Jamie Craze
New graduate Jamie Craze has decided to continue his studies by completing a masters in Climate Change Finance and Investment. He tells us why, as well as recalling some of the highlights from his time as an undergraduate.
| Name |
Jamie Craze |
| Degree | Economics and Politics |
| Year of graduation | 2021 |
At the moment
After graduating this summer, I’ve returned to Edinburgh to study MSc Climate Change Finance and Investment. I feel incredibly privileged to be able to spend another year in the city, and hope that I can continue working through what feels like an infinite Scottish bucket list!
Your time at the University
I loved making the most of the Edinburgh nightlife scene as soon as I arrived in Freshers and was fascinated to learn that some of the city’s largest nightclub events were being organised by students. Fast forward a few years, and I have established and now run two weekly club nights.
Despite having grown up in Cornwall, I’m proud to also have Scottish heritage. When I first visited the University for an Open Day, Edinburgh’s unique charm struck me instantly. Economics was my favourite A Level at school, and I was always interested in the overlap between the subject and Politics. The programme had a great reputation, so it was an easy decision. As an international fencer on the British squad, the University’s sports facilities and Fencing Club were also important factors.
It’s hard to put into words the extent to which I’ve fallen in love with this city over the past four years. I will always be grateful to the University for the opportunities that have been made available. Holding committee positions in the Economics Society and Scottish Economics Conference allowed me to meet like-minded students with similar degree backgrounds and career aspirations. The Fencing Club has become my second family. Highlights include reaching the National Team Finals for two consecutive years, being awarded my Full Blue and shortlisted for Male Athlete of the Year, and organising an international exhibition match in collaboration with the University and British Fencing.
The experience that has been perhaps the most unexpected was founding an events management start-up. I loved making the most of the Edinburgh nightlife scene as soon as I arrived in Freshers and was fascinated to learn that some of the city’s largest nightclub events were being organised by students. Fast forward a few years, and I have established and now run two weekly club nights. I have loved the practice of negotiating with nightclubs and brands, partnering with University sports teams, and building a team around me. That being said, the antisocial working hours do present some challenges with 9am lectures!
Your experiences since leaving the University
Over the summer between graduating and beginning my Masters, I worked as a Summer Analyst at S&P Global. Due to COVID-19, I worked from home throughout the programme, but fortunately this gave me the opportunity to spend plenty of time in Cornwall and Edinburgh. I always assumed that I would look for a job immediately after graduating. This changed as I developed an interest for sustainable finance and corporate responsibility and began to realise the value of postgraduate study in the space. I couldn’t believe my luck when I discovered that Edinburgh offered the world’s first MSc programme in the field. Being able to return to the University whilst studying a new subject has been incredibly refreshing. I hope that I can fully take advantage of the course and look to apply its lessons in my career. I have a keen interest in using entrepreneurship to fight the climate crisis and aim to pursue this upon graduating.
I’ve had a great time meeting my new classmates since the beginning of September and feel lucky that I still have some friends here from previous years. My undergraduate personal tutor, Dr Jovan Vojnovic, has now become a good friend and mentor. We have continued to work together and hope to further sustainability research by taking advantage of the benefits available when combining resources from academia and the private sector.
Alumni wisdom
I’m still a student and have plenty of the world still to see, so I’m not sure I’d necessarily call it wisdom! My strongest advice to anyone arriving at the University would be to get involved in as much as possible and try to appreciate Edinburgh for the wonderful city that it is. The relationships I have developed and experiences I feel so grateful to have received would not exist if I hadn’t said ‘yes’ and taken a few risks. And if you end up in Edinburgh; a scotch pie, a pint of Tennent’s, and match day at Murrayfield will never fail to be amazing.