Theresa studied Event Management at the Brampton Road campus as a mature student and a mother, she made the most out of her student days as a student rep and working for the Students’ Union. Theresa now runs her own business as a Celebrant, here she explains how university influenced her life.
Name
Theresa Pellegrino
Which institution did you attend?
University of Cumbria
Which campus did you study at?
Carlisle, Brampton Road
What course did you study?
Event Management
What years did you study with us?
2013 - 2016
Why did you choose to study with us?
Once I realised I could do a degree at a university I was keen to get going. I live in Carlisle and my children do too, so it made sense to go to one nearby.
Do you remember any tutors? Did you have any favourites, if so, what made them special?
My favourite tutor was Andrew Lennie. He was a freelance tutor brought in to teach us all about legislation and how to run really big events. He knows his stuff and was always very interesting. Once he got used to our class, he had a great sense of humour and would tell us some fantastic industry stories. I still send him an email now and then to check in!
Who were your friends, have you stayed in touch?
I made friends with students in my class and in fact probably have friends from every campus, yes, even the London campus! I am still in touch with most of them. From my class I am still in touch with Ben P who lives and works in London as an event / venue expert. We became very good friends and often meet up for afternoon tea or a drink!
I became friends with quite a few other students on other campuses because I was a student representative and also on the Students’ Union Panel, we'd meet up a few times a year to help vote on student issues brought up and it was great, not only to help bring positive change for all students, but for building relationships with students on different courses!
What did you do in your spare time as a student?
As a mature student and a mother, I didn't always have much spare time. When I did, I spent that time with uni friends, either chatting over lunch / coffees or drinks or taking walks in the Lake District.
Can you remember any student traditions, did you take part in them?
I think we created our own student traditions. After all, we weren't a typical class of uni students. We all ate lunch together, quite a few of us spent about three months travelling to Manchester to voluntarily work at a nightclub (free entry in exchange) and we also used to do most of our assignments together in the small room upstairs on Brampton Road campus. Which usually included us singing or mucking around until assignments were complete!
Do you have any amusing stories you are willing to share?
How much time do we have? One particular one was on a night out I would drive the other students home (as a mother, I had to get my own children to school in the morning so I didn't drink). On this particular night, my two very drunk friends wanted to ride ‘shotgun’ (to sit in the front seat). They then wrestled and argued for almost half an hour just to get the front seat. It was hilarious until I got bored and then had to separate them!
What is your fondest memory of your time as a student?
Being able to spend time with my friends or watch their plays or just hang out. Being on the student panel was great too as we were such a diverse group with lots of views on life, I loved our panel weekends or days! We made a lot of great memories.
Current Employer
Ribeiro Ceremonies
Job Title
Celebrant
Briefly explain what your job entails
I am a self-employed Celebrant.
As a Celebrant I meet couples and families, I listen to their life and love stories and craft those stories into a script which I then deliver on their special occasion. The ceremonies I do are weddings, baby namings, vow renewals, business launches, studio openings and funerals.
Ultimately, I celebrate special occasions with you!
What is the most satisfying aspect of your job?
Learning more about you, how you got to where you are now, what makes you happy and sad. I love it. Meeting new people is probably top of the list and then hearing your story!
What were your career ambitions when you started studying and do you think that you have achieved them?
I wanted to get started in Event Management. I didn't follow the path of events exactly, but I still run events and I can incorporate an event aspect in the work I do now. I feel I have achieved so much more, it didn't need to be exactly what I aimed for in the first place.
How did going to university influence your life?
It opened up avenues into so many other areas of life. I had the freedom to find out more about events, to work freelance in events and to have the confidence to speak to those in the events industry. University also meant I was able to meet so many people I would never have met otherwise, especially while volunteering with the Students’ Union. Being a student rep and on the SU panel opened up a whole other side of uni life that we don't otherwise see.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the fact that I not only completed my degree, but I also completed the course while going through a death in the family.
I am most proud that I am the first person in the last two generations of my family to have a degree!
What are your ambitions for the future?
To have a successful business and be well known in my industry. I would like to help other women also be successful in running their businesses - it's not easy doing this alone!
Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for students today?
Have fun, work hard but keep going! It can be tough at times, life isn't always easy, but if I can do it, you absolutely can!
You can find Theresa’s business here: https://www.ribeiroceremonies.com/
She is also on social media here:
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ribeiroceremonies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresa-ribeiro-ceremonies/
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