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ALUMNI & SUPPORTERS NEWSLETTER MARCH 2021 01

WELCOME

Photo credit: Joan Bessem, UWCA '22

Dear Alumni and Supporters, Welcome to the March edition of UWC Atlantic’s Alumni and Supporters newsletter. As ever, it has been a busy month at the College, so we have a lot to tell you about! Perhaps the most significant news since our last newsletter was the announcement that IB exams would not be taking place in the UK for the May 2021 session. While there was an option to appeal this on a school-by-school basis, after consultation with students, staff, parents and guardians, it was decided that we would not appeal. While we realise this decision is not the preferred outcome of all, we feel it is important to provide certainty for students and staff alike about the path forward. While the sitting of IB examinations in the UK may be beyond our control, where we do have a say is in how we spend our last weeks together with our IB2 students. In lieu of the final May examinations, we will be putting together an alternative UWC Atlantic second year programme for their final 5 weeks of term once classes end on 16 April. As we come into Spring, it is fantastic to see the seafront being a hub of activity through our ‘Ways of Life’ programmes. From lifesaving to paddlesports, our students have been learning a lot and having fun. Another excellent development on campus has been the recording studio, generously supported by the Mousetrap Settlement Fund. Some of our talented Media Productions students have put together a video to show how much it is being used. We are so pleased to tell you about all of the exciting things our students have been getting up to outside of the academic sphere. One fantastic idea initiated by our Wellbeing Council, is the ‘Hideout’, a social space on a Friday. We have a message from outgoing Wellbeing Council chair Rufaro in this newsletter. Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter, I hope you enjoy it! With renewed thanks, Andrea Diez de Sollano Director of Philanthropy, Partnerships and Engagement

SEAFRONT UPDATE

At UWC Atlantic, we have been picking up steam with our plans to re-establish the seafront area as the heart of everything that happens at the College. It is hoped that the seafront will be a vibrant hub of various activities, even more so than it already is.

A major development has been the hiring of a seafront coordinator, Richard Carpenter, to oversee the capital developments and activities at the seafront. Having worked in the outdoor industry for fifteen years, Richard has a wealth of experience in commercial and education centres, particularly being able to provide technical expertise in paddlesports and canyoning. Richard also has a keen love for climbing and caving, as well as many other outdoor activities and adventures. Richard has worked in all corners of Wales, as well as the rest of the UK, France and Norway. Richard is looking forward to pushing forward the seafront developments. Since the students returned from the winter break, our ‘Ways of Life’ programmes have got into full swing. Before the winter break, students who wanted to be in a ‘Ways of Life’ programme, had to participate in a series of trial sessions to display their commitment to the programme, but now get to enjoy their selected programme, either Search and Rescue, Paddlesports, Lifesaving or National Coastwatch Institution.

Students have been engaged in a variety of activities through the programme. Some tried on a wetsuit for the first time ever, an interesting experience, though they did not have to make their own like some of our alumni did! Our lifesavers have been hard at work improving their swim times and learning basic reach rescues that form the basis for so many rescues at sea. Students in the paddlesports group have been getting used to being in canoes and kayaks, learning the basic movements and working on their core strength. They also practiced capsizing the boat so that they do not panic if it happens in real life! The National Coastwatch students had a great session learning how to read nautical charts and maps. We look forward to providing you with more updates of the exciting activities and initiatives happening at the seafront. If you would like to make a donation to help support this, please click on the 'Donate' button below or email philanthropy@uwcatlantic.org.

SEAFRONT APPEAL

Help support the UWC Atlantic Seafront Development Programme We need your support or pledge of support by April 19th!

