From organising Extravs and developing mobile apps, to helping the community and supporting students through the pandemic, Fraser Benjamin has many achievements to celebrate as he graduates from Lancaster University.

A member of Pendle’s JCR, Fraser has helped with events, run the college’s social media pages, and helped plan the end of year celebrations. He has also worked as part of the Students’ Union events team and as a developer within Lancaster’s Information Systems Services (ISS).

He has now graduated with a first-class degree in Computer Science, and will take up a role as a graduate software engineer with Vodafone later this year.

Fraser said: “It’s been an incredible time here at Lancaster, I’ve had the opportunity to go to and be a part of so many events from Extravs to pub quizzes, there’s always lots going on. Working part-time too has helped me so much, particularly as a computer science student, being a developer at ISS has really helped set me apart when looking for careers.

“The entire community in Lancaster has always been incredibly friendly and welcoming, and I’ll never forget the last three years.”

Fraser worked as a developer in ISS alongside his studies, working on a range of projects including Connect Lancaster and iLancaster. As part of the Students’ Union events crew team, he was involved in Extravs, Welcome Week, setting up farmers markets, and working in the Sugarhouse as a lighting and sound technician. He has also acted as a student ambassador for the School of Computing and Communications (SCC) on open days, as well as assisting with teaching, and working with the local community to provide free coding sessions.

He said: “There’s so much on offer at Lancaster it has been a real challenge at times fitting it all in, but it has made my time here even more special. One of the biggest highlights for me was Pendle Extrav 2021, everyone had an incredible experience with such a vibrant atmosphere, it was well needed after lockdowns and was truly unforgettable.”