The Rectors’ Fund

Thursday 29 November 2012

An innovative new fund to help make internships affordable for University of St Andrews students who might be otherwise be unable to take up these valuable offers of work experience has been set up by St Andrews Rector Alistair Moffat and the Rector’s Assessor, Chloe Hill.

To be known as The Rectors’ Fund, it will offer a standard grant of £500 to students taking up both unpaid and paid internships. Students will be expected to demonstrate that without the support of the fund, they would be unable to take up the offer of internship.

Successful applicants will be entitled to call themselves Rectors’ Scholars and will be expected to write a report on their internship.

Alistair and Chloe have already secured cash donations and promises of support for the fund from impressionist and comedian Rory Bremner and former St Andrews Rectors Kevin Dunion, Donald Finlay, Andrew Neil, Katherine Whitehorn, Nicholas Parsons and Tim Brooke-Taylor.

With the support of the University’s Development Unit, the Rectors are also to write a letter to 40,000 St Andrews alumni to appeal for donations.

Alistair said:

“Internships provide invaluable work experience and are also increasingly the first major step on the career ladder for many students. They can be highly competitive to secure but I know from talking to students here in St Andrews that landing a place is only half the battle. Frequently students have to dip into their own pockets to subsidise an internship or perhaps find that the cost of travel and accommodation during work experience is prohibitive.

“We hope this new fund we have established is an innovative and genuinely useful resource for students and will help ensure that the talent we have at St Andrews can make most the most of opportunity.”

Rector’s Assessor Chloe Hill said: “As a student, I know how important internships can be – but also how stressful it can be trying to balance a commitment to work experience with the necessity to make some money over the summer. I hope this will give students an opportunity to look for invaluable on-the-job experience in the knowledge there is financial support available if required.”

The new fund is limited and open only to third year students who want to take up an internship in the summer vacation before their final year. It builds on existing support available via the University for internships.

Applications for the standard grant of £500 should be submitted to Chloe Hill by 28th January 2013 and she will chair a committee that includes Professor Nic Beech, Pat Mathewson of the Kate Kennedy Fellowship, Paul Brown from the Careers Centre, Liu Pei – 4th year psychology student from China and Lynsey Smith – 3rd year Biology student from Scotland.

Applications should be on one page and emailed to Chloe at [email protected].

Those chosen will be announced in February 2013.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Further information: Niall Scott, Director of Communications, University of St Andrews
Tel:  +44 1334 462530/462244
Mobile: 07711 223062
E-mail: [email protected]


Category Student experience

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