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Alumni Newsletter for CTC Alumni
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ALUMNI NEWSLETTER CTC Alumni Newsletter Issue 3 JANUARY 2015
Catching up with Valerie Simpson
Spotlight on former students
The 2014 Awards Ceremony
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements:
Many thanks to : Valerie Simpson, Chun Hong Tung , Teresa Montano
Picture below : Staff and students from 1983
4 Catching up with former Vice-Principal Valerie Simpson
6 Spotlight on alumni Chun Hong Tang
8 2014 Annual Awards Ceremony
9 Zi Koon reflects on his time at CTC
10 Wise words from Senior Tutor Dr John Rodgers
11 Principal Mark Eagers’ vision for CTC
12 2014 Award Winners
A WORD FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Welcome to the December issue of Alumni News. We are just about to finish the longest term of the academic year
and I think most students and Tutors are pretty tired right now; the warm, light and sunny days of September seem
a long way away.
In June I wrote about some of the things I wanted to see done over the summer and am pleased to tell you that we
have a new reception area, refurbished common room, repainted cafeteria and have begun the process of
repainting corridors and classrooms. We have upgraded the wifi system in College and spent a lot of money on
upgrading the hardware available to students.
We have also been working hard on the new Development Plan for the College over the next five years which I
have called Vision 2020. It is still very much in draft form but we are looking to grow the size of the College over
this period, maintaining on improving further our academic standards and the broader provision for, and pastoral
support of, the students here. In terms of looking ahead, we will be introducing a fast track A level course in
September (the two year programme in just one year) as well as a new pre A level Foundation course which will
better support our non-native English speakers.
Do please keep checking the website over the coming months to see what’s going on in College. If you are ever in
London then do please think of coming to see the College; we would love to se you but do please let us know
beforehand.
May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy holiday period and very best wishes from everyone at CTC
for a fantastic New Year.
Mark Eagers
4 CTC NEWSLETTER
Keep in touch by visiting www.ctc.ac.uk/Alumni or
Valerie Simpson (formerly Dale) was CTC’s Vice Principal from 1990 to 2007
Name
Valerie Simpson (previously Valerie Dale until 1999) - Vice
Principal
When did you start working at CTC?
I started in August 1990, just before A-level results day, and
left 17 years later in August 2007, the day after A-level results
day.
What did you most about working at CTC?
The unique nature of the College. It was (and still is) unlike
any other education establishment that I know. The
camaraderie amongst staff and the engagement of the
students made it an absolute pleasure to go to work each day.
I loved the job I did and felt extremely fortunate to have been
appointed to my role, so I was extremely sad when the time
came for me to retire. I couldn’t bear to give up work entirely
so I have been self-employed as an Education Consultant
since leaving CTC.
What did you like least about working at CTC?
Driving up Water Tower Hill in the snow. It was impossible to
get a grip on the icy road and if, for any reason you needed to
stop half way up, there was a real possibility that you wouldn’t
make it to the College entrance. You were in danger of
finding yourself sliding backwards into the traffic on Coombe
Road, where other drivers were also having difficulty
CATCHING UP WITH FORMER STAFF
Valerie as she was in 1990
Pictured with former Principal David Wilson during an
International Evening from the 1990s
CTC NEWSLETTER 5
controlling their vehicles. Fortunately, I lived close enough to
walk to work when the snow was heavy. I remember how
excited the students got each year when the first snow flake
fell, especially students from countries where it never snows.
One year, the snow was so heavy that some students and
staff couldn’t get home and had to sleep at the College
overnight. We don’t seem to get winters like that any more. .
Which student or class do you remember most
clearly from your time at CTC, and why?
Since a major part of my role was to write UCAS references
for all the students passing through the College, I cannot
help reflecting on how things changed over time. I remember
well the first one I wrote at CTC as it was the first one I had
ever written anywhere. I won’t mention any student by name
but I was very conscious that whatever I said about that
student could influence the universities’ decisions. I redrafted
that reference so many times to get it just right and, in those
days, I wrote them all by hand. They were then typed up by
one of the secretaries and pasted (with real glue!) into a
paper UCAS form.
How archaic that seems now. I didn’t have a computer in my
office until 1994 and, even then, I only used it for emails.