We are so excited to be launching our brand new Seafront Development Programme! For nearly 60 years, UWC Atlantic students have learnt an incredible amount from the sea and the seafront has always been a hive of activity. However, our facilities are currently not fit for purpose and are in need of an upgrade. We are therefore launching a new campaign to fundraise for a number of significant seafront projects. We are calling on your support to enable these projects to happen, allowing us to open up all seafront activities for the benefit of both current students and the wider community. We are delighted to announce that we have already raised almost half of our Phase 2 goal of £428,500 and we welcome you to join us today to assist us revitalise the Seafront to its former glory. Help us reach our £100,000 goal and make waves today by donating, HERE, selecting Capital Atlantic! To donate tax-efficiently, click here.

CLICK HERE

We must secure all pledges by April 19th to ensure we can steam ahead with the development of Phase 2. Thank you.

RECORDING STUDIO Thanks to the extremely generous support of the Mousetrap Settlement Fund, we now have a recording studio on campus. Located in the Arts Centre, it has already been fully utilised by UWC Atlantic for their IB music coursework and to record songs created by bands we have on campus. It will be used for more than just music though, for example, one of the projects in this year’s project week will be using the recording studio to record a podcast. We are really looking forward to seeing our students use the space to maximise their potential. To the right is a video created by Media Productions students Runa Kolaczynska and Leonardo Coppi highlighting the recording studio with interviews from Principal, Peter T Howe and music teacher Ed PictonTurbervill.

CLICK HERE

LIFE AT THE COLLEGE

THE HIDEOUT The HideOut is an initiative by The Wellbeing Council which runs on Fridays between 2000h and 2200h in the Moondance Café (concurrently with Sosh). It aims to support the wellbeing of the community by offering students a place to relax whilst chatting, playing games, watching movies or singing in a karaoke. For a recent session we had tea, coffee, punch and snacks as refreshments and multiple games. It is such a nice way to relax after a long week of codes and activities! Rufaro and Dechen The Wellbeing Council Chairs Class of 2021

"DIGITISE AC"

In the “Digitise AC” activity, six students and a member of staff meet once a week in the IT lab and go through old photos and slides that have been stored in the archive for many years. The idea is to scan and label them in order to create a digital archive that will remain for many years and will give access to the UWC Atlantic community to these valuable memories. So far the team have already scanned about 400 photos!

Got photos which could enrich our digital archive? Get in touch by emailing: archive@atlanticcollege.org

Image credit: Robin Kaikull, UWCA '22

OFF-CAMPUS WALKS Student wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do at UWC Atlantic and an integral part of that is ensuring that students are active and exercising. To help with this, students have recently started going on walks in the local area, supervised by staff members. Currently there are three routes that staff and students are able to take. By far the most popular is the walk to Nash Point. It has allowed staff to introduce or reacquaint students to Marcross, the Nash Point Lighthouse & fog horn and the ‘Welsh Sphinx’. The wild Welsh winds along the cliff tops also ensure the students get plenty of fresh air! Students have also been exploring the seafront area, which is great for students who like collecting shells and investigating the rockpools. Some of the braver students have even experienced how cold the Bristol Channel is in the winter. There is also a ten kilometre route through Marcross and Broughton that is being used to take students who want to go for a run.

CINE CLUB

Cinema is a fantastic way to investigate issues and other parts of the world through someone else’s perspective. To facilitate this for UWC Atlantic, a group of students set up ‘Cine Club’, a group that meets each Tuesday at 6pm in the Great Hall to watch a different film each week. Film suggestions come from the students or staff and they tend to stay away from Hollywood blockbuster films, preferring to watch classic or independent films. This term, the films have varied from romantic-fantasy film ‘Wings of Desire’ to ‘County Lines’, a film about the county lines drug trafficking issue in the UK. The club has been really excellent for getting students to engage with a variety of topics as they often stay behind after the film to discuss what they have just watched. It also gives them the chance to relax in a nice space!

