In this video I’m going to talk about summer term activities in the Department of English Literature, and how these are used to foster student community and support students in preparing for the year ahead.
The summer term is the perfect time to get students socialising across year-groups down to the beautiful town of Stratford-upon-Avon, where the University’s Shakespeare Institute is based. Staff and students stay in Stratford for a few days, participating in informal workshops, attending plays and engaging in Q&A sessions with Royal Shakespeare Company professionals, plus enjoying built-in downtime for attendees to explore Stratford at their own pace. Our students often praise the Residential as the highlight of their programme, rekindling their enthusiasm for the subject after assessments and allowing them to forge stronger bonds with their peers.
Our other major summer event, ‘Focus on the Future’, encourages students to think about the upcoming academic year or, in the case of our soon-to-be-graduates, the world of work or further study. This day-long event begins with our first-year students focusing on feedback and study skills, second-year students thinking about their final-year dissertations, and final-years attending CV workshops, with Q&As between cohorts fostering cross-year cohesion. After lunch, the day is rounded off with a dissertation showcase and the presentation of staff- and student-choice awards. The day not only encourages community and provides an opportunity to celebrate our finalists’ achievements, it guides students to think about transition and the next step in their academic journey.