Keeping you in touch with the University of Warwick
www.warwick.ac.uk/alumni | Issue 6 | Autumn 2011
Visit the Knowledge Centre
Make career connections
Get the latest alumni news
Introducing Warwick’s £50 million campaign
to tackle some of the world’s greatest challenges
Welcome to the 2011 edition
of Warwick Connect
We love to hear from our graduates after they leave Warwick. They tell
us when they start a family, move to a new country or publish a book. We
could fill magazine after magazine with interesting stories but we’ve picked
a few we thought would highlight some of the different paths chosen.
This year has seen the launch of 50 Forward, the University’s first
fundraising campaign, and this edition of Warwick Connect includes a special
campaign supplement. All donations from alumni make an impact and
we need your support if we are to achieve our ambitious aim of raising £50
million of charitable gifts by the University’s fiftieth anniversary in 2015.
50 Forward is summarised on page 7 and you can find out how to make a
donation by visiting warwick.ac.uk/50Forward.
We hope that you will be interested in some new developments at the
University. Have you visited the Knowledge Centre yet? Perhaps one of our
most important initiatives, this is your digital gateway to the University’s
expertise, research and learning. You can read more about it on page 9 but
the best thing to do is to check it out online.
Have you thought about volunteering at the University? Every year many
alumni come back to make a positive contribution to the University
community and to help today’s students. Find out how you can make a
difference at warwick.ac.uk/alumni/volunteering
This magazine is only a small glimpse into what’s going on at the University.
For all the latest alumni news, the best place to go is
warwick.ac.uk/alumni. While you’re there you can update your details, find
a friend and submit a classnote.
Kind regards
Claudie Combelas
Head of Alumni Engagement
PS: Do we have your email address? You might be missing out on a lot of alumni news if we
don’t. Stay in touch, contact us at wga@warwick.ac.uk with your email address.
Warwick Connect 2011
Highlights
Also...
Warwick news
04
A round-up of recent
Warwick stories
Pages 04 – 05
07
Donor’s recognition
50 Forward
09
08
Careers connections
Knowledge Centre
23
Alumni profiles
contents 03
10
Spotlight on...
Matched giving
Page 06
10 minutes with...
Jayaraja
Page 16
Classnotes
People from Warwick
Who’s doing what and where?
Pages 17 – 21
Once you have studied at
Warwick you automatically
become a member of the Warwick
alumni association. Membership
is free to all alumni. Benefits
include access to the University
library as an external borrower,
continued access to the Students’
Union (some restrictions apply),
discounted rates at the
Sports Centre and access to the
Learning Grid.
To take advantage of member
benefits and to access services,
you will need to register online at
warwick.ac.uk/alumni
Warwick Connect
Editor: Peter White
Innovative learning spaces
The views expressed in Warwick Connect are not necessarily those
of the editorial team, the alumni association or The University of
Warwick. © The University of Warwick, 2011. All rights reserved.
Warwick Connect is printed on Cyclus Print which is 100% recycled with a
process that uses vegetable-based inks. It is printed by printers who hold ISO
14001 and FSC environmental accreditations.
Design: Mustard Design
With thanks to: Margaret Milan,
Peter Harris, Peter Selman,
Jayaraja
This magazine is available online
for those who prefer to read a
larger font size: warwick.ac.uk/
go/warwickconnect
04 warwicknews
Warwick Connect 2011
Aspects of
Anatomy
iPhone app
Anonymous donor
finally recognised
An “anonymous” Kenilworth woman who donated the
equivalent of £28 million to the University was recognised at
a special event which was held to give her name to Warwick
Arts Centre’s new studio. Helen Martin (1907-1988) was a
Kenilworth resident for most of her life. She loved classical
music and regularly attended classical concerts in the
Butterworth Hall.
She, and her charitable trust, have been generous donors
to the University from its earliest days and use her income
from a family business to establish a trust fund that has
supported the University to a total of what would be £28
million in today’s money.
Alumni Knowledge Exchange
The first Alumni Knowledge Exchange
took place on Saturday 21 May and
saw hundreds of Warwick graduates
and their families return to campus.
The event featured an exciting range
of panels, keynotes from current
Warwick academics, alumni speakers
at the top of their professions and
workshops. Subjects covered ranged from building success
beyond recession to writing books for children and the
confessions of a celebrity psychologist.
For those of you who missed the day, you can watch video
of the panels and presentations online at warwick.ac.uk/
knowledge/alumniday
Gone are the days when
medical students had to
share dusty, well-thumbed
anatomy text books to
swot up on diagrams and
photographs of odd-looking
pieces of lung or muscle
tissue. Now, would-be
doctors can be part of a
virtual classroom thanks to a
newly launched iPhone app
entitled Aspects of Anatomy
which can be found online in
the iTunes store.
Professor of Clinical
Anatomy, Peter Abrahams,
has turned his teaching into
bite-size anatomy classes
which can be downloaded
and used by medical students
world-wide and not restricted
to those lucky enough to
attend his lectures.
warwicknews 05
shorts
The secrets of
successful writers
Whether you see yourself as a JK Rowling,
a Zadie Smith or a Seamus Heaney, wouldbe writers can share the creative secrets of
world-class authors plus helpful hints and
writing tips at their fingertips thanks to a
newly launched app from the University.
The ‘Writers’ iPhone app provides access
to more than 200 rare recordings of over 150
authors and poets discussing their work and
creative process. It is available to download
free-of-charge from the iTunes store. To date,
around 10,000 copies of ‘Writers’ have been
downloaded.
