Access for all

A woman who was made redundant from the Dundee Levi's plant earlier this year came top of the class at the access summer school and has started studying for a degree in science this week.

Andrea Brown from Dundee went along to the way ahead day at the Bonar Hall organised by Levi's to introduce their redundant staff to alternative employment. Andrea had thought about studying in the past but had never pursued the idea before she met the team from the wider access study centre who recommended the summer school to her.

Andrea signed up for the 10 week intensive course where she took biology, psychology, geography and environmental science. Receiving the exam results Andrea discovered that she had been awarded 2 merits in biology and psychology.

Andrea said: "I never would have guessed at the start of this course that I'd be about to start studying for a degree in science but as soon as I came to the University I enjoyed studying and learning so much that it just felt right for me. I'm really interested in animals and the environment so I'm pleased to be studying what I enjoy."

To mark the retiral of Vice Principal David Swinfen the wider access programme initiated the David B. Swinfen prize for the top male student and named Martin Azcona the first recipient.

Eighty students completed the ten week intensive learning programme this year with 65 making the grade to be offered degree places.

The four week aspire course, introducing students to academic studies and topping up the grades of those who fell a point short in their school results saw 69 students on the course this year studying two subjects and a compulsory course on academic skills run by Kathleen McMillan. Students who completed successfully start their degree programmes this week.

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