University of Citropolis (UoC)

Citropolis’s only institution for post-school academic education, a degree from UoC has traditionally been seen as a gateway to success. Students study various subjects rather than starting with a single specialism, ending up with a Major and Minor. The university is the largest of the city’s educational institutions, with multiple brawlball teams that compete with each other rather than any outside rival. It is large enough that there are pockets of out Sparks, though they still tend to keep a low profile, and – despite its large, well-paid bureaucracy – the university is as bad as many other Citropolis institutions at dealing with their requirements. Students are divided between those who can pay for the uni accommodation and the independence it provides, and those who use the Old Town monorail station to travel in from elsewhere in the city. There are no tuition fees (apart from for those paying for accommodation), but the academic entry requirements are high. Students at Citropolis High and the Udarnik Centre of Excellence sit final exams, not subject-specific but testing 'aptitude', and high grades in these are a prerequisite for attending UoC.

Students at the University of Citropolis are aged 18+.

Professor Rafael Ortiz (he/him): An out Spark, Professor Ortiz (affectionately known as ‘the Professor’ by some students) had built a respected career in the history department before coming out. He’s recently been researching the neglected social history of Sparks. He seeks to prove that Sparks have been crucial contributors to Citropolis, their personal stories still recoverable. He often gets students involved in the research process.

Professor Blair Augustine (he/him): A disgruntled older history professor who loudly criticises Professor Ortiz’s findings on Spark history, accusing him of a politicised reading of the facts.

Claudia Jenkins (she/her, 19): A student who makes sure she knows and remembers everybody, Claudia is rising steadily through student politics and has her eye fixed on the Student President election. She claims to be doing it because of how much she cares about the issues, and there’s a well-oiled rumour machine talking about how great a future mayor she’d make.

Professor Christian Boehme (they/them): An enigma among their students, Boehme is a Chemistry Professor whose focus on research is so extreme that they are rarely glimpsed; many rumours circulate about what exactly they’re working on. In their place, the practical labs are run by a few stressed PhD students.

Amy Donaldson (she/they, 19): The well-liked junior librarian at the public library, Amy was a student (majoring in Literature) at the uni a few years back, but she left before finishing her degree, in circumstances she clearly doesn’t want to talk about.

Marcus Kane (he/him, 21): A History major, Computer Science minor who you may know from Professor Ortiz's classes, Marcus seems to be at his calmest wandering the streets of Old Town, immersing himself in the past.

UoC is a good fit for older characters who are navigating a time in their lives where they might be developing more independence and self-confidence. It’s a much larger, less personal institution than the schools, with many more opportunities to pursue different paths, both academically and personally – but with this large size, ironically, comes a sense of separation and dislocation, and increased academic demand.

For Sparks who’ve had difficulty with their identity while living at home, the idea of living in Halls could offer a new world of freedom… if they can afford it. PCs won’t necessarily know each other at game start – perhaps less because of active concealment, than the disorientating size of the university.