Sporting chance
Did you take part in sport
while you were at Warwick?
If so, you will definitely
want to be at the 2012 Sport
at Warwick Reunion. This
will be your chance to catch
up with old team mates,
find out what happened to
your goalkeeper and renew
old rivalries.
The weekend of July 13 – 15 will see
alumni return to Warwick to catch up with
teammates and take part in a range of
sporting activities. Planning is still at an
early stage, if you would like to stay up to
date with developments, you can register
an interest here: warwick.ac.uk/alumni/
news/events
New Year’s Honours 2011:
Chancellor Knighted
Chancellor Sir Richard
Lambert was knighted
as part of the Queen’s
New Year’s Honours.
This honour comes
in recognition of his
services to business as
Director-General of the
Confederation of British Industry.
www2.warwick.ac.uk/alumni/news/
latest/new_years_honours
Winner of Warwick Prize
for Writing announced
Peter Forbes has been announced
as the winner of the
£50,000 Warwick
Prize for Writing for
Dazzled and Deceived,
his fascinating story of
mimicry and camouflage
in nature, art and
warfare.
www2.warwick.ac.uk/
newsandevents/pressreleases/
dazzled_and_deceived/
18 top 10 hits for Warwick in
Times Good University Guide
Once again the Times Good University
Guide has ranked Warwick as one
of the UK’s top 10 universities – and
no less than 18 of Warwick’s degree
programmes also win a top ten
accolade in the new table published
in The Times newspaper in June.
www2.warwick.ac.uk/
newsandevents/pressreleases/18_
top_10/
06 spotlighton...
2
Thank you for helping us reach...
£
.75
million!
in matched funding
Warwick Match, the University’s response to the
Government’s matched-funding scheme, recently
ended and we would like to thank all the alumni
and friends of the University who made it such a
success for us.
The Matched-Funding Scheme was intended to encourage
higher levels of philanthropy for higher education. Since the start
of the scheme in August 2008 donations from 5,000 Warwick
Benefactors have enabled us to attract the full £2.75 million
available in matched-funding. This money has gone on to make
a difference to the lives of students across the University.
Here are some of the ways these additional funds have
already made a difference:
• The creation of additional scholarships to enable talented
students to realise their potential.
• A contribution towards the ongoing improvement of teaching
and learning areas across campus, including the new teaching
space in the Modern Records Centre.
• The establishment of prizes in every academic department to
recognise excellence.
• A pioneering project to improve the international awareness
of home students and ensure that collaboration across
cultures forms part of every student’s experience.
• Making funds available for extra-curricular activities that not
only contribute to the student experience but also provide
skills that benefit future careers.
We are extremely grateful for your contributions during this
exciting time. Without our passionate supporters we would not
have reached this important milestone. Your support is crucial
as we move forward. We must continue to strengthen the value
of a Warwick degree and the delivery of a high-quality student
experience which gives our students every advantage for their
lives and careers after Warwick.
“Without our
passionate
supporters we would
not have reached
this important
milestone.”
WarwickMatch
Further info
You can find more
information on how
your donations make a
difference to students on
our website at warwick.
ac.uk/go/50forward/
news
Warwick Connect 2011
50Forward 07
50
FORWARD
Earlier this year the University
“The funds raised throughout
refreshed its Strategy to make sure that
the campaign will make a
Warwick is well placed to respond to
the many challenges taking place in the lasting impact”
world around us. In June, we launched
50 Forward, the University’s campaign
to raise £50 million in donations in
• Science and the Environment: maximising
support of our ambitious plans.
our strengths in life and social science to
The funds raised through the campaign will
make a lasting impact. They will enable us
nurture the next generation of global decision
makers and find solutions to some of the
pressing situations facing the world today.
Across the University we have the expertise
to make a real difference and we aim to
ensure that Warwick does all it can to deal
with those challenges.
50 Forward will enhance all areas of the
University’s work and by donating to the
campaign your gift will support the following
priorities:
• Scholarship and Campus Life: ensuring fair
access to a distinctive education of the
highest quality for the brightest minds
• Medicine: improving the health of people in
resource-poor communities
improve nutrition and reduce hunger in the
UK and in the developing world
• The Business World: rethinking the
business agenda, making it fit for purpose
in the 21st century
• Local and Global Responsibility: using the
expertise of our staff and students to build
capacity and quality in education
Get involved
You can read more about 50 Forward
in the Warwick Connect campaign
supplement. To find out how to make
a donation please visit warwick.
ac.uk/50Forward
08 warwicknews
Careers
Connections
Warwick has a first-class careers service
and all recent Warwick graduates can
continue to receive free careers support
for up to three years after graduation.
The first place for recent graduates
to look online is myAdvantage. This
brings together career and skills
development opportunities and
resources all in one place. From skills
workshops, careers appointments, and
information resources to employer
presentations, careers fairs and job
vacancies, it’s all there.
If you are a recent graduate currently seeking
employment or further study and would like
help, let them know. A careers consultant can
offer support with getting started on your
career planning, applications, interview and
assessment centres.
However, it isn’t just recent graduates
who might need careers support. At some
time during their working life most people
need some advice. Unfortunately once you’ve
left Warwick’s supportive environment it
can be hard to know who to contact. This is
where alumni benefit from being part of a
global community of over 150,000 Warwick
graduates living in almost every country.
With so many people sharing a common
link with Warwick. there is usually someone
working in the same field as you who can help.
Perhaps you’re a new graduate looking for inside
information on a particular industry or you’re
an older graduate with experience to share. We
maintain a searchable database of alumni who
have agreed to become careers contacts for
other Warwick graduates.
“A careers consultant can offer
support with getting started on
your career...”
Whether you’re looking to make contact
with an experienced professional in your
industry, looking for advice about working
in a particular city or country, trying to find
work experience or shadowing opportunities
you can go online and find alumni who have
volunteered to help.
Alternatively, you might be someone
who would like to share the benefits of their
experiences with a younger generation of
Warwick alumni. It’s an excellent way to help
fellow Warwick graduates at important stages
in their careers.
Further info
For more information on careers
services available to Warwick alumni
or on volunteering as a career contact,
go online at warwick.ac.uk/alumni/
services/careers
Warwick Connect 2011
warwicknews 09
The Knowledge Centre
Warwick’s digital gateway
It’s a complex and challenging time in UK Higher
Education – changes in funding, the recent White Paper
on Higher Education, the increasing need to demonstrate
‘impact’, a demand to add value to the learning experience
and to increase public engagement all present new
challenges for our universities.
The University of Warwick
Knowledge Centre goes a
small way to addressing
some of these demands. The
initiative was launched in
July 2010 as a pilot project
with the aim of providing a
digital gateway to Warwick’s
world class expertise,
research and learning.
The Knowledge
Centre aims to open up
the University’s activities
online, bridging the gap
between academic journals
and the news media. We
work with academics and
students to tell the story of
their research in a way that
is accessible and engaging,
as well as inviting academics
and students to contribute
articles and learning
resources themselves. We are
constantly trying to think of
new ways to engage alumni
and wider audiences by
providing opportunities to
interact with our academics
and students through
live chats, ‘ask the expert’
features, and video and audio
coverage of Warwick events.
We are keen to
demonstrate that Warwick
isn’t just a source of learning
during the three or four
years of student life, but
can provide relevant and
interesting knowledge
and learning resources
throughout your lifetime,
supporting personal and
professional development.
We also recognise that our
alumni have a wealth of
knowledge and learning
to share with the Warwick
community and we welcome
contributions and input
on how you would like the
service to develop.
We have achieved a lot
during the first year of the
project and we are keen to
use the lessons learned to
demonstrate the impact of
our research and add value
to the learning experience at
Warwick in the future.
“Warwick isn’t just
a source of learning
during the three or
four years of student
life, but provides
knowledge and
learning resources
throughout your
lifetime”
Further info
You can visit the
Knowledge Centre
at warwick.ac.uk/
knowledge and follow
@warwicknowledge on
Twitter and on Facebook
at facebook.com/
warwicknowledge
10 alumniprofile
Margaret
milan
Margaret Milan (MSc Engineering
Science 1974-77) co-founded the
successful French educational toy mail
order business Eveil & Jeux with her
husband. They stepped down from the
business at the end of 2010 although
still work as consultants to the new
owners. In 2009 Margaret was one of
the few non-French people to receive
the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur
for her services to entrepreneurship
and women’s careers.
What are your memories
of Warwick?
Lots of great meals in large
part thanks to discovering
the cuisine of international
friends (US, Iceland, India,
Greece…) and cream teas in
the Cotswolds!
Did you enjoy your time at
the University?
Yes, a lot. I enjoyed my
subject despite being the
only girl in the class and
there seemed to be plenty
time for socialising.
What was it like being on
such a male-dominated
course?
I don’t remember it being an
issue. It has given me great
confidence all my life to say
I’m trained as an engineer
and to know I had those
good grades. I think women
benefit hugely from that
kind of boost in their early
years of adulthood.
How did you go from
Engineering Science to
France’s leading mail order
toy business?
As the course progressed I
realised that being a woman
in engineering was going to
be tough. Despite graduating
Warwick Connect 2011
alumniprofile 11
“It has given me great confidence
all my life to say I’m trained as an
engineer and to know I had those
good grades”
with first class honours
it was hard to be taken
seriously.
Some friends at Warwick
were doing business studies
and it looked interesting
and more “mixed”. I decided
to apply for an MBA. At
Harvard, I met my French
husband to be. We came to
France right after Harvard
and I started out as a brand
manager at Procter & Gamble.
When our first
daughter was born, my
entrepreneurial instincts
started to surface and I began
looking around for ideas.
What were the early years
of the business like?
Fun! I used to work till
four, drop off the parcels
at the post office on the
way to school, pick up my
two daughters, then set to
work again from 8pm till
midnight once they were in
bed. As the business grew,
we moved out of the garage
to premises 500 yards from
school and home, and began
to hire a brilliant team (100%
women to start with).
It wasn’t all easy sailing
and there were some
tough days when I felt like
throwing in the towel. But
the great thing about being
an entrepreneur is you just
have to fight through the
difficulties and it ends up
making you stronger.
Eveil & Jeux had a distinct
philosophy, how important
was this?
This vision was absolutely
fundamental to the success
of the company. We wanted
to offer toys which would
help children learn early
skills, and which parents
would enjoy using with their
children.
Does your success show
there can be an alternative
to toys spun off from films?
Absolutely! Children are
attracted by characters seen
on the screen but the play
value of many of these toys
is poor. Eveil & Jeux’s role is
to identify the products with
great play value – through
the experience of the product
managers and also the
network of 2,000 “parents
testers”.
Recently you have been
working with the Fondation
Eveil et Jeux, what have
been your experiences?
Eveil & Jeux is frequently
asked to provide support for
various non-profit initiatives.
The projects we support have
a core focus on developing
early language skills, since
a child with poor vocabulary
will struggle in school from
the start learning to read
unknown words.
Do you have any advice
for Warwick graduates
looking to set up their
own business?
