Interview with Gemy – 2017 WSS Alumni

Writing about web page https://warwick.ac.uk/study/summer-with-warwick/warwick-summer-school/

We recently spoke with Gemy - who joined us in 2017 for our Public Policy and Economics course (now Politics and Globalisation). Gemy kindly answered a few questions for us about her experience of our Programme, her reasons for applying and how the course and experience has helped shape her future.

What was your background before applying to the Warwick Summer School?

At the time I applied for the Warwick Summer School, I was an BSc Economics fourth year student in the University of the Philippines Los Banos. I have already taken some of my major economics subjects. Also, I am a member of the UPLB Economics Society - an exclusive organization for Economics students in our university.

Why did you apply to the Warwick Summer School?

During college, I really wanted to have an international experience to go out of my comfort zone. As I was looking for an opportunity abroad, it was at the right time when Casey sent an invitation to our organization, the UPLB Economics Society, about the Warwick Summer School. From there, I stopped looking for other opportunities because I found the perfect one. I applied to the Warwick Summer School because of its Public Policy and Economics course offering. Back then in college, my favourite major subject was Public Economics and when I saw that WSS offers one, I did not hesitate to apply for it. I was curious as to how public policy works in the UK, as a developed country, as compared to the Philippines, a developing country. The excursions included in the course and the British accent are plus factors!

What did you gain from attending the Summer School?

Aside from the knowledge that I have gained from my chosen course, I have made friends with different cultures, backgrounds and stories as mine. The friendships I have formed were not just for the three week summer school duration, as three years have already passed and I still feel connected and updated with their lives through the different social media apps.

What did you enjoy the most about your experience at WSS?

I enjoyed all of the experiences I had at WSS - the first dinner at Raven’s Ait Island, the super fun curry karaoke night, the Wicked musical at Apollo Theatre, the planned trips to different parts of London with my new found friends; but if I had to choose one, it would be our last excursion as a class. We had a Parliament guided tour and some of my classmates decided to see another tourist spot. We then went to the National Museum and I enjoyed it the most because it was spontaneous. I thought we were just going to see the Parliament and will head home afterwards, but I am happy my classmates decided to bond more.

Was there anything particularly unique about WSS that was a highlight for you?

Something that is particularly unique about Warwick Summer School is the inspirational guest speakers. I got to meet a lot of great speakers from different walks of life, from the Nobel prize winner George Arkelof to the paralympic gold medalist Kelly Gallagher, whom I will never get a chance to see if not for the Warwick Summer School. I did not only gain knowledge in public policy and economics, made new friends, experienced the UK culture and its rainy weather, but it has also given me inspiration about life from their speeches.

Would you recommend WSS to others and why?

Definitely! It has exceeded my expectations! It is a full package experience as you will get to learn about your course, about the UK culture, as well as you will have ample time to visit new places with your new found friends.

How has WSS helped to shape your future studies/aspirations?

My experience in WSS is life changing as I got to know about the Public Policy and Economics in the UK and the UK culture at the same time as I got to know more about myself in a span of three weeks. It has helped me realize more of the future that I want to be in where I can make a change in my country by providing a better interpretation of the policies and the laws.

Thanks, Gemy for speaking to us! We are so pleased you found the experience so worthwhile.

Helen Knight : 04 Feb 2021 09:00 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Nathalie's reflections on the Warwick Summer School

Writing about web page https://warwick.ac.uk/study/summer-with-warwick/warwick-summer-school/experience/

Nathalie travelled to the UK from Malaysia in 2018 to join our programme. She studied on the International Business and Finance course and has recently shared some of her thoughts and favourite memories of the programme with us:

I have always wanted to study abroad, particularly London,as I havealways been fascinated bythe culture and beauty of the country itself,and finally I had the chance to do so. Coming from accounting background, the Warwick Summer School attracted me with the University's amazing profile. One of the reasons why I applied to the programme was because I wanted to learn from the best - and I did!

I alsowantedto experience the culture and get to know peopleand see places that I have never been to. The programme helped me to make new friends from all across the globe and I now have acquaintances from China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, and Spain. This diversity has helped me to broaden my mind and views on the world, plus it also helpedto build my self-confidence.

