St Mary’s Student Reconnect Week Big Success

Last week, 17th-21st May, St Mary’s University, Twickenham hosted Reconnect Week to mark the easing of Covid-19 restrictions.

As a welcome back to the University, students were invited to take part in an array of academic and social activities and events. The hope was to enable students to socialise with their friends in a safe environment after a year of lockdown.

The week catered to all students, with sport activities including a rock-climbing wall, paddle boarding, archery, and sports sessions curtesy of Sport St Mary’s and for students wanting a more relaxed experience, there were presentations and games curtesy of Drama St Mary’s, a petting zoo, outdoor cinema, a history walk of the campus and an interactive art class at Strawberry Hill House.

There were also academic sessions led by programme teams, and many programmes hosted picnics with their students in the Gazebos on Priest's Lawn. Careers colleagues also ran workshops and student services provided drop-ins.

Additionally, there were several talks and lectures available online including Values Talk: Why not me? The role of generosity of spirit in overcoming adversity – Ronke Joseph and TEDx St Mary’s event: Beyond the Boundaries of Discipline.

The Dean of Learning and Teaching and principle coordinator of Reconnect Week, Adam Longcroft said “Thanks to the tremendous efforts of staff, and members of the Students Union, the programme came together very quickly and provided a terrific range of activities for students to enjoy. It was lovely to see the campus so busy, with students reconnecting with each other, and reconnecting with their programmes at the end of a difficult year. A big 'thank you' to everyone involved in making the week such a success".