Try to set up an informal
board of advisers in each of
the key areas of business.
Develop your network
through university,
professional or sporting
clubs. Focus on identifying
and articulating the key
elements of your business
model to ensure it is tenable
and competitive. And take
the plunge when it makes
sense for your partner: it’s
very reassuring having one
half of the couple earning
a salary while the other
learns the ropes of the new
business!
Further info
To read the full interview
and to find out more
about Margaret’s journey
from Warwick, go online
at warwick.ac.uk/go/
warwickconnect
12 alumniprofile
Warwick Connect 2011
Peter
harris
What are your memories of Warwick?
I have very fond memories of Warwick. Actually, in 1985 I had
not travelled out of South Africa much. My travel had mainly
been to neighbouring countries in southern Africa. It was an
adventure for me and an opportunity to learn from students
who came from a very different milieu from that which I had
experienced in South Africa. I also enjoyed the sheer normality
of living in a normal society.
Peter Harris (LLM 198489) was born in Durban,
South Africa and
practised law for 15 years.
In the early 1990s he was
seconded to the South
African National Peace
Accord, after which he
headed the Monitoring
Directorate of the
Independent Electoral
Commission (IEC) for the
1994 election.
During the 1980s you were closely involved with
the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, what
drove you to get involved?
It is hard to say what particular issue or circumstance drove
me to make that decision. I had been involved in student
politics and after I left university I was granted a fellowship at
the Legal Resources Centre in Johannesburg. The Centre was
run by Arthur Chaskalson who had been a part of the legal
team that defended Nelson Mandela at the Rivonia Trial and
he later became South Africa’s first Chief Justice in the Mandela
administration. I think that my experience there, coupled with
my upbringing and student activism led me in the direction
that I took.
In the early 90s you became Chief Director of the
Monitoring Directorate of the IEC, what was it like
to be so closely involved with your country’s first
democratic elections?
Being involved in the first democratic elections in 1994 was
a massive privilege. I had previously been involved in certain
other transitional structures, including the National Peace
Accord, and so had some knowledge of the challenges and
hurdles that had to be overcome to deliver a free and fair
election. It has to be said however, that I was part of a larger
team and that there were some remarkable people at the IEC.
Many of us who were involved in the 1994 election had to keep
on pinching ourselves to remind us that this was the election
that was going to deliver democracy.
alumniprofile 13
I think the primary challenge that
we faced in that electoral process
was the fact that the IEC had been
constituted some three and a half
months before the election date. Given
the fact that the election date, namely
the 27th of April 1994, was set in stone,
to gear up an entire electoral machinery
and process was a formidable
organisational challenge. That election
should be seen in the context of the
extreme violence that was taking place
in South Africa at that time, particularly
in certain provinces, as well as the
threat of the white right wing. No one
knew at that particular time whether
the security forces would stay loyal or
whether right wing elements within those forces would defect.
My book Birth: The Conspiracy to Stop the 1994 Election sets out
many of these challenges in detail.
What advice do you have for other Warwick graduates
who aspire for a career that makes a difference?
I am not convinced that I have made a difference to the world
around me, however I do think that some things are worth
doing, whether the impact be great or small. I am also not sure
that I am in a position to give anyone advice in relation to their
career, although I do think that one should strive to keep one’s
moral integrity and that if sound values inform your actions,
you will end up doing the right thing, and hopefully making a
difference to those around you.
I also think the world is a different place now from
when I was at Warwick and that young graduates will have
at least three or four different careers in their lives. The key is
to enjoy them all and in so doing achieve significance, not in
terms of personal wealth or success, but in terms of your effect
upon others.
“If sound values
inform your
actions, you will
end up doing the
right thing”
Further info
You can read the full
version of this interview
online at warwick.ac.uk/
go/warwickconnect
14 alumniprofile
Peter
selman
Many people dream about being paid
to travel the world and to share their
passion for somewhere they love.
Warwick Connect spoke to Peter Selman
(BA Comparative American Studies
2000-04) who does just this. Peter won
the Wanderlust World Guide of Year
award in 2010.
Did you enjoy your time at Warwick?
A great deal. I made some excellent friends
and I had some inspiring teachers. Having
Mario Vargas Llosa at our graduation
ceremony, receiving his honorary degree
from Warwick, meant a lot to all those
who’d studied his novels along the way. My
final memory of Warwick is chatting about
football with one of the greatest writers alive.
How did you go from Warwick to becoming
the 2010 Wanderlust World Guide of Year?
By accident. A course mate of mine from
Warwick who became a guide with Journey
Latin America soon after we graduated, had
described his job as ‘being paid to eat and
drink his way around South America’, so I
sent my CV the same evening, got accepted,
ditched plans to study a Masters, and I’ve
been guiding ever since. The award was nice
recognition, and a bit of a surprise.
Warwick Connect 2011
“My final memory of
Warwick is chatting about
football with one of the
greatest writers alive”
You specialise in Latin America, what
draws you back to the region?
I’m drawn back there because being paid
to travel is wonderfully addictive, and once
you’ve got the wanderlust in your veins, it
doesn’t go away. Latin America is the most
exciting continent in the world, and that
keeps me coming back for more.
What have been the highlights of your
tours through Latin America?
The unexpected – like the time we saw a
puma hiding in the undergrowth in Torres
del Paine National Park in southern Chile.
Seeing a wild cat in Latin America is almost
impossible – I know guides who’ve worked in
the area for 20 years and have never seen one.
