Plans for Summer

For most parts of the university, life becomes rather different over the summer, and this is reflected in the activities of the BSU Archive office, too.

Most of the undergraduate students have now left for the vacation, and a proportion of these will attend their graduation ceremonies later this month. 

Postgraduate students are still in evidence, as their academic year usually lasts from September to September, but these are far fewer in number and a little more difficult to spot anyway, being always so studious and with their noses so firmly to the grindstone!

The archive work during this 'quiet time' is supplemented by attendance at College Reunions, organised by the Alumni Association, and taking place much more frequently now that the alumni office has grown over the past months. There are three such reunions taking place in the next few weeks. The archive team will be there to meet groups of former students, and we arrange displays of archive materials to show them. More news of these events will follow in future blogs.

Former student Christine, contemplates the Newton Park scenery July 2013

Summer is also a time for rest, recuperation and research, and some of the team, moving from the second to the third year of study here, will be hard at work with dissertation research. This is the case for Adam, Hayley and Laura. Richard is preparing for his MA postgraduate studies which begin in September, and Kate has officially been a PhD student since 1st July. Research is continuing in earnest!

Over the summer months, Corsham Court continues to be gently buzzing with postgraduate activity, but Newton Park, now almost empty of student activity, returns to its grand, peaceful splendour as a country estate. Its at this time that one's imagination can drift to former ages and times, and picture a life here before college habits took over. I recall interviewing a former student, now almost 90, who came to visit on a September Sunday morning; we sat on a bench outside Main House, and she told me wistfully that it was 'Just the same. Just the same...' 

Two sets of people here are still extremely busy at this time, of course. These are the teams involved with the Graduations, and with Admissions. Both groups are even now, bracing themselves for the challenges ahead. This year's graduations take place on 19th and 20th July at Bath Abbey. 

The Admissions team swing into their busiest period of activity in mid August, when they will be on hand during many long working days, to receive, placate, reassure and welcome another cohort of students. Another set of memories is about to begin at Bath Spa University.