David Graves - Director of Student Development & Activities

Hello, my name’s David and I am your Director of Student Development and Activities (or if you’re an acronym-aficionado, DoSDA). In simple terms, I’m your sabbatical officer responsible for societies and generally the fun stuff that the Union does!

These barren shores and rolling fields of North-East Fife might not instantly strike you as being a hub of activity, but we’re actually the home of some of the most creative, diverse and energetic student societies in the UK. In fact, we’re regularly voted the university which provides the best student experience.

All in all, The Union has over 130 societies on offer for you to join. From Harry Potter and Gin Society (who’d have thought that those two things would make such good bed-fellows…) to Wine and Cheese Society via a plethora of others, we hope that there will be something to arouse your intrigue! On top of this, we also have seven Subcommittees (really big societies of which you are automatically a member) for you to get involved in: Debates, Performing Arts, Music, Charities, Film-making, Volunteering and Broadcasting. So whether you are a culture vulture, a rampant thespian, a gastronomic jedi or just fancy doing something different, there’s sure to be something for you.

My job also involves the rather mundane-sounding word ‘Development’. First and foremost, your extra-curricular activities should be fun, but they can also provide experiences which could help you later on in your career. For this reason, I work closely with the Careers centre to help make what you get up to get the recognition it deserves, through initiatives like the St Andrews Award (an award so prestigious, not even Barack Obama has one).

Whatever you want to do, I am here to help you do it. So, if you have an idea or just fancy a chat, do come and say hi – my office door is often open and I have a hearty supply of coffee. Alternatively, feel free to drop me an e-mail.
 

David Graves
Director of Student Development and Activities
dosda@st-andrews.ac.uk

01334 462700