November alumni newsletter 2023
Welcome to your November alumni newsletter! In the past month, we’ve watched as autumn overtook our campus, welcomed prospective students for Open Day events and released this year’s alumni magazine. We’ve also enjoyed looking ahead at what we’ve got planned over the next year, including A Very Ripon Christmas for our Ripon alumni.
This month’s newsletter is a long one, but we hope you enjoy finding out what’s happening on campus and about some of our exciting upcoming events.
Diwali
This month, millions of people around the world will be marking Diwali. Known as the Festival of Lights, at York St John students have been invited to a sold out event including a lighting of lights and a meal.
Transgender Day of Remembrance
On 20 November, York St John will be marking Transgender Day of Remembrance. Marked internationally, this day of remembrance commemorates the lives of trans people lost to violence.
In 2019, Stonewall wrote a short article explaining the history of the day and why it is needed. You can read it on their website.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
On 25 November, we will be marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The United Nations website includes more information about this day, including statistics and ongoing initiatives to end violence against women.
You can find out more on their website.
Graduation
This month, we’ll be celebrating the achievements of our Class of 2023 graduates across nine ceremonies in York Minster. As always, graduates will enjoy fantastic musical performances, moving speeches from staff and honorary graduates, and of course, celebrating their achievements with those who mean the most to them.
This year, we’re also hosting a celebration at our new London campus for London graduates. We can’t wait to meet some of our London graduates and enjoy learning more about their time studying with us and their plan for the future! If you follow us on Instagram, keep an eye out for some stories from our London campus on Thursday 16 November.
Remembrance Day
This November we’ll also be marking both Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday.
During World War One, St John’s College closed for two years because they couldn’t recruit enough students. Campus was transformed into a VAD hospital for recovering soldiers. You can find out more about this fascinating period in our history on our blog.
Did you know that we have a Roll Of Honour outside our main chapel? On it, it names the alumni who died during World War One and World War Two. In our blog from 2021, we posted some of their photos from our archive. You can view these on our blog.
If you’re in York on Friday 10 November, you are also welcome to join our annual Ceremony for Remembrance Day at 10:40am. Led by our chaplain in the quad, all are welcome to attend.
News from YSJ
There’s always something new happening on or around campus!
- In October, our fantastic Communities Centre formally opened with a fantastic celebration of decades of work and research in counselling and mental health. You can read more about the event and the Centre on our website.
- Associate Professor for the School of the Arts, David Lancaster, recently released several choral compositions which were recorded in our Chapel in the summer of 2022. You can find out more about Apocalypse: Choral Works on the Resonus website. You can also stream his music by searching the title of his new work.
- Research led by York St John has now suggested a link between idealised social media photos and dissatisfaction with our own bodies. Research included how photo angles, including the selfie, related to judgements around attractiveness and weight. You can find out more about this research on our website.
A lasting legacy
Last month, we heard from some alumni who had made a special trip to the Royal Academy of Sandhurst to attend a special boat naming ceremony in honour of LT Colonel Jane Hunter, nee Brothwell. Jane sadly passed away in 2021, and was posthumously awarded her PhD from York St John during the Class of 2021 graduation ceremonies.
Together with her family, they met some of Jane’s colleagues from the ETS (Army Education Corp) who are completing a 45 day cross-Atlantic rowing challenge in December 2024.
“What a great legacy Jane has left – the row will help raise awareness of the work of the Education Corp which Jane was so passionate about and their charity. Jane was a rower whilst at St John’s and Captain of the ladies crew in the late 1980’s. She would be smiling at the thought of being a 5th spiritual member of the boat – an adventure and challenge she would be so up for!”
The boat was renamed ‘Colonel Jane’ in her honour. At York St John, we are working with friends of Jane and our Boat Club to name a boat after Jane to continue her YSJ Legacy.
You can find out more about The Oarsome Educators, who will be completing the cross-Atlantic challenge, on their website.
Luca needs your help
Class of 2021 alum, Luca has started a PhD researching AI in business. As part of their research, Luca has created a short survey about AI and how it is, and could be, used in business. This survey is anonymous and you can withdraw your consent and answers at any time.
If you run your own business or work in a business which is already using AI, or could use AI, please consider completing Luca’s short survey to support his PhD research.
Aesthetica Short Film Festival 8-12 November
Aesthetica short film festival is back with a fantastic range of events held around York, including at York St John. Including film screenings, workshops, networking opportunities and masterclasses, the film festival also has a range of hybrid events which can be attended from home.
Browse festival events: https://www.asff.co.uk/events/
Christmas Carol Service
Join us on Monday 4 December at 7:30pm in York Minster for our annual Carol Service. Including performances from students, the chance to sing some carols and enjoy York Minster’s fantastic acoustics after dark, we hope some of our alumni can make it!
Plus, all guests are welcome back at campus afterwards for free mince pies and mulled wine too.
Book your free tickets on Eventbrite.
Magazine
Last month you should have received the latest edition of 1841, your annual alumni magazine. This year we’ve included information about what each School has been doing, taken a closer look at our London campus and included a spotlight on alumnus Martin Roberts.
Eagle-eyed alumni might have also noticed that this year’s magazine is longer than last year’s and also included a timeline of upcoming alumni activity.
You can read the digital version of the magazine on our website.
Webinars
We’re very excited about this year’s webinar series, with alumni sharing their stories and expertise from a range of industries and points within their careers.
October’s webinar was from Class of 1984 alumnus Martin Roberts who works as a BBC Senior Cameraman. If you’ve already read your alumni magazine, you might have seen he is also this year’s alumni magazine alumni spotlight! You can watch his webinar for free on YouTube.
This month, our webinar is from Heather Barnfield. Heather graduated in 1986 with an Art and Geography degree and now works as Senior Director of Intellectual Property Development for Korn Ferry. We’re releasing Heather’s webinar on Monday 6 November, but for now you can read her alumni snapshot on Alumination to find out what she’s been up to since graduating.
CPD courses
Did you know that York St John also runs a range of professional and short courses? From life drawing classes to one day workshops on counselling adolescents, you can browse our range of courses on our website.
How many snickleways do you remember?
Last month, St John’s College alumnus William Thackray got in touch about his latest project. Although William studied with us from 1963 to 1966, he didn’t spend much time exploring York, something he has more than made up for in the years since!
Now a retired vicar, William has created a response to the famous Mark Jones’ ‘The Snickelways of York’, by sharing the routes as they are now.
You can view his photo project digitally on Bonus Print.
Alumni in the news
Last month, York St John alumna Jen Nash was quoted in an article about Kourtney Kardashian’s take on the ‘old-money’ décor trend with her ‘quiet luxury bedroom’.
If you’re thinking about updating your bedroom colour scheme anytime soon, this article might have the advice you need!
Read the article on the Homes and Gardens website.
Events
If you’re looking for something to do this November or December, there’s plenty happening at York St John!
- Visiting authors talks
- Ebor lectures relaunch
- Inaugural lecturers
- Performances
Browse upcoming events on Eventbrite.
Christmas markets
York’s Christmas Market will be held from 16 November until 22 December. If you’re visiting York, enjoy the festive atmosphere and browse stalls from local businesses. Find out more on the VisitYork website.
