Lewis Drysdale: SAMS student of the year, Tobermory and Oban lifeboatman

Lewis Drysdale’s is a story of success to inspire many.  A man born in the great farming heartland of Crieff in Perthshire, he has made his life in a marine environment in several ways.

Deputy Coxswain of Tobermory lifeboat, he moved to Oban, joined the crew on the flirtatious Mora Edith Macdonald – the Oban lifeboat with the penchant for picking up lone sailors – and worked as a guide on marine life survey boats.

Now he is studying full-time to become a marine scientist , at SAMS – the Scottish Association of Marine Science at Dunstaffnage, on the northern fringe of Oban.

Lewis has just had the best possible confirmation of the wisdom of his decision to turn to full time study, as a 30 year old.

He has been made New Student of the Year by the renowned SAMS, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands – and he’s still a member of the voluntary crew of Oban Lifeboat.

Lewis has won the student of the year award  for his academic prowess on the undergraduate marine science degree course and for his contribution to the student community.

As a mature student, 30-year-old Lewis was uncertain how he would fare in a formal academic setting.This is an anxiety common to many who chose to study later than the noral transition from school to university.

Experience and research shows that mature students both perform markedly well and make a unique contribution to their class groups.

There are two reasons for this. Studying at all and studying a particular course as a more mature person means that this is an informed choice which means a deliberate new direction in life. Most of those going straight from school to university are on an unthought conveyor belt, tumbling into, often, whatever course they can get on to.

For them the value is the life experience of a world peopled almost exclusively by their peers and an extended moratorium on what they are going to do with their lives.

The position for mature students is very different. Making a deliberate and managed choice like this, they are certain of  what and why they want to study, are hungry for the experience and grow markedly in confidence as they realise their ability.

Because they already have some adult living behind them, they bring a specific and valued set of perspectives and experiences to the communal life of their student group.

They don’t realise it themselves, but they are the vein of gold in any university course.

The down side is that because they know why they’re there and are driven to succeed, they can be more stressed by challenge which the younger and not-yet-formed students more happily laugh off.

Lewis Drysdale’s tutors have praised his hard work, ambition and enthusiasm – saying that it was clear from the outset that he was going to be exceptional.

Dr Finlo Cottier says: ‘There is no doubt that when Lewis graduates in a few years’ time he will be a fantastic ambassador for the Scottish Association for Marine Science UHI and will contribute to our strong reputation for marine science education’.

Lewis himself says: ‘It’s a great compliment to receive this award and I would like to thank all the staff members who have given me the opportunity to develop my education and broaden my horizons at SAMS UHI. The degree course has exceeded my expectations and I look forward to what the future brings for the rest of my time here’.

He has achieved consistently high grades in his first two years on the degree course, bringing his own experience of the marine environment to class discussions, as well as representing fellow students on the Education Quality Assurance Committee (EQAC), ensuring their voice is heard on a variety of issues affecting the learning experience.

In both cases, this is the classic pattern of the mature student and it is encouraging for other would-be mature students to see this for themselves.

Lewis  has also taken part in research activities at SAMS, including a Scottish west coast survey cruise aboard the UK research vessel, RSS James Cook. This involved testing large rock drill and long sediment coring taken on the north western UK shelf.

He has now just returned from the Arctic where he took part in the three-week International Polar Year field school, aided with a grant from the University of the Highlands and Islands Development Trust student development fund.

Additionally, he  has archived unique oceanographic records of Atlantic circulation and presented it in poster format.

Education coordinator and marine biology lecturer Shona Magill says: ‘Lewis is a pleasure to teach as he is always engaged and enquiring in lectures and practical sessions. He has a mature attitude to his studies and has taken every opportunity to get involved in research projects here at SAMS. As a fantastic undergraduate rep on the EQAC Committee, students have come to trust Lewis to take issues and concerns forward. He is a great ambassador for SAMS UHI’.

A fully trained member of the Hyperbaric Treatment Centre at SAMS, on-call to help divers suffering from decompression, Lewis has also won praise from Ronnie MacKillop, coxswain of the Oban Lifeboat.

Ronnie says: ‘Lewis joined the RNLI in 2006 and was promoted to deputy coxswain of the Tobermory lifeboat in only 19 months. This is quite exceptional. On moving to Oban to attend SAMS, Lewis immediately requested to continue his volunteering work and we were very happy to have him.

‘We knew very quickly that we had inherited an exceptionally competent crew member. He is a person we know we can rely on at all times and I am always impressed by his ability to remain calm when things are getting difficult.

‘Lewis has always found time to keep up his training and involvement at the station, despite what I know is a significant workload at SAMS and I commend him for that supreme effort.  We are very fortunate to have him in our ranks.’