scholar UPDATES

May 17, 2022

Academic Reflection Letter To the St. Andrew’s Society, I write to you from the window seat of a ScotRail train from Glasgow to Edinburgh. An appropriately dreich day, it feels rather appropriate to reflect back on the last 9 months of my life, including my impressions of the university, the experiences I have had, my academic performance, and any advice I have for future scholars.

Overall, I have had mixed impressions on the University of Edinburgh. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity I have had to study here, and I know that a degree from this prestigious university will open doors for me. I have found that as an operating institution of higher education, the university is quite disorganized and lacks transparency. I am taught by brilliant Lecturers who conduct leading research in their field and have immensely valuable real-world experience. However, that comes with the caveat that they, at times, have different priorities that leave students a bit shortchanged. I see this as a positive learning experience, as I know the reality of elite institutions is that my lecturers are often juggling a lot at once and that fact is part of what makes them great. I feel as though a veil of sorts has been lifted from my eyes allowing me to see the reality of elite institutions.

I have had a wide breadth of positive experiences. For all my gripes about how my program was run, the people in my program have made this a truly life changing and empowering experience. I thought that going to an international school in Rome exposed me to a cross-cultural learning environment, but this program has dwarfed that experience. Of the 50 or so people in my Global Health Policy MSc, I am one of five men and the only white man. My colleagues hail from every walk of life, representing a gallery of ages, cultures, professions, and personalities. I am one of the youngest in my program. The average age is in the high 20s to low 30s. We are a cohort of mostly clinicians, nurses, midwives, and various other health professionals. While a handful of other students have come directly from their undergraduate degrees, most are returning to education for career advancement under some sort of international scholarship. This facet of my education has far and away been the most valuable to me. I have gained invaluable career insight, greatly expanded my global network, and made lifelong friendships with people who will go on to become national ministers of health. I have gained the respect of my peers despite our age gap and they have identified me as someone with a bright future and the capacity to make a last impact on people. Outside of the program, I have been living with two other students who don’t attend the same university as me. One is Scottish and one is Irish and they have become my best friends. I believe living with these two has more deeply immersed me into local culture than I otherwise would have been if I had chosen university-managed accommodation.

That brings me to discuss my academic performance on which I am happy to report my success. I am projected to achieve at least a high 2:1 or 1st Class Honors depending on a couple grades and my dissertation. I found that I transitioned seamlessly into the workload and academic expectations of a master’s degree. I was challenged by transitioning from biological sciences to social sciences and had to adapt my way of thinking and analyzing information. Ultimately, I have applied my past learning experiences to overcoming the challenges this program has presented me. In my first semester courses, I achieved an average mark of a 67% which is a high B in the British grading system. As my department is the 3rd best social policy and social science department in the UK, the standards for a 70% are exceptionally high and I anticipate to receive at least one more 70% in a class, something I am quite proud of. My writing skills have continued to develop in this program. Unexpectedly, my editing skills have seen the greatest improvement. I have become the de facto Head Editor for several of my colleagues’ assessments. My skills as an editor are respected by my peers and my feedback has helped them improve significantly on their marks. It fulfills me knowing that I have helped my peers, so many of whom have a decade of life experience over me, to better communicate their ideas and original thought.

To future scholars, I would advise you to actively invest in relationships with your classmates. You will find it deeply enhances your learning experience and is invaluable life experience. For me, this came in the form of saying yes to a lot of things that a more shy, reserved Jack would make excuses to miss. If you’ve made it this far, chances are that you know how to study and succeed in a classroom. Any advice to “work really hard” or “make sure you manage your time well” is preaching to the choir. My advice is to attend birthday parties, pub and café meet ups, stick around after class to make small talk, walk and talk with classmates after lecture, study together. These small actions go a long way and will help to make you feel at home in this new place. Remember that as much as you are here to work and study, you are here to live and learn about Scotland and the world. Best of luck to you.

Lastly, I wanted to thank the Society once more for this opportunity. Doing a master’s degree in Scotland has changed my life and made me a vocal advocate for Americans getting graduate degrees in the UK. I am planning on staying in Edinburgh for the foreseeable future, as the life I have begun to build for myself is not one I am looking to immediately uproot. I am happy here, in a city I love, surrounded by people who love me. As I look forward to my career and continued education, I know I have the St. Andrew’s Society to thank for enabling this chapter of my life.

Sincerely,  Jack Lenox
St Andrew’s Society 2021-2022 Scholar

January 3, 2022

Dear Saint Andrew’s Society of the State of New York, I I hope this letter finds you all well.

I have just completed the first term of my MLitt in English Literature at the University of Glasgow and am writing to you with an update on my progress and experiences. During this past academic session, I took three courses, two of which were in-person seminars. Over the course of the term, I forged connections with my peers in the program as well as with several lecturers. I found the courses very engaging; they have made me more passionate about the study of English and my future in this field.

In October, I had the opportunity to visit the University Library’s Special Collections which enriched my coursework, particularly my seminar on realism and fantasy in Victorian literature. There, I examined an original serial version of Charles Dickens’ Bleak House as well as an early edition of George Eliot’s Middlemarch and a second edition copy of Christina Rosetti’s Goblin Market. Being able to handle and study such texts first-hand, gave me new perspectives on the content of the works and opened up discussions in my course about the importance of serial publications in Victorian England and the history of publishing more broadly.

I also visited the Hunterian Art Gallery, where I toured an exhibition on artist James McNeill Whistler, a preeminent Victorian artist. Although I do not have deep experience studying art, I found it fascinating to consider the connections between art and literature of the Victorian period and see reflected in Whistler’s works a number of the themes that we were discussing in my Victorian lit seminar.

Near the end of the term, I began formulating potential research questions and directions for my dissertation that I will write over the summer as the capstone to my Master's program. I plan to examine the impact of Victorian literature, particularly George Eliot’s work and vision of realism, on contemporary writing, particularly that of Sally Rooney. Over the coming months, I will refine my research question and work with an advisor to create a plan for my project

Early on, I joined the University’s Francophone Society to become more involved in the GU community and to maintain my French language skills. Through this extracurricular activity, I have made connections with students across fields of study and have attended several cultural and social events. I have also recently joined the Walking Society and plan to participate in their outings in the coming months

I have found Glasgow to be a student-friendly, culturally rich, and vibrant city. When not studying, I have taken the opportunity to explore much that the city has to offer, including the Botanic Gardens, Kelvingrove Park and museum, the Necropolis, and the People’s Palace. I also enjoyed attending a Scottish football match. Over the holidays, I will be staying with family and experiencing the Scottish traditions surrounding Christmas, Boxing Day, and Hogmanay. Depending on COVID, I plan to celebrate Burns Night with people from my MLitt course later in January.

Since arriving, I have taken the opportunity to explore more of Scotland, take photographs, write about my travels, and experience St. Andrews, Stirling, Edinburgh, and Loch Lomond. I look forward to the remainder of my year in Glasgow with enthusiasm and excitement. Thank you very much for your generosity and support.

Kind regards,  Natalie Marshall
St Andrew’s Society 2021-2022 Scholar