I enjoyed the relaxed culture of the Summer School - we worked hard but had fun at the same time -it made me realise that there is so much more to life and weshould be having fun and loving what we do. That matters most! The programme organised activities for us every weekend and even after lectures. I really enjoyed the trips to Thorpe Park, Warner Bros. Studio and exploring central London and riding on the London Eye. There was also plenty of free time where we could play sports, or relax with our friends

I definitely recommend joining the Warwick Summer School to anyone who is thinking about their future options. The Warwick team works hard to provide students with the best careand will help you to discover your talents and shape you into an independent person.

Helen Knight : 18 Dec 2020 16:55 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Study Abroad in England like Shaleeza Ibrahim

Writing about web page https://warwick.ac.uk/about/london/study/warwick-summer-school/

Shaleeza Ibrahim shares her summer school experience at a top 10 university in the UK!

Meet Shaleeza:

Shaleeza Ibrahim from Pakistan, Studied Communications and Marketing at Warwick Summer School in 2018.

What made Shaleeza want to study abroad?

Exactly a month ago today I decided to go abroad for my summer school to gain some experience. As UK is ranked one of the best places for students to go and study, it was my top priority to apply to one of the well reputed universities in London.

While searching, I came across Warwick's web page and found their courses really interesting. What I found the most attractive was that Warwick wasn't just offering us students to only learn but actually have fun! And so I applied for Communications and Marketing.

The first day of summer school

As the Dean, Abhinay said on the first day, "Study hard, but play harder". There and then I knew, this will be exciting. I must say, Warwick did a great job living up to my expectations. Everything was so well planned and co-ordinated. The events and trips were managed in such a professional manner.

Meeting the team

Our administrator, Casey was extremely friendly and supportive throughout the course. He was so understanding and actually there to listen to all the students' needs. Thank you Casey for being so fun and making sure everyone was having a blast.

The experience

I had the pleasure of meeting some exciting and talented bunch of people, all thanks to Merlin Stone. Merlin, your teaching style has actually made me realise how fun marketing is. I am so glad I chose marketing as my career. It’s safe to say, for the very first time in my life, I actually had fun preparing for any exam. It was challenging but so interesting at the same time.

The verdict

Thank you Warwick for hosting such a wonderful summer school. It really was one of my best decisions.

Laura McKenzie : 16 Jun 2020 12:51 |  Tags: Communications And Marketing International Students Study Abroad Summer School |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Friendships and memories that last forever

Writing about web page https://warwick.ac.uk/about/london/study/warwick-summer-school/

Warwick Summer School alumni Arushi Singh looks back on visiting a castle, meeting like-minded students and making friendships that will last a lifetime!

Meet Arushi...

I was lucky enough to attend the University of Warwick Summer School (WSS) held at St. Mary’s University, London and the primary reason I chose Warwick’s summer programme was because of various subjects offered and the top faculty confirmed to teach. I studied the Behavioural Economics course during my stay in London and I had the privilege of interacting with not one but three professors during the three-week course. The lectures were highly interactive and informative, and the tutorial/seminar classes were a great addition as they allowed us to not only revise concepts, but also gain more clarity on certain topics in smaller, more focused class sizes.

Exploring London during summer...

Aside from the excellent academic support, WSS also offered an enriching and fun social programme. You are never bored during free time/weekends as the staff always had something planned for the students. From playing football to singing my heart out at the karaoke night, the three weeks with Warwick was the best way to spend my summer - it was so fun to meet and socialise with other students from all over the world. The fact that the campus was not too far from Central London made it really convenient to explore London’s main attractions as and when we had free time, but to also have time to relax and study quietly in our room or at the library. We were also able to visit areas outside of London as WSS organised trips to various places like Brighton, Oxford and The West End Theatre – I would definitely recommend attending the additional trips offered as they were low cost and very well organised, but also gave us plenty of free time to explore and visit local shops. WSS also organized a guest speaker series, where eminent speakers from their respective fields delivered talks that were inspiring and motivational – it was amazing to speak with high profile speakers face to face and ask questions about their talk.

Visiting the castle...

