CLUBS and societies are celebrating the start of a new semester with a welcome boost thanks to the Vice Chancellor’s Fund.
Established in 2013 to meet the needs of the student body on campus, the fund is made possible by the personal contribution of Principal Gerry McCormac.
Two of the recipients of the fund this year surround the topic of mental health; the first is Nightline, a phone line run by students, for students, to help in times of distress and isolation.
The service is a partnership between postgraduate student Jennifer Littlejohn and the Students’ Union and has been awarded £2000 over the next two years.
Jennifer said: “Student mental health is a topic which is extremely important to me and the union.
“It’s important that we recognise that some students don’t always have the support network or the community necessary to overcome challenges and enjoy their time at Stirling.
“This is where Nightline comes in – who better will understand and empathise with students than their peers?”
In addition, the Mental Wellbeing society was awarded money to create posters which will be distributed around campus to encourage students to prioritise their mental health.
The club’s president Neda Shishmanova said: “We have included info on anti-anxiety breathing techniques and how to get help on campus, like the Student Services Hub.
“This will ensure that students know that there’s professional help on campus 24/7.”
Among other recipients were Drama, Live Music and Musical Theatre’s ‘Cottage Collaboration’.
Drama president Abby Ferguson said: “The VC Fund awarded us money towards the continuing renovation of Airthrey Cottage, which is used by the three societies to expand our creative output.
“For us this means being able to run workshops and training experiences in disciplines that support the dramatic arts, such as costuming, special effects makeup and set building.”
The University of Stirling Womens’s Football Club received £750 to buy new equipment, provide up to date first aid kits and enhance the training experience for members.
The media societies all won funding for individual projects, while the Sports Union received £500 for yoga sessions.
Elsewhere, G-Soc received funding for a Playstation Virtual Reality system and a PS4, while Strategy Gaming and Roleplay were awarded £900 towards the cost of their annual national championships.
Featured Image Credit: Josh Muirhead / Facebook
Fourth-year BA (Hons) Journalism Studies student.
News Editor, Sports Editor and Head of Proofreading for Brig Newspaper.
Wow. Some friends and I pitched this exact idea of a nightline to the then Learning Services, counseling triage, and student services two years ago and they turned us away. I’m glad someone has finally made it happen.