Once the UCAS application process became fully electronic,
life was so much easier. I never forgot, though, that
whatever I said in the reference could affect a student’s
whole future, so I took just as much care with every one I
wrote as I had with that first one.
What is your most amusing/significant memory of
your time at CTC?
I have to say it was when I met Mr Oakes. You see, we had met before – some 14 years earlier, in fact. My previous role had been as Head of Chemistry at Old Palace School in Croydon. In about 1976, I was interviewing prospective teachers to join my department. One of the interviewees was a fresh-faced young man. He was very bright with an Oxford degree but he didn’t get the job and I didn’t see him again. At least, not until I joined CTC. For there he was leading his own Chemistry Department and he’s still there! I can’t help thinking that I did CTC a huge favour by not offering Mr Oakes a job!
What have you missed about CTC?
I missed everything about CTC – the students, my colleagues and the work that I did. Consequently, I was absolutely delighted to be invited to work with CTC students
again this year in an advisory capacity. Of course, there have been changes since I left nearly eight years ago and many of my old colleagues have left but there are still some familiar faces around. More importantly though, the fabric of the building and the nature of the College’s work remain the same, and the students are as charming as ever. How fortunate I am!
Hard at work using a “pen” and “paper”. The object on the left
is a Computer from the 1990s! Valerie on her 70th birthday
6 CTC NEWSLETTER
Keep in touch by visiting www.ctc.ac.uk/Alumni or
SPOTLIGHT ON FORMER STUDENTS
Name and nationality
Dr Chun Hong Tang. Malaysian.
During which years were you a student at
CTC?
2005-2006. A Level studies.
What have you been up to since leaving
CTC?
Studied Medicine MBBS at King,s
College ,London. I am currently working as an
orthopaedic surgical trainee up at the Queen’s
Medical Centre in Nottingham. I have done all
Chun’s photo from his original application form to CTC Chun at the Alumni event In Kuala Lumpur in 2011
“The memories made
in the warm cosy
atmosphere of the
college is something
that I will always hold
dear in my heart.”
CTC NEWSLETTER 7
The Alumni
my post graduate medicine training up
here, with plenty of opportunities to hone
my medical knowledge, skills and provide
much needed support to the community as
a whole.
I have had a couple of visits back to CTC
since my graduation from there, mostly to
visit my host family, whom I am still close
to, along with the College and tutors in
general. The memories made in the warm
cosy atmosphere of the college is
something that I will always hold dear in my
heart.
Funniest moment at CTC?
I think it’s difficult to pick a particular
moment, as there were so many
memorable ones whilst I was at CTC. But I
guess amongst them all, was all those
chemistry classes with my tutor Mr Stephen
Oakes, who was always so imaginative with
his teaching, when he made chemistry
seem so interesting, fun and most of all a
joy to learn. His knowledge and keenness
to involve us in his IT projects was always
good fun and made the learning
environment all the more enjoyable.
I will always remember one particular
moment, when a friend of ours constantly
wore the same type and colour of clothing
into College everyday, and when we were
joking about it in class, Mr Oakes, would
say, “well, may be he went into a discount
shop and got one of those ‘buy one, get
TEN free’ t shirts!”
Most memorable thing about CTC?
The narrowness of the corridors, and the
close, almost family like atmosphere at the
college. The study breaks in between
classes, where, friends could always come
together for some light banter, and also
compare study notes.
And most of all, it was the first place in the
UK, where I fell in love with my self-styled,
“CAMP – Chicken and Mushroom Pie!”
Simply brilliant..all for 99p as well!
Are you in regular contact with any CTC
alumni? If so, who?
Absolutely, I am in constant contact with the
rest of the CTC alumni of my year,
particularly the Malaysian group. I must
admit the vast majority of them have left UK
post their degrees, to head to all corners
and facets of the globe to further their
careers, but myself and two of my best
mates, Chee Kuan Piong and Fong Lik Lee
whom I met at CTC, are still in close
contact. We often chat and keep in touch
online with the various aspects of our life.
Myself and Chee Kuan in particular, still
work and live in the same city at the
moment, constantly meeting up, discussing
old jokes, and continue to enjoy a great
social working life.