I also remember seeing the great writer
Gabriel Garcia Marquez browsing book stalls
in Havana’s main square, and that was
the day after seeing Raul Castro address
hundreds of thousands in the Plaza de la
Revolucion. Seeing a meteor shower with
a rum and coke in my hand as I sat on a
Nicaraguan beach with my feet in the sea
was pretty special.
It seems like an idyllic job, is it really as
good as people might imagine?
The pros of the job are many, but there are
plenty of cons. You travel all the time, which
is great, but it is a strain on a relationship.
You rarely see your loved ones, so it can be a
bit lonely at times. Moving around so much
makes the job tiring. Most clients are fine but
every so often you get someone who will make
your life hell for the duration of the tour.
alumniprofile 15
If they haven’t been to Latin America
before, is there one place that everyone
should see before they die?
The obvious answer is the ancient Incan
citadel of Machu Picchu in Peru, but I rate
Patagonia with its jagged mountains,
opal-coloured lakes, huge glaciers and
outstanding hiking opportunities, more
highly. Visit both places!
Do you have a tip for an undiscovered gem
that people should visit?
I love Nicaragua, which still undeservedly
has a bad name due to the Contra War in
the 80s. Not too many travellers go to Belize
either, which has the second largest reef in
the world after the Great Barrier Reef and
therefore world class snorkeling and diving.
What makes a good tour guide?
Having a lot of patience with difficult clients
is absolutely essential. Understanding that
you can’t please everybody all the time and
not letting that upset you when things go
wrong. Trying to go that extra mile and make
the unexpected things happen. The two key
ingredients to a successful trip are excellent
weather and a nice group of tourists.
Without either of these two elements the
guide will struggle.
What makes a good tourist?
Realising that things go wrong, and not
complaining about them too much when
they do. Things will go wrong yet some
clients will complain to their guides about
things that are often completely out of our
control.
Further info
Check out Peter’s South American tour
tips at warwick.ac.uk/go/
warwickconnect
16 alumniprofile
Warwick Connect 2011
10 minutes with...
Jayaraja
Formerly Tom Mulligan, (BA (Qualified
Teacher Status) 1981-85), Jayaraja has
been ordained as a Buddhist for nearly
twenty years. He’s also a fundraiser, a
volunteer counsellor and
an author.
Describe yourself in three words.
I contacted a load of friends and asked them
for help with this, which was a delightful
thing to do. Fun, idealistic and tender seemed
to be most common responses.
What are your three most precious things?
• A beautiful painting of Green Tara
(a Buddhist representation of active
compassion) which I commissioned about
10 years ago
• I love my books
• My DVDs of The Wire are also greatly valued
but the most precious thing is friendship
see these projects and people thriving. I felt
enormously proud to have helped provide the
funding for these projects. I was ordained into
the Triratna Buddhist Order in 1993 which has
been deeply significant to me. I was chuffed
to see a book I have co-written with a good
friend in print: The Yellow Book of Games and
Energizers: Playful Group Activities for Exploring
Identity, Community, Emotions and More!
do the same.
Warwick Connect spoke to
Stephanie Chia (BSc Economics,
and International Studies
What have you done that you are Politics
most
proud of?
2004-07) about her work as a freelance
This last winter I returned to India after an
food
entrepreneur
How and
would website
you like to be
remembered?
eight year absence. It was an inspiration
to writer
As a good friend who was kind, made a
meet old friends who were implementing
specialising
in chocolate.
difference in the world and inspired others to
social projects in the urban slums and to
What drives you?
A desire to have fun, to grow and learn, a
desire for community, a desire for a world
where there is more justice, respect and
everyone matters.
“Keep learning, be curious and
kind and strive to leave the
world a better place.”
Do you have any advice for new graduates?
Keep learning, be curious and kind and strive
to leave the world a better place.
Fact file and further info
Age: 50
Lives: London
Interests: meditation, psychotherapy,
football, poetry, what it means to be a
human being, play!
Go online to find out what inspired
Jayaraja’s career and his favourite
memories of Warwick at warwick.ac.uk/
go/warwickconnect
classnotes 17
WarwickClassnotes
1960s
1970s
Mark Adler (BA Philosophy
1968-71). Mark’s new book,
Clarity for Lawyers, debunks
the myth that legalese is
precise and explains how
lawyers can increase their
efficiency, profits, and client
approval while making their
documents more reliable.
Jackie Calver (née Clark, BA
French Studies 1976-79).
After being told four and a
half years ago that she had
incurable cancer she’s still
here, still well and still living
life to the full!
Chris Jones (BA History 196972).Chris’ book, Tunbridge Wells
in 1909, recalls the year King
Edward VII gave permission
for Tunbridge Wells to call
itself ‘Royal’. He describes
the procedures behind the
granting of the prefix and
explains what else was
happening in the town that
year.
People from
Warwick –
who’s doing
what and
where?
Elizabeth Jones (née Day,
Certificate in Education 196770). Elizabeth taught in
Dorset for seven years and
had two children. She later
remarried, had two more
daughters and brought up
two step children. With her
husband she ran a hotel for
18 years and they now live in
a thatched cottage in mid
Devon.
Chris Collard (BA History and
Sociology 1971-75). Chris retired
as a teacher in 2007 and
now examines, does some
supply teaching and pursues
a musical career in folk and
acoustic music clubs.
Mark Horgan (BSc
Microbiology and Virology
1979-82). Mark is group
accountant for Microworld,
a London-based computer
and mobile phone retailer.
When not working he enjoys
badminton, football and
athletics.
