RARE  RISINGSTARS 2010 The UK’s Top 10 Black Students
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Daniel Stone

University of Oxford
BA Economics & Management
Social enterprise, student politics
Daniel Stone
After being elected to the JCR Presidency of St Peter’s College, Oxford, Daniel knew that he would have to strike a balance between his responsibility to his fellow students and his degree. However, he wasn’t daunted about having to juggle the two commitments and instead relished the opportunity to make a difference and represent people.

Raised in Birmingham and state school educated, Daniel admits that moving to Oxford was “a huge shock to the system”, but rather than letting the change of environment faze him he saw the opportunity to encourage open-mindedness and diversity amongst his peers. “I grew up in an area which is infamous for gangs and crime and I just wanted to go somewhere like Oxford and use my position to make a change”.

Before taking up his place to read Economics and Management at Oxford, Daniel took a gap year to serve his community. He spent the year shadowing a local councillor and getting involved in community projects. The massive football fan who plays for St Peter’s First team also jumped at the chance to set up a local football team after friends complained of lack of entertainment in the area. After investigating funding opportunities for young people in his area Daniel was able to secure £3,000 to establish the team, which has now been running for three years. He co-ordinated the kit design and purchase, found a pitch to play regularly on and hired a manager. He is delighted at the difference the team has made to young people in his local community.

A ten-week trip to Ghana organised by the Department for International Development further fuelled Daniel’s commitment to serving communities. “The experience was incredible! I got to embrace a completely different way of living. I learnt so much from people who have so little yet are so happy”, he says of his time in the West African country, where he worked at a wildlife conservation sanctuary.

Daniel is also involved in the Christian Union and University Labour Club. His interest in politics and social services is inspired by recollections of his youth in Birmingham. He is about to embark on an internship in East London with the organisation London Citizens, which will provide him with training in youth organising, cultural cohesion and working with different communities and cultures – all real passions of Daniel’s . “By helping different people realise the things they have in common, I want to give them the power to make their own changes”, he says.