SUPPORT US

WAYS OF GIVING

Atlantic Circle Philanthropy played an important role in the creation of the College. The gift of St Donat's Castle gave UWC Atlantic a home and donations continue to fund our students, the College and our aims. Here at UWC Atlantic, the Atlantic Circle is our patron programme that recognises the support and loyalty of our patrons and the massive impact they have. Our members’ invaluable support empowers our ambitious and bright students to achieve their very best, and provides the equipment and opportunities for them to become the Changemakers of the future. As alumni and supporters of UWC Atlantic, you are all potential changemakers for a vibrant and unique community that nurtures bridge builders as its primary purpose - and as we ourselves continue to change and evolve as a College, we are looking to you to share in, and to help shape, our direction of travel. View the Atlantic Circle Brochure If you would like to arrange a conversation, please don’t hesitate to be in touch with Keith Steel at keith.steel@atlanticcollege.org. Stay safe and well.

GOCARDLESS New way to donate to UWC Atlantic! UWC Atlantic has recently teamed up with GoCardless, a payment operator that allows alumni and supporters to make recurring direct debit payments online. This means that if you would like to make a donation to UWC Atlantic, rather than going via WorldPay where you have to give your bank card which will then expire when your card expires, it asks for your account details and takes the payment that way! GoCardless operates in many international countries, the list of which is available here. To sign up, all you need to do is visit www.atlanticappeal.org and if GoCardless operate in your country, select Direct Debit on Step 4 and you will be able to set this up. If you have any questions, get in touch with us by emailing philanthropy@uwcatlantic.org.

SPOTLIGHT ON...

ELONA MORTIMER-ZHIKA (UWCA '98)

In 1996, I was the second ever Albanian student to have been given the opportunity to come to Atlantic College. Albania had just come out of 50 years of communism and dictatorship, average wages were about $10/month, I had never been on a plane or abroad and I arrived with $100 of pocket money, which was the most my family could afford. I will never forget how excited and scared I was landing at Heathrow, or that long National Express bus journey. My world became so much bigger overnight when I arrived at the College. It was nothing like I could have imagined or dreamt of, was much more challenging, overwhelming and amazing, all in equal measure. There is no place like it, no other place in the world could have taught me what philanthropy, humility, collaboration and resilience really mean. UWC Atlantic taught me a lot about giving back. Coming back for my 20-year reunion in 2018, made me even more determined to help and repay the opportunity that I was given, which is why I donated to the AC98 fund. I wouldn’t be where I am if someone hadn’t paid for my scholarship all those years ago, so it’s important to give someone else the same opportunity, and continue the amazing UWC movement. The College never leaves you, it truly is like an international family. My dormie at UWC Atlantic was bridesmaid at my wedding, and I am godmother to her daughter. In those two years you form a bond like no other, an experience that nothing else can give you. As Louis MacNeice said: “glad to have sat under thunder and rain with you, and grateful too”. So paying it forward, whether it’s time, talent or treasure, is the least any of us can do! Philanthropy enriches you.

TIME & TALENT

LIGHTHOUSE

Keeping the UWC Magic Alive Alumni involved with Lighthouse keep the UWC spirit A central part of the Lighthouse mission is to create opportunities for UWC Atlantic students to increase their capacity for meaningful changemaking. Often, however, the phrase ‘meaningful changemaking’ risks being nothing more than a buzzword. This term we have been inviting several speakers, all connected to the College in some way, to deliver an engaging session for students as part of our “Dimensions of Meaningful Changemaking” series. The aim of this talk series is to introduce students to individuals with expertise in an area that can contribute to meaningful change and, by doing so, improve students’ understanding of what such change can be and what it may require. In short, this talk series aims to demystify and make accessible the countless complexities that meaningful change involves. The events also offer opportunities for Lighthouse mentors and project leaders to come together to get to know each other and learn more about each other’s projects. For one of our first sessions of the series, we hosted Roberto Pitea (UWCA ’04) who discussed his post-UWC journey, as well as some reflections on working in institutions traditionally understood as contributing to changemaking.

