Last week, the second cohort of the Education, Public Policy and Equity MSc graduated from the University of Glasgow. We took this opportunity as a network to bring together alumni, currents students and Associate Fellows and celebrate our successes so far.
Despite the typically Glaswegian weather, last week members of the 2017-18 EPPE cohort came out in force to celebrate their graduation from the programme. Alumni returned from as far as Rodrigues, China, Nigeria, the United States and Australia to attend the ceremony and reconnect with their classmates. In order to mark the occasion and bring together diverse members of the EPPE Network, we held an informal reception after the main event to help deepen ties between our members. Current students had the opportunity to meet their predecessors, School of Education staff were able to congratulate graduates and hear more about their next steps, and old friends living in separate corners of the globe were able to reconnect.
It was inspiring to see so many people in one room who all work passionately to promote equity in education across a range of sectors, contexts and specialisms. One alumnus is about to begin an internship with the UN in New York, another has returned to the classroom in China with fresh eyes on the nature of her work and her students’ learning. Many alumni now work for the University of Glasgow, having become enamoured with the city and professional community.
It was also a chance for current EPPE MSc students to learn more about the EPPE Network and the many possible destinations after graduation. As current student Dakota said:
“The network could be helpful in serving as a support base for understanding future career options. Learning from alums is always helpful!”
Students are drawn to the EPPE MSc programme for a number of reasons, whether for its “unique combination”, focusing on education, policy and inequality (Priya), to support a career change (Jenni), or to benefit from the unusual international diversity of its student cohort (Dakota). As a network, we hope to support those ambitions and motivations as students progress from the programme into their future careers. Current students have suggested that they would benefit from the opportunity to maintain international contacts after graduation, thus supporting more innovative and informed practice.
We have been overwhelmed by the initial successes of the EPPE Network in its first months, and were delighted to have the opportunity to come together and take stock. We look forward to this yearly occasion becoming a firm tradition for both the programme and the network as both continue to grow in size and influence.
List of Graduates 2017-2018 MSc Education, Public Policy and Equity
Tuesday 29th November 2018, University of Glasgow, Scotland
In Person:
- Agalamanyi Esomchi Ugochukwu (Nigeria)
- Angela María Bravo Chacón (Peru)
- Scott Thomas Cairns (United Kingdom)
- Cristian Javier Celedón Gamboa (Chile)
- Rebecca Ciupka (United Kingdom)
- Ellen Rose Harrold (United Kingdom)
- Joseph Jean Noel Jolicoeur (Mauritius)
- Sarah Elizabeth Kingstone (Canada)
- Sinead McKinlay (United Kingdom)
- Ellen Vanderhoven (United Kingdom)
- Suofeiya Yu (China)
In Absentia:
- Istiawan (Indonesia)
- Pranaya Pradip (India)
- Alex Taylor (United States)
- Sheila Crowell (United States)
- Jessica Gregson (United Kingdom)
Many thanks to the University of Glasgow, and particularly Dr Kristinn Hermannsson, for hosting and supporting the reception event.