Pippa Norris (BA Philosophy
and Politics 1971-74). Pippa
was one of the winners of
the 2011 Johan Skytte Prize in
Political Science. A professor
in political science at
Harvard University, she was
acknowledged for her work
on human values and value
change for political behaviour
and societal life.
18 classnotes
Simon Springett
Christine Cowap
Gillian Pritchett (MA
French Studies 1977-78). After
graduation Gillian emigrated
to Montreal, Canada. She
teaches marketing on the
MBA programme at HEC
Montréal and delivers her
own programme at McGill
University.
Caroline Sheldrick (BA
Philosophy and Literature
1970–73). Caroline went on to
a Postgraduate Certificate in
Education at St Johns, York
and taught before entering
educational publishing. In
2003 Caroline completed
a BSc in Herbal Medicine
at Middlesex University
and practises as a medical
herbalist.
Simon Springett (LLB, 19751978). Simon is a commandotrained Royal Navy Chaplain
who deployed to Afghanistan
with 3 Commando Brigade
in 2011 and will be retiring in
2012. He has just completed
a Masters degree in Theology
and Ministry and is actively
seeking the next step once a
civilian again.
1980s
Connie Yau Han Chan (BSc
Industrial Economics 1987-90).
After graduation, Connie
Warwick Connect 2011
David Food
Gavin Bishop
returned to Hong Kong and
joined the police. Though
she hasn’t had much of a
breakthrough on her career,
she enjoys her life, including
her 10-year old daughter.
Christine Cowap (née Hill, BA
English and European Literature
1981-84). Christine is currently
living in west Cork in Ireland.
She is married with three
teenage children and works in
a pre-school.
David Food (PGCE 198283). David has returned
to Warwick as a lecturer
and external supervisor at
WMG. His life is wide and
varied: chaplain, university
lecturer, business consultant,
church minister and ethics
consultant.
Alison Graham-Wells (BA
Law and Sociology 198690). Alison is a barrister
at Exchange Chambers
(Liverpool, Manchester and
Leeds), specialising in tax,
commercial, chancery and
administrative law. She lives
in Cheshire with her 6-year
old son.
Colin Grahamslaw (BSc
Mathematics 1988-91). After
working in various Scottish
sporting bodies over the
last 15 years, Colin has
been appointed Secretary
General of the World Curling
Federation.
David Griffiths (BA Sociology
with Social Administration
1981-84). David is currently
working with Tesco to help
design and implement new
payment systems at the point
of sale and the back end. He
is also working outside Tesco
on the development of mobile
payment systems.
Andy Lord (BSc Computer
Science 1984-87). Andy has
journeyed from computers
to theology, having just
completed his third theology
degree, building on his
book Spirit-Shaped Mission.
His current job involves
leading three churches in
Nottingham.
Marina Milner (LLB 1985-88).
Marina has recently moved
to Hong Kong where she is
working at an international
law firm as a learning and
development manager.
Alan J Smith (BA History 198184). Alan taught in a private
school before finishing his
working life at the Ministry
of Defence. He is retired but
extremely busy, spending his
Rossana Favero Karunaratna (left)
days doing voluntary work,
gardening and reading.
Robert Taylor (MBA 1989-90).
Robert is at Sheffield
School of East Asian
Studies, teaching Chinese
management, with a view to
assisting graduates to target
Asian markets.
Samantha Turner (BA English
and Theatre Studies 1984-87).
Samantha is married with
three children. She is a
primary school teacher –
spending most of her time
working with children with
special educational needs.
Sheila Vince (BA French and
European Literature 1981-84).
She volunteers at Coventry
Refugee Centre and enjoys
meeting Warwick students
who are there on placements.
Occasionally her French
comes in useful too!
1990s
Gavin Bishop (BSc Accounting
and Finance 1996-99). Gavin
is a Chartered Accountant
in the insurance industry in
Bermuda. He has recently
been awarded the Young
Industry Leader of the Year
Award by the Bermuda
Insurance Institute.
Kwok Kit Samson Ong
classnotes 19
Siddharth Raja
Emmanuel Dommergues
(Economics 1998-99).
Emmanuel, an Erasmus
student, moved into public
transport planning after
graduation. Today he works
for the public transport
authority of Paris and the
Ile-de-France Region. He is
in charge of the extension
of several lines of the Paris
métro.
Rossana Favero-Karunaratna
(LLM Law and Development
1993-94). Currently a PhD
candidate at the University
of Colombo, Rossana has
worked as a tutor for
the conflict resolution
programme organised by
Bradford University. Happily
married to Kahandawala
Parakrama (LLM Law and
Development 1993-94) she
is the proud mother of two
children.
Warren Fitzgerald (BA English
and Theatre Studies 1992-95).
Since graduating Warren has
been a professional singer
and has worked with children
and adults with disabilities.
He has undertaken several
voluntary projects overseas
including building a health
centre in Rwanda (the setting
for his new novel, The GoAway Bird).
Teh Chi Chang
Nicole Foss (LLM Law in
Development 1996-97). Nicole
runs a finance website called
The Automatic Earth and
is a lecturer on energy and
finance. With her partner she
has been explaining the credit
crunch since January 2008.
Atchara Jansena (LLM Law in
Development 1999-2000).
Atchara is now a lecturer
at Faculty of Law, Prince of
Songkla University, Thailand
and Deputy Dean for Research
and International Affairs.
Somchai Kiatgamolchai
(PhD Physics 1995-2000). Since
leaving Warwick, Somchai
has been working as a
lecturer at Chulalongkorn
University, Bangkok,
Thailand.
