Hello Alumni,
We just wanted to update you on all the great things happening at the university, mainly relating to us, the new graduate interns. The university has developed opportunities for a small number of their graduates to work within the institution, with the aim to develop the skills that they gained during their degree as well as gaining some new ones.
That’s where we, Rachel O’Donovan and Hannah Kendal, the new widening participation and retention graduate interns, come in. We are very different in some ways but think alike in others which, thankfully, makes collaboration on projects easy going. Let us tell you a bit about ourselves.
Rachel O'Donovan
I’m Rachel, I currently have an undergraduate degree in Applied Psychology, class of 2014, while in the earlier days of this, my first full-time job, I have been completing my masters in Psychological Research Methods and I am looking to graduate in November.
The first thing that attracted me to this job was the opportunity to work somewhere familiar and where I would be able to use the skills gained during my degree, enhancing them while completing my masters.
Secondly, I was attracted to the range of different projects and events that I would be able to turn my hand to, using the experiences that I have and the skills I will gain throughout the process, which will be invaluable for years to come.
Right now you are most likely wondering what exactly it is that we do. Well, to explain this and tell you a bit about herself, I am going to hand you over to Hannah.
Hannah Kendal
I’m Hannah, the widening participation and retention intern based in Lancaster. Initially I was drawn to the job as an opportunity to both work in Library and Student Services and as a way to work with students- something I discovered I loved while running a society during my first and second year.
My degree is in Early Years Education, but knowing it wasn’t my path, I graduated without my QTS this year, opting instead to join LiSS for a voluntary placement.
Like Rachel, this is my first full-time job, and so far it’s amazing. Learning about the ’behind-the-scenes’ aspects of the university has been really interesting, especially the opportunity to work with staff to ensure the welcome period of university runs smoothly. Rachel and I have been working on events such as Fresher’s fair, Get a Job Fair and Help Is At Hand, and most dauntingly, I’ve had to learn to use Twitter for the first time.
It’s an impossible role to define as it’s different and ever-changing; but it’s creative, supportive and exciting in a way I can’t imagine another job being.
