NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY STUDENT SHINES IN BRITISH COUNCIL’S INTERNATIONAL STUDENT AWARDS 2011
Sebastian Vasquez Lopez‘s inspirational story of student life in the UK has resulted in him being named a runner-up in the regional finals of the UK’s biggest international student competition.
Sebastian who is studying Human Genetics in the School of Biomedical Sciences, Newcastle University was one of more than 1,200 students, from 118 countries to enter the ninth annual International Student Awards – a major initiative from the British Council that shines the spotlight on international students and their contributions to life in the UK. Sebastian has been invited to celebrate his extraordinary achievements at a national awards ceremony to be held in London on April 13. To enter the competition, international students were encouraged to write a personal ‘letter home’ in English, detailing the out-of-class achievements that help make their time in the UK so rewarding. Students studying at universities, colleges of further and higher education, schools and English language institutions across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales shared stories about the extra-curricular achievements that illustrate how they are making the most of their time in the UK. A judging panel met last month to discuss the merits of short-listed entries from the region. Sebastian’s was judged to be one of the North-East’s best and he will receive a £100 prize.
Martin Davidson Chief Executive of the British Council, said the letters home written by the entrants were both poignant and inspiring '“The students have immersed themselves in life in the UK and are making a huge contribution not just to their campuses but to the wider community. The British Council is delighted to recognise their considerable achievements.”
Sebastian's letter
Sebastian
'Colombia? That's nice, I haven't met any Colombian here before', it is what I commonly hear when I meet people here in Newcastle University. 'Well, I haven't either' – I reply – 'not even many south americans'. A second surprise comes when I tell them what I am studying: 'Human genetics?' and this sometimes leads to quite interesting conversations. But there is a question that certainly every international student has been asked before: 'What made you come to the UK?' my answer is also very straight forward: 'Science did'
I think we are experiencing one of the most exciting periods of human history in relation to science and technology. For those like me, interested in deciphering the mysteries of life for the benefit of human health the possibilities are overwhelming. Having contact with people from so many different backgrounds, listening to new ideas, visiting museums and places with so much history behind them and now feeling part of that quest myself all has helped me to foster my own ideas and come up with new ones. We all want to make the world a better place in some way, but in order to do so we must get to know the world better. The UK is an ideal place to start.
Science knows no frontiers, and that is particularly true of my course in Newcastle University where I have met people from all over the world, classmates and lecturers alike, and attended public seminars and lecturers delivered by world leading scientist. The university has given me all these great opportunities and I have tried to seize every one of them. I have worked hard and I obtained first class results in every exam and piece of coursework submitted so far. Thanks to that I received the International Undergraduate Merit Scholarship this year.
I have been course rep for two year and member of the Biosciences society. Last year, the international year of biodiversity, we organized a debate about evolution and creationism with an expert from Birmingham University and a member of the Anglican Church. We received excellent feedback. I am now in the process of starting a new society: the Sceptical Society, for people with critical thinking and interest in science.
Currently I work as an assistant in a research lab of the faculty. As I can also attend to the lab meetings it is helping me to know the whole process of academic research. Later this summer I expect to undertake a project in the Institute of Health and Ageing since ageing is one of the subjects I am most interested in.
During my first year I had the opportunity to participate in a language teaching program in the university where I could tech my language, Spanish, to students going abroad in the programs Leonardo and Erasmus. I had over 30 students altogether for about 6 months; many of them I still keep in touch with and it is very gratifying to know they are doing very well in their placements in Spain.
Studying in an UK university allowed me to contrast many things with the education model in my country: I kept in touch with a couple of my former lecturer in Colombia and I have told them about these differences I noticed, from assessment methods and specific subject contents to more general things such as the use of online learning resources or the existence of so many clubs and societies. As far as I can tell they are working now to do some little improvements and changes to see how it goes. This makes me feel that I am already making some contributions, though small, to my home country.
The truth is that my decision to come to study my degree in the UK was based mainly on my professional aspirations. I explained to my parents all the benefits I could get from studying here and I gained their support. I worked hard to prepare myself for the IELTS exam and to fulfil the requirements for the university and visa applications. After one year since I first left my home country I fell all those efforts were worth because I have, apart from greatly fulfilled those initial expectations, lived so many experiences and met so many interesting people all who have made me and my dreams grow every day.
Today I look back at the past and I see myself as a school boy reading an article in the newspaper about the sequencing of the human genome in 2003. And I see myself now, in a different country, being taught but some of the very scientists who took part on that gigantic project, having acquired much more knowledge and clear goals, seeing the world in a much broader perspective. That boy and me seem so different from each other, but they still share something very important: they are passionate for what they do. That is my key, everything else is a sum of small steps, decisions that we make every day and make us grow as individuals and the decision to come to the UK was certainly the right one.
It has been the experience of my life. It has been worth every effort, it would have been worth even if it finished tomorrow. But it won't, this is just the beginning.
published on: 31st March 2011