St. Mary’s campus was beautiful - there is an amazing castle called Strawberry Hill House on the grounds, which was the venue for our farewell reception on the final day. It was so cool to walk around and take pictures of the amazing gothic architecture. St Mary’s really did have everything we needed during our stay: a campus library, refectory, café, athletics track, SU bar, laundry room and much more!

Memories to look back on...

The most memorable thing that I took back home were the friendships I made and the lovely experiences I had. The fact that I was able to interact with like-minded students from 42 nationalities was surreal and eye-opening – we didn’t just learn from Warwick faculty on our chosen course, but we also learnt a lot from each other throughout the three weeks in London. The exposure that WSS provides is something I would recommend to any individual looking to broaden their horizons. The three weeks not only helps one grow but it also allows one to push their boundaries and escape their comfort zone. WSS made sure that at every step throughout the programme all the students would get the opportunity to interact, learn and develop lifelong friendships with one another.

Laura McKenzie : 15 Jun 2020 16:36 |  Tags: Economics Summer School |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Not all classrooms have four walls…

Writing about web page https://warwick.ac.uk/about/london/study/warwick-summer-school/

When Renata joined the Warwick Summer School in 2018, she didn't realise there would be so many activities and experiences packed into the three week programme.

Renata's blog has also been featured on Study London, the Official London University Guide!

One of the best experiences of my life! I attended the Warwick Summer School in the summer of 2018, studying the Communications and Marketing course for three weeks. I had a fabulous time in and around London. The programme was amazing, combining fun and knowledge with an amazing support staff and teachers that made sure we felt included. We really learnt from the best.

From the staff to the students and activities, everything was brilliant. The guest speakers taught us a lot, and the lectures delivered were very engaging. We heard from Kelly Gallagher, who won Britain’s first-ever Winter Paralympic gold medal at the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014 for the super giant slalom competition. She let us take pictures with her gold medal, which was very cool. Another guest speaker was Krisi Smith, author, creative director and co-founder of Brighton-based tea company Bird & Blend Tea Co.. She started five years ago with her partner and now their brand is one of the UK's most loved independent tea blenders – we even got to visit her tea shop during a trip to Brighton and she really took care of us, letting us try all the different blends in store. Both speakers taught us about strength and how we can achieve anything if we put everything we have into it. They were so inspiring and taught me a lot.

Discovering London itself was such an enriching experience, including getting to know the different areas, such as Kingston upon Thames. Having the opportunity to visit central London, Brighton, Oxford and The Making of Harry Potter with other students allowed us to get to know each other and, most importantly, have fun throughout the three weeks. Meeting people from different places all around the world was very eye-opening and I have gained so much more than I could have asked for. I finished the summer course with an international family. I would recommend this experience to anyone - the Warwick Summer School offers many valuable lessons and experiences. Not all classrooms have four walls, and Warwick Summer School is the proof of this!

Renata Pereira – studied Communications and Marketing in 2018

Julie Smith : 03 Feb 2019 13:06 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

If You Love Unique Experiences, You’ll Love Warwick Summer School

Writing about web page https://warwick.ac.uk/about/london/study/warwick-summer-school/

The Warwick Summer School isn't just about personal development in your chosen subject, it's also about having new and unique experiences, and as cheesy as it sounds, one that you'll remember forever!

Hear from one of our Alumni, Mohsin Nasir, on his own experience of the Warwick Summer School.

My journey to London was just magnificent. Not only did I learn a great deal about travelling, but I was also able to recognise my true self and unlock my potential.

Studying and roaming around with people from different walks of life felt like an exquisite experience that I cannot describe in words. I can feel the positive change that this exposure has brought in me. My perception of living abroad changed quite as much, I noticed that the people of London were extremely helpful and polite.

Regarding the Warwick Summer School, it had amazing teachers with tremendous knowledge and their teaching style was superb. Moreover, Warwick Summer School made us enjoy to the fullest as there were exciting events almost every day. Lastly, London is itself a place where you can never get bored, it has the best subway system in the world so I didn't need to think twice before going anywhere!

Mohsin Nasir studied International Development in 2017

Julie Smith : 20 Jan 2019 17:15 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem