed my time in Beijing and made the most out of the situation. I had no expectations of winning any medals at these games, as I knew my performances weren’t where they were four years ago. The Bronze felt like Gold to us; it was an incredible feeling.”

What advice would you give to other students? 

“Make the most out of your time at Kent, there are so many things available to you, but you must make an effort to push yourself and experience as much as possible. Three years sounds like a long time, but it flies past, don’t wait to try something next year; do it now, and you won’t regret it. If you are struggling, there is help, and people do care! I couldn’t believe the amount of available support at Kent compared to my previous university experiences.”

What are your plans for the next year?

“I plan to keep progressing with my performance in both my academic and athletic careers. Fingers crossed, I get selected for the European and World championships for karate. I will not be competing in skiing this year which will give me the time to fully recover from multiple injuries sustained over the last few seasons. Starting my old job at Kent Sport again will be exciting, so if you are in need of a sports massage, head on over to see me at the sports centre!”

Learn more about the Kent Stars campaign.

This month’s Kent Star is Rachel Muir, who won targetjobs Undergraduate of the Year Award Celebrating Neurodiverse Talent. Rachel explains why she applied (spoiler – it was a bigger competition that she realised!), how she is finding her internship at Rolls-Royce and her advice for other students. Hear from Rolls-Royce Researcher Rachel:

“Hello everyone, I’m Rachel! I’m currently in my penultimate year of computer science and working towards starting a PhD in software verification. Outside of academia, I enjoy spending time in The Shed, within Cornwallis, where Tinker Soc is held. Designing different projects and working on them with friends is one of my favourite activities. In the evenings, I love free-style ice skating, bike rides down the incredible Canterbury bike trails and spending time with my friends through activities such as guitar or gaming.”

Tell us about winning targetjobs Undergraduate of the Year Award Celebrating Neurodiverse Talent.

“My original impression of the Undergraduate of the Year award was that I was applying for an internship with Rolls-Royce. Later I found out that it was a UK-wide competition that held quite a lot of weight. It was quite the shock to find out the scale of the award and I certainly felt out of my depth.

However, as time went on, I met some fellow contestants online who were shortlisted for winning, and others who worked at R2 Factory, connected to the internship. Getting to know the other contestants, and learning more about who would be attending the awards and what the experience would be like, was a great comfort for me. I’d never been to a large event in front of so many people, and as someone who usually remains out of the attention of others, this was a new challenge.

On the day of the awards, I got to meet all the shortlisted contestants in person as well as James Corbin, Head of Careers and Employability at Kent, whom I was really glad came to support me! It was amazing to meet others who had made it to the award ceremony, and knowing they were also neurodiverse gave me a sense of pride and recognition for us achieving something amazing. With 300 people in the room, there was certainly an atmosphere of excitement, anticipation and nerves. Hearing the backstories for the awards was a reminder that one person can reach such a vast number of people, and you could see the emotional effect some of the awards had on the room.

As overwhelmed as I was when it was announced, I was honoured to win the award for the neurodiversity category and humbled by all the different challenges overcome and accomplishments from the other winners and short-listed contestants. I’ve really enjoyed the first couple of weeks of the internship learning so many new things, and I can’t wait to see what the next 10 weeks brings me.”

What advice would you give to other students?

“I said earlier that I didn’t quite understand the scale of the award when I first applied. This may have been the reason I didn’t hesitate much when applying, as if I knew the scale, I may have assumed I couldn’t win and never applied.

I would urge anyone to apply for anything that piques their interest, whether it’s an award or an opportunity that arises. Even if you have doubts about how far you may get, or whether you have a chance of winning, you can always give it a go. If you’re interested about a subject, why would you not be able to do it?”

What are your plans for the next year?

“I hope to travel during the summer and explore a little bit more of England, and the world. I would like to try and incorporate some small coding camps or competitions during my travel and gain more experience. Hopefully I will learn more about programming, but my favourite part of travelling is learning about other people’s backgrounds, cultures, what they’ve learnt and what I can learn from them. After my final year ends, my intention is to start a PhD and see where it leads me.”

Learn more about the Kent Stars campaign.

This month’s Kent Star is Grace Ingram, who organised and led a “Mixed Roots” event to help individuals discuss their experiences of coming from multiple and undefined cultural and ethnic backgrounds, celebrating these often-overlooked identities. Hear from Cultural Connector Grace:

“Hi, I’m Grace Ingram. I’m doing an MSc in Conservation Project Management. I’m part of the Postgraduate Network and I work at Oaks Nursery on campus. A fun fact about me is I have a playlist for everything. I love music! I played viola and violin for 11 years. Music is still a big part of my life, even beyond classical compositions, which I mostly just listen to when I’m studying or working on assignments. When I’m angry I listen to rap and when I’m energized I listen to Golden Oldies Motown. There’s a song for every mood!”

Can you tell us about the “Mixed Roots” project?

” ‘Mixed Roots’ was an informal conversation with individuals coming from multiple and undefined cultural and ethnic backgrounds speaking on their experiences. Panellists from four main backgrounds (diaspora communities, biracial individuals, Third Culture Kids, and adoptees) answered various questions in a relaxed on-stage atmosphere. I organised the event and also spoke on my experiences as a transracial international adoptee.

The event was a ‘fishbowl’ discussion – fishbowls are frequently called the ‘unconference’. Unlike traditional panels that prioritise making the audiences feel comfortable, fishbowls encourage the audience to suspend their own feelings and rationale to listen with the intention of understanding, rather than responding.

This event was made possible due to the generosity of the Graduate and Researcher College’s Postgraduate Community Experience Awards. However, this event was created because of the vast amount of people falling into these plural and undefined identities, but the lack of collective representation for them here on campus and in broader society. ‘Mixed Roots’ presented an opportunity to listen and humanize individuals with conflicting identities and conflicting senses of community— taking the conversation beyond that evening.

Following the event, we collected general feedback from audience members:

• 78% of respondents said prior to Mixed Roots they had not been provided with opportunities to learn about these backgrounds at Kent.
• 100% of respondents said they would like more opportunities to learn about and celebrate ‘mixed roots’ with many interested in incorporating various topics into the discussion alongside race and culture including: gender & sexuality; religion & faith; politics; pop culture & current events; & mental health.

Many respondents also expressed an interest in seeing additional collaborations with future mixed roots events with: LGBTQ+ Network/ Society; A specific racial/ethnic society; Women’s Network; Faith Network; International Network; Accessibility Network; Student Support and Wellbeing.

This feedback points us in the right trajectory regarding future ‘Mixed Roots’ events which is very exciting!”

What advice would you give to other students?

“A piece of advice I would give is that the one of the best ways you can invest in yourself is by investing in community. I think these investments can take place in many forms whether attending listening events like ‘Mixed Roots’, participating in university or community service projects, or getting involved in social justice campaigns. I think even more can be said when we choose to invest in diverse communities— communities different from our own— in regards to race, nationality, gender, sexuality, socio-economic status, etc.”

What are you plans for this year?

“I graduated from university this past May and will finish this Conservation Project Management MSc in September. While I’ve enjoyed my studies so far, but I’d like to do some learning beyond the classroom. Community service is a huge passion of mine, so I’m currently looking at taking a gap year or two with a credible humanitarian/service organisation like the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps. Living abroad in the UK has been an enriching experience. I’d love to serve in a different city, state, or country, if possible.  I believe that community service will only strengthen my future career in conservation.”

Learn more about the Kent Stars campaign.