CTC definitely was a moment in our life,
such a quick one at that, but the impact it
has left on each of us, is etched into our
memory, and dare I say it, for the rest of all
of our lives.
8 CTC NEWSLETTER
Keep in touch by visiting www.ctc.ac.uk/Alumni or
AWARD CEREMONY 2014
“The past 18 months I
have spent at CTC
has been an
unforgettable
journey”
Zi Koon Pong
“You brought us joy. And now
we say – bring joy to your
university staff. Bring joy to
your parents and partners and
all who are important to you.”
Dr John Rodgers
“You will hear some people say
your school days are the best in
your lives. I truly hope not…
because as young men and
women the best days lie ahead
of you and not already past!”
Mark Eagers
CTC NEWSLETTER 9
My fellow friends it’s amazing how time flies and that 4 months
ago we were anxiously sitting in this very hall completing our A2
exams with our conditional offers and eventual career paths at
stake. For those who sat for the harrowing Chemistry Unit 5
paper, I'm sure you will all agree that its a pleasant change of
atmosphere that we are back in this hall today to celebrate the
fact that all of us have managed to pull through and emerged in
one piece. It’s great to see everyone once again, and I am truly in
awe at those who have come from afar such as Zeyar from
Glasgow to attend this event. I hope all of you have had a
wonderful summer and have fully settled into life at university and
are not getting too bogged down with the workload.
We often get so caught up with the present that we forget to
look back and see how far we have come and occasions like
these serve to remind us of the accomplishments we have made.
2 weeks ago, whilst ploughing through my endless pile of
Engineering examples papers and frantically worrying about the
statics lab report that was due the Monday after, I received an
email from Mr Eagers asking me to give a short summary of what
I have gotten out of CTC and this really got me thinking. In
retrospect, the past 18 months I have spent at CTC has been an
unforgettable journey that simply cannot be summed up in a brief
5 minute speech, but I shall do my best to highlight the most
memorable ones.
13th of January, my first day in Croydon is one that stands out
in particular as it was the first day I trudged through the most
perilous of snowy weather conditions with 60 kilograms worth of
luggage from East Croydon Station to my hostess’s house in
Sanderstead. With the trusty google maps loaded on my phone,
my mum and I set off on what I thought would be a short 10
minute walk. Oh how wrong I was when it ended up taking an
hour to get there and it was all because of a major mistake on my
part by failing to take note of the distance scale and elevation on
the map. If you have been up to Sanderstead, which I’m sure
most of you have, imagine walking up that steep and long stretch
of road leading up to the roundabout with 60 kilograms worth of
luggage.
Coming to CTC was a first in many different aspects for me. It
marked the first time I was living away from my parents, the first
time I had to make decisions on my own and the first time I was
left to take charge of my academic and social life. Fortunately,
thanks to the admin and welfare staff here at CTC, the transition
was a lot less daunting than I expected it to be and I settled in no
time at all. Over the past 18 months, I have fostered long-lasting
friendships and met talented and dedicated tutors who are willing
to go to great lengths to clarify whatever doubts I had with my
academics, instilling confidence and preparing me for the
challenges I will undoubtedly face at university. For that I am truly
grateful to each and every one of them for helping me get to
where I am today. As much as today is meant to be a day to
celebrate the achievements of graduating students, I view it as
an opportunity to appreciate the efforts of our tutors and I hope
all of you will join me in giving a round of applause to them along
with every member of staff here at CTC.
Having moved on to university I realised that there will be
some aspects which I took for granted during my stay in CTC that
I probably will not have the chance to experience again in future.
Subtle details such as the narrow corridors and the small student
population means that you are pretty much known to everyone
and it also makes it very likely for you to bump into someone you
know, be it tutors or peers, and spontaneously strike up a
conversation as you wander from one corridor to the next. This is
what makes CTC - well CTC and the sense of a close-knit
international community is one that is truly unique to this
institution.
All the photos from the event can be viewed here
Zi Koon Pong gave a highly
engaging and thoughtful talk,
recalling some of his fondest
memories from his time at CTC.
AWARD CEREMONY 2014
There was a very rich businessman. And I mean very
rich. He had a daughter who was 21 years old. There
were lots of young men around who wanted to marry
her. But did they want to marry her for who she was –
or for her money? This question troubled him. He
wanted to make sure the man who she married really
loved her.
