First year Enginf Students were invited to connect with their peers, collaborate on artwork, and build a sense of community while exploring the benefits of collage at the Welcome Back Talk and Collage Cafe!  

In response to student feedback requesting more welcome week events later in the year, the Director of Student Experience and Student Experience Team hosted our first ever Welcome Back event to kick off Spring Term. The event started with a Welcome Back talk, led by Dr. Ron Grau, the Director of Student Experience for the School of Engineering and Informatics. The talk was designed to provide important reminders and signposting to academic and wellbeing support around school and the wider university. Ron was joined by Chloe, Bella and Oli from Enginf Student Experience, the Informatics PALs, Engineering and Design Mentors, Naomi from Student Wellbeing and Amy and Tom from our Enginf Student Rep team.  

What to read more? 

Why Collage?  

Collage serves as a form of art therapy, helping individuals explore their feelings, thoughts, and experiences. It’s a creative outlet that emphasises expression over perfection, offering a relaxed and enjoyable way to engage in art. 

During the session, a lot of students noticed we had a variety of resources to use from coloured paper to Christmas catalogues, there was something for everyone. There were some fascinating political leaflets which sparked conversations and the imagination of anyone who saw them. If you would like to explore the universities special collections of twentieth-century literary, political and social history special collections, please contact the library’s team for more info. 

We have displayed some of the artwork created by Enginf Students in the Chichester 1 Foyer – look for the purple board near the entrance. There’s a mix of collage styles using florals, text, and imagery. 

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this event possible and provided recycled media and craft materials including: The Library, Kate Howland, The School Office, Claire Potter and the Product Design team.