Roberto shared with us his impressions after speaking to students: I was very fortunate to speak to current students about making change (lower case C), based on my experiences working in the public, private and third sector. It was a chance to reflect on the advice I'd give my 17-year-old self. We spent the bulk of the session chatting about the challenges students experience when trying to affect change. You won't be surprised to hear that these are the same things we all struggle with, things like how to build a sustainable coalition, how to be effective in the face of structural inequalities, how to acquire the right skills. We ended the session talking about how UWCers can keep the spirit alive after they graduate - I recommended reaching out to alumni offices and to National Committees as there are plenty of juicy volunteering opportunities, especially now that a lot of activities have moved remotely! Here are some reflections from students participating in the session: Roberto’s balance of specialisation and judicious exploration, to find what is really important to oneself followed by becoming good at it, really resonated with me; change can be made anywhere, but do we seek it out because it is ‘UWC’ or because it is ‘U’ [ourselves]? At UWCA there are plenty of opportunities for students to learn from, and I now feel more equipped to critically select and personally engage with these opportunities, thereby better preparing me to make meaningful and rewarding change in our dynamic world. Karim Ghaddar, UWCA ’21 The : most valuable thing in lectures is not a lecture itself, but a dialog. That's what I appreciated about Roberto Pitea's talk - space for the audience's reflection. And of course, the advice from someone who has gone through the same UWC path as you, who tells you about the reality and admits that "to keep magic in life, you need to put effort in it. And sometimes it's maddening." Dasha Sviachena, UWCA ’21

The “Dimensions of Meaningful Changemaking” series will run until the end of March and we are excited for the upcoming sessions prepared by the UWC Atlantic alumni and parents. If you are interested in supporting students’ changemaking projects, for example via mentorship, we’d love to hear from you! Please do not hesitate to reach out to us via email: lighthouse@atlanticcollege.org.

ALUMNI PROFILE Dorothy Chiu is an alumna from the class of 2019 who has recently written a book, “Our Campus, Our Living Lab”. Here, she explains how she came to write the book, following an unconventional path.

Greetings from Hong Kong! I am Dorothy, a UWCA graduate, and before everything, I would like to express my gratitude to the PPE team for featuring me. It has been quite a journey since my graduation from the College, and I would like to take this opportunity to share it with you. Entering The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology was definitely not my original plan. To be honest, it was the fact that I was going to stay in Hong Kong for university that shocked, or should I say, broke me. The vibe in Hong Kong was just too busy for me to handle, but due to circumstances, I had to spend at least 4 years of my life here. In order to deal with my resentment towards the situation, my first year in university was very different from a typical Hong Kong student’s. Instead of going to lectures, I wandered in different departments, randomly knocked on the doors of the professors whose names I found interesting, and talked to them about my future. Instead of joining clubs and societies, I went to a little cafe in Sai Kung (such a beautiful place) to chill and write, and later on, to work as a waitress. "HKUST’s clearwater bay seafront. Kinda reminds me of AC." - Dorothy Chiu

Then, there was this one thing that completely changed my university experience. In a field trip I randomly signed up for, I got to know a girl, also a year one undergraduate student in the school of engineering, who shares with me common interests in sustainability. We decided to join the student paper competition of the Sustainable Smart Campus (SSC) initiative, and together, we proposed a detailed plan of implementing a biogas system in HKUST. We gained recognition, and I soon began working as a student intern in the sustainability unit. (This position is quite competitive.) During my time there, I got the great opportunity to co-write with another intern a book about all the projects in HKUST that feature smartness and sustainability. I interviewed all the project leaders, got to know their ideologies for developing such projects, and the awesome technologies behind the innovations. It was that time where I realized, wow, my university is actually super cool. I then finally opened my heart to really connect with the place where I study, and the people around me. Now that the book is published, I went from being resentful to being more than proud of my campus and my university community. The sustainability unit is welcoming new interns for this coming semester, and a few weeks ago, my supervisor and I talked about why I was picked out of all the amazing candidates with brilliant grades and profiles. She said it was partly because of the way I spoke during my interview. Something about it made the panel feel like I was confident and never reluctant to try. That I have UWC Atlantic to thank for. UWC Atlantic turned me into a person who is willing to try things out and not staying in her own little bubble. Being open-minded towards people and things makes me see so much more. Minivet in action; taken in HKUST (photo credits to President Wei Shyy)