He held a party. A really big party. Lots of people were
invited including a number of possible husbands for his
daughter. At one point during the party, he got
everybody together beside the large outdoor pool in his
garden. And this is what he said:
“You see this pool. Look into the pool carefully. Can
you see the shark swimming round in there? That shark
is hungry! Now I know some of you young men out
there would like to marry my daughter. Well if you’re
going to marry her you have to earn it. My daughter has
agreed to marry the first man who swims across the
pool – and survives.”
There’s a gasp of shock from the crowd. A few young
guys step forward – look into the pool – and then step
back. Silence falls. But suddenly there’s a splash.
There’s a man in the pool. His arms and legs are
moving powerfully through the water. But the shark has
spotted him and is moving towards him. The crowd are
cheering him on. There’s a sense of excitement – and
perhaps dread. He’s swimming for his life. But look –
he’s made it to the other side. He’s getting out of the
water. The crowd are cheering.
The father goes over to congratulate him. “Well done
young man. We’ll fix the date of the wedding.”
“Later,” says the young man. “First I want to find out
who pushed me.”
I just wanted to say that in your lives to come, you will
make big decisions – what to do after graduating?
Where to live? Who to marry? You may even find, like
the man in the story, that some decisions are forced
upon you by circumstances and you don’t seem to have
much choice.
But what I want to say to you is this. While you were
here at CTC you brought us joy. We had fun teaching
you and getting to know you. Maybe we didn’t look as
though we were enjoying teaching you at times – but
when we look back, we’re glad we had the chance to
work with you and help you on to the next stage in your
life. And we were so pleased for you that your exam
results were so great. And we were so pleased when
you got into such excellent universities.
You brought us joy. And now we say – bring joy to your
university staff. Bring joy to your parents and partners
and all who are important to you. Bring joy to them as
you have to us. We thank you for the privilege of
knowing you and spending time with you. Thank you.
Dr Rodgers inspired us all
with the parable of the
young man and the shark
infested swimming pool!
Chairman, Members of Council, Colleagues, and former
students…a final but particularly warm welcome to you all on
this grey November evening. It is great to see you here and
thank you for taking the time and trouble to come.
CTC is an extraordinary place and I hope you cherish what CTC
has done for you.
It is a privilege to study here. Getting the most out of you in
academic terms lies at our core, with international
understanding as another core value. It is these values that
were a key attraction for me when I applied.
85% of our students come from overseas, and the 21st century
is truly a global world. While India is coming up fast on the rails,
one of the BRIC economies, I am sure this century is the one
that will be dominated by the countries and economies of East/
SE Asia. We will see, I hope, the rapid development of Africa, of
South America…and what of the Russian bear and surrounding
countries?
And what of CTC this year?
We had a very pleasing set of public examinations results. And
we are celebrating that success today.
We have begun a process of refurbishment, starting with the
student common room and cafeteria. Much remains to be done
but we have a will to develop.
You got a new Principal in April.
If we judge a place on its people then:
Students: Overwhelmingly delightful, courteous, well
motivated, aspirational, happy students
A highly experienced and committed team of Tutors,
keen to do the best for their students
A very hard working team of support staff, largely
unsung…from bursary, science technicians, to reception, to
maintenance and grounds, catering, cleaning…and who could
forget Mrs Beckett, the Boss!
A governing body, The majority of whom are external, who
are passionate about the College. Their role is protect the
interests of the College, ensuring that it fulfils its charitable
aims. Council members, at least external ones, are largely
unseen, and yet they put in considerable hours in the evenings,
at weekends and during the working day in an unpaid capacity.
As for the physical aspects, we know we need to invest in what
currently exists (classrooms etc) and hopefully in new major
capital expenditure…for that read buildings.
We are busy discussing the next Five Year Plan which I have
called 2020 Vision or Vision 2020, and when we have finalised
it, we will share it with you all. We have exciting plans for the
future and I hope you will watch them and perhaps be a part of
them. You may think I mean by giving money – and that would
be very welcome! – but through attending alumni events,
involving yourselves in mentoring programmes etc.
