The Telephone Campaign 2011/12
Since 2009, teams of Aber students have regularly been calling alumni and friends of the University to keep in contact, exchange experiences, talk about news, events, careers, and to ask for support for the Annual Fund. It is also a great opportunity for students to thank current donors and update them on the projects they have given to.
Calling takes place from Tuesday to Sunday, during November and February. We aim to speak to around 12,000 alumni each year from all over the world, and the positive response from so many about their time at Aber and life afterwards is an inspiration.
If you have spoken to a student caller recently, you will how much they enjoy speaking to alumni and how enthusiastic they are! See the profiles below to get to know two students who are part of the 2011-12 calling team.
Lloyd Spence, Law, Third Year
Why did you choose Aber and what do you like most about about studying here?
I really liked the look of the town and the campus when I visited. My brother, who also came to Aber, recommended it to me too. I think it is a great place to go to university: my course is well taught and the services offered by the university are excellent. Being close to the coast is handy as well because you can take advantage of even the smallest spell of nice weather and just head to the beach. With so many students in such a small area, there is also a great sense of community and everybody is very friendly and welcoming.
What do you like most about being on the Annual Fund calling team?
Being on the call team is always great fun. It is a good chance to make new friends and there are always a few characters in the call room! I also really enjoy speaking to alumni and talking with them about their time at Aberystwyth. You usually get to hear some really interesting stories and I find that alumni like hearing how the town and the university have changed and developed since they left. It is nice that Aber has made such a lasting impression.
What excites you the most about this year’s Annual Fund?
Being a part of the Annual Fund telephone campaign is always exciting and this year is no exception. I am so impressed with the projects that we will be aiming to raise money for this year, particularly postgraduate scholarships because obtaining funding for such courses is quite often a problem for students. Many just don’t have the financial means, and the few scholarships that are available are incredibly competitive especially in areas like Law. Also, sports societies are a very important part of student life at Aberystwyth, so it is good that alumni support this year will find a way to improve the facilities of the sports teams so that they can train and play in all seasons.
As a final note, I would just like to thank the Alumni, on behalf of Aber’s students, for their continued support. Their contribution has been remarkable and they have been instrumental in helping to improve the student experience and welfare here at Aberystwyth.
Natalie Rose Crabb, Marine and Freshwater Biology, Third year.
Why did you choose Aber and what do you like most about about studying here?
Aberystwyth is such a beautiful place and seems like a million miles from home in terms of both distance and setting with its beautiful countryside. I have always loved Wales, and when visiting Aber I decided that this would be the best possible place to spend three years at University. It is so calm and peaceful here during the day and the locals are very friendly, yet nights out are always lively as Aber caters for all different types of music and styles. I also loved the fact that the beach, numerous lakes and other coastal areas were within close reach, allowing my studies to be very hands on and practical. The thing I love most about Aberystwyth - other than the sea! - are the students. They are all energetic and friendly and I’ve definitely made friends for life.
What do you like most about being on the Annual Fund call team?
I’ve been on the calling team for 3 campaigns now and with each campaign I have made a new set of friends. I have also gained a great deal of confidence through developing my communication skills. I have managed to speak to some Biologists who are at the top of their field and have gained contacts in both marine and freshwater sectors. Also, speaking to so many people who have taken so many different life and career paths has really opened my eyes to what other options I might have when I graduate.
What excites you the most about this year’s Annual Fund?
This year, more students and their representatives at the Guild of Students have given their input into which areas the 2011-12 Annual Fund should support. The student sports societies’ project, raising money for portable floodlights, really caught my eye for this reason. It is something that could benefit all students and will be a very useful enhancement to current sporting facilities. I have always supported the student hardship fund too as I have used this myself and it is so beneficial to everyone that needs it.
It is really exciting to see how the Annual Fund has grown over the years and how it supports students and enhances the university experience. For this reason I would like to thank Aber alumni and all of the University’s supporters for making Aberystwyth a better place to study.
Michael Buchanan, LLB Law, Third year
Why did you choose Aber and what do you like most about studying here?
Why Aber? Quite a few reasons! It is right by the sea, which was a great attribute since I am from near Birmingham where there’s not so much of it! The volume and variety of extra-curricular societies and sports clubs on offer was also very attractive. Aber sent me a great deal of useful literature during my application year, and also approached my college offering the scholarship exam, which I performed well enough in to actually receive. They then offered me £500 off accommodation costs too.
As a current student, the things I like the most about Aber are the Union and how students’ voices are heard so democratically, the community feel here and how nice most people are, the number of pubs, volunteering opportunities, and how almost everything is no more than a half hour walk away which means that you get plenty of exercise.
What are your favourite things about being on the Annual Fund call team?
Making friends and the call-room atmosphere, good conversations with alumni, trading Uni experiences, hearing about careers and getting career advice, hearing various explanations for where ‘kicking the bar’ originated, raising money for a good cause and talking to a lot of people in the process.
What excites you the most about this year’s Annual Fund?
I’m looking forward to this year’s Annual Fund telephone campaign very much. Hopefully it will be good fun and very productive too. While all of this year’s Annual Fund projects are well worth supporting, being a law student, I am most excited about fundraising for the five additional LLM Masters scholarships. It would be amazing to widen access in this way to such a prestigious postgraduate course and to the leading academics who teach it.
I would like to say thank you to Aberystwyth alumni and everyone who has supported the University and thus us students. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed speaking to everyone I have contacted so far. It is fascinating hearing about the Aber student experience as it was in previous years and comparing it to my own. I know for a fact this’ll be a highlight of the semester, and can’t easily quantify how much I’m looking forward to it.