Kwok Kit Samson Ong (MSc
in Manufacturing Systems
Engineering 1990-91). Kwok
runs a concrete manufacturing
plant in Wuxi, China.
Siddharth Raja (LLM
International Economic Law
1997-98). Siddharth is a
commercial and transactional
lawyer and a founding partner
of the Bangalore-based law
firm, Narasappa, Doraswamy
& Raja.
20 classnotes
Rahul Aggarwal
Warwick Connect 2011
Muna Hooshan
Wei-Tsung Kao
Matthew Hepburn
Seiichi Saito (MBA 1994-95).
Seeichi now works for
Alternative Investment
Capital Limited in Tokyo
which is a gatekeeper and
fund of funds manager
specializing in private equity
funds.
Mike Thirlaway (MSc
Business Management
Systems 1993-97). Mike is
working at Strategic Thought
Group, selling enterprise risk
management software Active
Risk Manager to international
private sector organisations.
Chris Smart (PhD Biological
Sciences 1991-94). After
graduation, Chris spent
five years as a post doc in
Reading. Following this
he worked for Cadbury
Schweppes and has been at
the University of Nottingham
for just over three years.
2000s
Denise Suen (MA Translation
Studies 1999-2000). Denise
went back to Hong Kong
in 2000 and worked in the
media. She is now the chief
editor of Marie Claire (Hong
Kong edition).
Teh Chi-Chang (BSc
Accounting and Financial
Analysis 1990-93). Chi-Chang
is taking another break from
his investment research
career to spend more time
with family and on tai chi.
His book, The Budget: How
the Government is Spending
OUR Money, has been a bestseller in Malaysia where he is
also the University’s alumni
ambassador.
Rahul Aggarwal (MA
Globalisation and Development
2003-04).Rahul started a
travel business – Travel the
Unknown – specialising in
travel to some of the world’s
most remote and lesserexplored places.
Mircea (Mike) Bostan
(MA International Political
Economy 2009-10). Mike is
now working with EU funds,
implementing a EU-funded
programme worth ¤5 million.
Josie Clark (MA in Drama and
Theatre in Education 2007-08).
Josie is Head of Drama at
Grace Academy in Coventry.
Since graduating her work
has featured in the Times
Educational Supplement and
is a contributor to Teaching
Drama. She is also a drama
examiner for Edexcel.
Ricardo Nunes
Robbie Drye (BSc Accounting
and Finance 2006-09). Robbie
has joined Ernst and Young
where he just finished his first
placement in Restructuring.
He hopes to stay with EY for
the foreseeable future as he
enjoys the ‘people’ culture of
the firm.
Matthew Hepburn (BA Film
with Television Studies 200710). Matthew has joined
Lexis Public Relations as an
Assistant Account Executive
on their consumer team, as
part of the Generation Xpert
graduate scheme.
Muna Hooshan (MA English
Language Studies & Methods
2007-08). Two years after
graduation, Muna is working
as an English teacher at the
University of Aleppo in Syria.
She really misses her time
in Warwick and cherishes
every person and thing that
connects her with them.
Kouris Kalligas (MA
International Relations 200506). After graduation Kouris
worked for the biggest NGO
in Greece as an assistant on
a development project. He
now works as a supply chain
service manager at Sappi Fine
Paper Europe in Brussels.
Aminu Owonikoko
Tanvir Rahman
Wei-Tsung (David) Kao
(MSc in Engineering Business
Management 2000-01). After
graduation David worked
in IT as a laptop/netbook
product manager. David
got the chance to enter
Cambridge to study for an
MBA in 2007.
Ricardo Nunes (MBA 200608). Ricardo is Head of
Management Planning &
Control with Parque Escolar,
a public entity whose mission
is to rebuild and refurbish the
Portuguese educational estate
portfolio.
Aminu Owonikoko (MSc
Process Technology and Business
Management 2006-08).
Aminu is a PhD student at
The Wolfson Centre for Bulk
Solids Handling Technology,
University of Greenwich.
Alison Parish (PG Teaching
Advanced Mathematics 200506). Alison enjoyed her course
so much that she is back
again and working towards
a PhD – looking at how
much KS3 teachers use ICT in
mathematics lessons.
Suzi Power (BA French and
Italian Studies 2005-09).
Suzi has changed career
path a little and did an
Elizabeth Taylor
MA in Performing Arts at
Mountview Academy – she is
now doing musical theatre
professionally.
Tanvir Rahman (PhD
Biological Sciences 2007-10).
Tanvir enjoys teaching,
research and supervising
students at Bangladesh
Agricultural University where
he is an Associate Professor
in the Department of
Microbiology and Hygiene.
Jag Singh (MSc Engineering
Business Management and MSc
Advanced Electronics Engineering
2003-06). Jag is an Energy
and Resource Efficiency
Consultant for ADAS UK. He’s
still based in the Midlands
and visits Warwick on a
regular basis.
Naureen Subzposh (MA
International Design and
Communication Management
2008-09). Naureen works
with a fun and creative
advertising agency in Jeddah,
Saudi Arabia. She is handling
accounts such as Pantene,
Pampers and Gillette.
Elizabeth Taylor (BA French
and History 2005-09). After
graduating Elizabeth worked
in Spain for a year. She
came back to London and
classnotes 21
Graham Wheeler
started hunting for a job in
the tourism industry, the
perfect sector for a ‘languages’
graduate with no idea how
to use their skills in the
workplace!
Praveen Joseph Vackayil
(MSc Information Systems and
Management 2008-09).
Praveen is pursuing an
exciting career in information
security working as an
Associate Product Manager
at SISA Information Security,
India.
