People

Philippa joins Black Thunder team

Final year student Philippa Richardson has won a coveted post as one of SGR Colchester's roving reporters.

Philippa and Black Thunder

Philippa won the chance to drive the famous SGR Black Thunder car after a gruelling interview process which saw her having to impress a panel of judges including Paul Morris, Programme Controller for SGR.

Philippa explained how she got the job: 'I co-presented shows on RED AM during my first year at Essex, but I think my anecdote about driving a tractor on a school farm when I was little swung it for me. They obviously thought the experience was good practice for driving SGR's Black Thunder!'

Since joining the local radio station she has promoted SGR Colchester all around town, surprised lucky competition winners, and even had to dress up as a sumo wrestler. Philippa said: 'Black Thunder connects the studio with the street and the recognition you get when out and about in Thunder is amazing. Children get especially excited.'

She recently did her first link to studio from Hilary B bridal shop in the town and is looking forward to doing her first live outcue: 'This is Philippa, in Black Thunder, for SGR Colchester!'

Representing Britain

Peter Donnelly, a first year Politics with Human Rights student, and Students' Union Councillor, was awarded the Department of Governments' David Claydon Travel Prize to enable him to attend the 6th International Youth Leadership Conference (IYLC) in Prague earlier this year. The conference aims to encourage the cross-cultural exchange of ideas concerning the future of world leadership between students who participate in simulations of real-world organisations, role-playing characters in powerful international positions. This is his account.

I arrived in Prague the evening before the conference started and was collected at the airport and taken to the conference centre, the impressive Top Hotel on the outskirts of Prague. This gave me time to become acquainted with the beautiful city of Prague.

On arrival I was taken to my room where I met my roommate, a student from Texas. Over the course of the week, I met many people from a multitude of backgrounds, I was challenged beyond my comfort zone, and I grew every second. I realised that to these people I was not merely representing myself, I was representing my University and my country. I walked with a sense of magnitude and pride, although through the week my magnitude grew thanks to the fine catering!

My aim at the conference was to build association. The first event of the week, after registration, was a gala dinner. After that we met in our groups for the first time. In our first meeting the group facilitator set the tone of the week, advising us that it would be a case of work hard; play hard. He spoke truth!
Our schedule was packed from Monday to Thursday, each day beginning at 9am. However, on some occasions the days seemed to overlap with no time for sleep! In our groups we had three simulations; the first was of the UN Security Council, the second of the International Criminal Court, and the third of the European Parliament. We all took rolls; I was a French ambassador, an expert witness, and an amendment writer for the Nordic Green Left.

I had a wonderful time and made many contacts. I am grateful to those who enabled me to go to the conference and who awarded me the Department of Governments' David Claydon Travel Prizel.

A more detailed account is available on the Department of Government website. For information about the IYLC visit www.czechleadership.com.

Essex student in most promising list

An Essex undergraduate has been voted one of the UK's top ten most promising students by The Telegraph.

Rossanna Trudgian, a first year politics and human rights student, was ranked alongside fashion designers, budding journalists, an athlete, a musician and entrepreneurs in the annual list compiled by Telegraph Education.

By her eighteenth birthday Rossanna had addressed the Labour party conference in support of the second UN resolution on Iraq and she is looking forward to a job in the Cabinet.

Also in the printed May edition of Wyvern:

• Sociological appointments
• Heather retires
• Obituary: Julie Fleetwood