June 14, 2023
What We’ve Achieved: Jan – June
It's the end of the academic year, and we've done a lot these first 6 months of 2023. Come and join us for a recap of Jan - June, and everything we've achieved as we prepare to say goodbye to 2022/23.
Hello all!
With the 2022/23 academic year coming to an end, there’s no better time than to look back on the year and what we’ve achieved then right now. Our September students have gone home and our January students are preparing for any exams and resits they need to take to progress to the University of Leicester.
January came and with it brought the first snow fall of the year, our January 2023 cohort and a New Year party. The idea came from the student council to have an end of year party but due to end of term dates, this was unable to happen. But, when there’s a will, there’s a way and when there’s two New Years in one month – we throw a party. This was an incredible way to get the two cohorts to mix with each other, and to celebrate the cultures we have at LGSC.
February was a little quieter as our January students began to find their footing and settle into life at LGSC. We had a couple of new faces join us in February, that have now become a staple part in the offices upstairs and who some of you have spoken to a great deal! Valentines Day came and went with a quick Facebook post about why staff love working at LGSC, and we also ate our way through pancake day.
In March, the University of Leicester alongside LGSC held an event dedicated to LGSC students and providing them with information about moving up. Our students services team, alongside several departments at the University, worked incredibly hard to plan this event and the event aimed to ensure our students had every piece of knowledge and information they needed. The event was planned in a way that students who passed with us at LGSC and progressed would have an easy transition to main campus. You can read more about the event on our blog here.
Organising events for the students has been a very rewarding experience. I used to be an international student myself and I am trying to achieve a space where international students feel welcome and happy.
– Maria Michael, Student Support Officer
April came and brought it’s showers. It also brought a presentation from our Engineering pathway, a bake sale to raise funds for Turkey, an Easter egg hunt, and the beginning of prom committee. Every year, our Engineering pathway put on a small conference and show other students what they’ve learnt. Staff are encouraged to come and vote for the best group. This year, we combined it with a bake sale to raise funds for those in Turkey and Syria following the Earthquakes earlier this year, altogether, we raised £198.
May is always a busy one here at LGSC. No matter the events, plans or diary. May means one thing: prom month.
Last year was our first year holding a prom, and the tradition continues this year as students danced the night away on Wednesday 17th May. This year’s theme was Fire & Ice, like last year, we encouraged students to wear clothing from their culture so we can celebrate each other. There was music, lighting, dancing, food, games and everything you could possibly want when it’s prom. A time for our students to remember the time they’ve had with us, as well as the friends and memories they’ve made.
Since the first football tournament we held in November, students have been asking for one. With upcoming assignments and exams, finding time was difficult but with exams finishing in May and with room in the diary, it was time for kick off. Students arranged their own teams and the time that best suits them which left the staff arranging the pitch and posters.
And, to finish off May, it was Mental Health Awareness Week. We have a whole post covering what we did during the week which can be read here. As a whole, we’re really proud of how the week turned out. Providing information to students about the help they can receive is incredibly important to us. We also let students know how they can help their own mental health. Whilst this year, as a plus, we had Samaritans come in and do a workshop for student on Emotional Listening.
Finally, we come to June. June is the time for summer, World Ocean Day and the final push. Staff begin to go on holiday, September students have flew home for the summer and January students get a reading week in the sun. We couldn’t let World Ocean Day pass by without hearing the voice of University of Leicester’s David Attenborough. Or without a blog post telling students of the 30×30 campaign to save the world’s oceans.
We wish our students the best of look with any up exams coming up in the future.
Altogether, we’re proud of what we’ve achieved and the memories that we’ve given our students over the last year, not just the last 6 months. There’s been 2 welcome weeks, 2 football tournaments, a Halloween movie afternoon, a prom, and a party – this doesn’t even cover half of it. We’re already excited for everything we’re going to achieve next year.