Graham Wheeler (BSc
MMORSE 2005-09). Graham
pursued an MSc in Medical
Statistics at the London
School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine, graduated
with distinction and began
a PhD in Biostatistics at
Cambridge, where he designs
clinical trials for investigating
anti-cancer drugs.
Don’t forget to let us
know what you are
doing now – contact
Peter White on
peter.white@warwick.
ac.uk
22 givingnews
Work Experience
Bursaries benefit
students
Graduate recruiters have identified work
experience (paid and unpaid) as the activity
most likely to increase graduate employability.
We want to help provide these opportunities
to as many students as possible.
The Work Experience Bursaries scheme
helps students to acquire new skills, develop
existing knowledge, demonstrate their value
and sample particular sectors. Through these
placements the students may even make
contacts that will benefit them in their future
career! The bursaries are essential as they
provide valuable opportunities for students
who would otherwise not be able to take
advantage of these experiences. Donations
have recently helped to support a number
of varying work experience placements for
Warwick students, including:
Work experience students at Credit Suisse
• Anthony Searle, a 1st year Law Student, who
had a one week placement with a London
firm of solicitors to help confirm which area
of Law he wished to pursue.
• James McKinney, a 3rd year Physics student,
who sourced a placement with Investec
Wealth Management at their Liverpool
offices. This experience proved pivotal to
James in confirming his interest in the
financial markets.
• Ellen Glaze-Kryer, an MA History student,
who worked for a week at the National
Trust owned Stourhead House in Wiltshire.
Ellen focused on the theory and practice of
conservation of the house, archives and the
objects within.
Philanthropic income 2010-11
scholarship & campus life 16%
health & medicine 27%
hefc gov matched funding 26%
sport & the arts** 9%
science & research 6%
unrestricted 4%
business & enterprise 2%
library & MRC 5%
local & global responsibility 5%
Further info
For more information on the work
experience placements, or if you
are interested in offering a work
placement or internship within your
company, please contact Susie Cleverly
on s.cleverly@warwick.ac.uk
This chart shows the distribution of the
£5,228,040.10* of income received from donations
to the University of Warwick between 1st August
2010 and 31st July 2011.
*The figures include £147,642.57 in Gift Aid claimed
from HMRC on eligible donations.
** This figure includes gifts of artwork to the value
of £60,000.
In addition, alumni and friends have donated
£145,480.43 to the Friends of the University of
Warwick, Inc. in the United States.
3329 Warwick Benefactors (including individuals,
trusts, foundations and corporations) made gifts in
the last year – thank you for all your support!
givingnews 23
MRC’s innovative
learning space
In the last year donations have benefited the public area
within the newly redeveloped Moden Records Centre
(MRC). The MRC holds nationally important archives for
the study of social, economic and political history and has
recently undergone a dramatic transformation thanks to
those who contributed to a very successful fundraising
campaign.
The new public area, comprising spaces for
seminars, research,
exhibitions and
meetings, creates
a multi-purpose
space for supporting
different types of
teaching, learning
and research.The
furniture and sliding
walls allow the flexibility for the space to be reconfigured
to meet the varying needs of those using it.
For the first time in the MRC’s history, students can
learn through using primary source material relevant to
their courses or other interests, whilst members of the
public can view highlighted material from the archives
(perhaps relating to a topical event or an Arts Centre
programme), all without disturbing the researchers who
are at work on the archives.
The Teaching Space seats 20 comfortably and has
full projection capabilities with a dividing wall to the
Exhibition Space. This gives the option of creating
additional capacity or incorporating exhibition material
within an interactive seminar. A high specification
visualiser also enables original documents to be
magnified, so an audience can discover hidden attributes
or zoom in on important elements.
These facilities will be of enormous benefit in
providing an ideal mix of ways for teachers and learners
to explore the treasures of the MRC’s 13km of archives.
Further info
For more information on the MRC, please visit
warwick.ac.uk/go/mrc
shorts
Read more about how your
donations are helping
The next edition of Benefactors
magazine will be sent in
February 2012. We look
forward to telling our
Warwick Benefactors more
about the difference your
gifts have made this year!
2010-11 Roll of Benefactors
now online
The Roll of Benefactors listing
those who have made a gift
between 1st August 2010 and
31st July 2011 is now online at
warwick.ac.uk/50forward.
We would like to thank all
our Warwick Benefactors for
their generous support over
the past year.
Make a donation using
Just Text Giving
A simple text message can
now help us to create more
scholarships, fund vital
research projects and improve
learning facilities on campus.
Make a donation using Just
Text Giving and 100% of your
gift will benefit priorities
like these.If every graduate
reading this gave £5, we could
create 100 undergraduate
scholarships! Text WARW11 £5
to 70070 today to make a £5
donation.
50Forward
Your legacy can live forever...
Who could you inspire through
a gift in your will?
• Medical researchers
finding a cure for cancer
or Alzheimer’s?
• Gifted students who need
support to reach their full
potential?
• Future leaders in global
commerce and industry?
A gift to the University of
Warwick in your will can not
only support the aspirations
of future generations of
students, teachers and
researchers, but also the
wider community in which
Warwick graduates make their
contribution. Your gift could
benefit a range of areas from
providing student scholarships
to funding pioneering medical
research. We are happy to
discuss your wishes in more
detail. Please remember
Warwick in your will.
To find out more, please visit www.warwick.ac.uk/go/
legacies or contact Faye Jennings by telephone on +44 (0)24
7657 4375 or by email at faye.jennings@warwick.ac.uk
www.warwick.ac.uk/go/legacies