Also, my experience in UWC Atlantic prepared me to do unexpected and spontaneous things. If it wasn’t for my little Sai Kung cafe trips, I wouldn’t know how much I love writing and sharing my thoughts with others. If it wasn’t for my conversations with random professors, I would not be inspired to propose the biogas idea that I submitted to the competition. What I’m trying to say is, it is okay to wander and not have life all planned out, as everything you do on your way to the next checkpoint makes you who you are. “Not all who wander are lost.” You are never lost when you don’t have a destination. Lastly, I would like to promote the book, “Our Campus, Our Living Lab”, that I coauthored and took part in design and publishing. The ebook link is available here: Our Campus Our Living Lab (ust.hk)

Me (third from the left) and HKUST Sustainability Unit in retreat for planning the future of the Sustainable Smart Campus initiative

IN CONVERSATION Watch the session's recording:

CLICK HERE

On the 11the February we were delighted to host Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus as the inaugural speaker of a new UWC Atlantic Lighthouse series on dimensions of meaningful changemaking. A central part of UWC education is to create opportunities for students to increase their capacity for making change in meaningful ways. At the College, through our dedicated Lighthouse innovation hub, we build on the UWC values by nurturing students' creativity, idealism and a sense of stewardship while equipping them with skills and knowledge to initiate social change. In this session, Professor Yunus talked about his personal journey to social business entrepreneurship and the main challenges faced, while at the same time also highlighting skills that are critical for an entrepreneur and offering lots of advice for those at the start of their entrepreneurial journey. The event was hosted in collaboration with the Yunus Centre.

UPCOMING EVENTS

COMING UP

Thursday 25th March Unravelling UWC Atlantic – The Changing Nature of a UWC Atlantic Education. Reflections on the Past, Present & Future 5 - 6.30pm GMT REGISTER HERE As part of the InTouch series of UWC Atlantic online talks, we are delighted to invite you to an event featuring Peter T. Howe, Andrew Maclehose and Gareth Rees, moderated by Rhian-Anwen Hamill.

Saturday 10th April The International Show is coming! This show is a great chance for all the students at UWC Atlantic to reflect their different cultures, thoughts, and customs to the outside world. Before Covid, the school hosted people from different places in the UK to see the show and diversity of our College! Sadly because of Covid, the school is not able to invite them to the campus. But this big event will be live-streamed to the audience. The event will include student performances: dancing, singing, playing an instrument, spoken word and other performances to the local community, families, alumni and donors. After that the Flag Ceremony! Further details will be circulated by email very soon.

International Show 2021

If you’d like to find out more about our upcoming events, check out the UWC Atlantic online calendar or get in touch with Magda Joshi, Events and Alumni Engagement Manager, by emailing joinin@uwcatlantic.org.

ADVENTURE LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE (ALE) Dates | 10-17th July / 17th-24th July / 7th-14th August 2021 Ages | 12-17 years old Fee | £995 GBP (£100 discount if booking multiple weeks)

GLOBAL LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE (GLE) Dates | 30th July - 14th August 2021 Ages | 16-18 years old Fee | £2,595 GBP (scholarships available)

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE AND ADVENTURE (ELEA) Dates | 31st July - 14th August 2021 Ages | 12-17 years old Fee | £2,150 GBP

STAY CONNECTED

To keep up to date, be sure to regularly check the News section on the UWC Atlantic website: www.atlanticcollege.org/media

THANK YOU FOR READING