You will hear some people say your school days are the best in
your lives. I truly hope not…because as young men and
women the best days lie ahead of you and not already past!
Principal Mark Eagers closed
the evening by sharing his
thoughts on the college and
his vision for its future.
Here are the edited highlights.
12 CTC NEWSLETTER
Keep in touch by visiting www.ctc.ac.uk/Alumni or
ACCOUNTING
Khak Tuan NGUYEN
Very committed to the subject over the 18 month course and great at
debating the issues (Judy Krey)
ART
Le Gia Linh TRAN
Tremendous improvement in her skills over the two years. Supported
with dedication and hard work (Barry Morgan)
BIOLOGY
Yau Hui LIM
Worked hard and attained a grade higher than anticipated (Liz Slater)
CHEMISTRY
Qing Yu KWOK
This student gave all her best and worked very hard (Cynthia Sandhu)
ECONOMICS
Thuy Dung NGUYEN
She showed all-round excellence over two years of study (Mike
Penfold)
EFL
Xinzhu XIAO
She worked hard and showed real persistence and dedication (John
Rodgers/Jonathan Cutting)
ENGLISH LITERATURE
Pokua ADDEI
Commitment and interest: gone on to read English at university (Sarah
Das Gupta)
FRENCH
Cristian URIGIUC
A very interested and interesting young man who chose French not at
a subject, but as a passion. Teaching him was a sheer pleasure, and
he taught me a few things too. Ask Cristian a question, but make sure
you have put half a day aside for his answer! (Margaret Rogers)
FURTHER MATHS
1. Zi Koon PONG*
598 out of 600 points for ‘Maths’ and 544 points for Further Maths
including 272 out of 300 on the 3 most difficult mechanics units
2. Le Gia Linh TRAN*
576 points on ‘Maths’ and 532 for Further Maths. She also has 272 on
the 3 hardest mechanics units.
*Both of these students are not only extremely able but worked with
extraordinary levels of focus and enthusiasm to achieve these excellent
results (Gill Gardiner)
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Torgyn SUZHANOVA
Torgyn got the higher overall mark (David O’Dwyer)
HISTORY
Amii LEPPIK
She worked very hard and enthusiastically, had to overcome personal
difficulties including a serious lack of self-esteem, and finally got a well-
earned A. She is now reading History at Royal Holloway (John
Oliphant)
ICT
Edward GOMBERG
Started the course in the second year. Worked very hard to achieve an
A in his coursework. Achieved an A overall for his exams (Phyllis
Nsiah)
MATHEMATICS
Vanessa CHONG*
The highest score on 6 units (578 out of 600) for a Mathematics Award
(from those not doing Further Maths)[A*] (Gill Gardiner)
AWARD CEREMONY 2014
The Award Winners
CTC NEWSLETTER 13
PHYSICS
Zi Koon PONG
He was hard-working, polite and read around the subject (Gregory
Farrelly)
PURE MATHEMATICS
He JIANG*
She achieved full marks on all 7 ‘Pure’ mathematics units She also has
a perfect score of 600 for ‘Maths’ as well as and 589 for Further
MathsShe also performed very well on the Senior Maths challenge and
BMO1 (Gill Gardiner)
STATISTICS
Yau Hui LIM*
A* with 539 points (Gill Gardiner)
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
TO COLLEGE LIFE:
Chee Lin Piong
Extra-Curricular Awards:
Sports Prize Winners
Football: Player of the Year - William Chong Kar Jue
Basketball: Player of the year - Yuxiang LIU
College Magazine: Cristian URIGIUC
:
MACCARTHY AWARDS WINNERS (For students who gained at least 2 A*s in their A2s)
Gia Linh Tran
Zi Koon Pong
Ying Xi Tan
Tze Ho Elden Tse
Thanh Thanh An Do
Vanessa Chong
Arisa Roongjirarat
Linh Trang Nguyen
Zhen Yi Chan
Yau Hui Lim
Khak Tuan Nguyen
Lip Yee Kuok
Yu Pei
Chengjiu Liu
Chen Xu
He Jiang
Cambridge Tutors College
Water Tower Hill
Croydon
Surrey
CR0 5SX
Tel: +44(0)20 8688 5284
Email: [email protected]
www.ctc.ac.uk