At Xaverian, learning goes beyond the classroom and all students have the opportunity to attend trips and events that support their studies and enrich their College experience. This month, several students have had the opportunity to visit The University of Manchester to delve further into their subjects and find out more about progression opportunities.
A group of History students were invited to visit Aviva Studios to listen to an exclusive lecture, entitled ‘Making History in the Age of Black Lives Matter’, led by David Olusoga, Professor of Public History and BAFTA Award-winning presenter of the acclaimed BBC TV programmes Civilisations, Black and British, and Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners.
The inspiring and thought-provoking lecture focused on why the processes in history that have enabled racism and stereotypes should be investigated and researched. It also included an introduction from the Head of History at the University, who spoke to the audience on some of the diverse and fascinating histories and viewpoints currently being researched at Manchester.
Students also had the opportunity to hear from Destinie Reynolds, a second-year student studying History and Spanish. She spoke passionately about studying in Manchester and the many different positive opportunities she has experienced. Her latest research focuses on ‘the racialisation of Moss Side in the second half of the twentieth century, informed community resistance’, a topic students found incredibly interesting.
During a Q&A with David and Destinie, the discussion included a discussion on the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it may impact researching history in the future. Just before the day ended, students met David and picked up a signed copy of his book ‘Black and British’.
Classical Civilisation and Ancient History students also had the opportunity to visit The University of Manchester this month to listen to a series of talks, by top academics, about the range of undergraduate courses available, including Ancient History, Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, and participate in practical sessions, such as handling Stone Age flints and making cordage wristbands, followed by a careers-focused Q&A.
Their day ended with a visit to Manchester Museum, where they caught up with Xaverian Alumni, Nikki Phung Le, who went on to study Classical Civilisation at university.
Eliana Napoletano, a Year 12 student studying A Levels in Ancient History, Classical Civilisation and Geography, said: “It was great to see so many people, who are enthusiastic and passionate about the ancient world, come together to share knowledge and experiences. It is reassuring to know that there is a vast amount of career opportunities out there for students who have studied Ancient History and Classical Civilisation.
Xaverian College has one of the largest cohorts of students studying ancient world subjects in the country and many go on to study at top universities including the University of Oxford, Durham University and the University of Warwick.