Sophie Winch

Why did you choose Teesside University?

Middlesbrough is well known for its vibrant campus and found it has a broad range of courses. I was also impressed with its Silver rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework.

What was the best thing about your course?

The course gave me the opportunity to participate in real life client projects involving local business owners which was fantastic. We also got the opportunity to work with Sports Direct.

What did you think about the campus, facilities, and teaching staff?

The campus is fully pedestrianised, and it was great to see diverse social activities taking place on, or near campus, from local markets, to the Tour de Yorkshire, as well as graduation celebrations. Teesside University also has a great range of pubs and restaurants within walking distance. I found the academic staff offered me great support throughout my course, as well as increased my skills and introduced me to new opportunities.

Did you do any work experience or an industry placement, or volunteering? If you did, what was it like?

During my studies I completed a summer placement within the university marketing team. This involved creating visual social media posts which celebrated fellow students’ achievements. I also took advantage of the student course representative opportunity with the Students’ Union. I enjoyed being the voice of students from my cohort and liaising with academic staff and management alike to put improvement suggestions across on behalf of my cohort. After graduating, I landed a graduate post within the University's IT Department as a Graduate Analyst.

Did your time at Teesside University help you to achieve or get closer to your goals?

Absolutely, going back to study as a mature student increased my motivation and desire. The experiences during my course, as well as the placement and student representative role, opened so many doors for me. I now work for a well-respected Solicitors as a Human Resources Coordinator and feel that going to University has been the best decision I have ever made.

Would you recommend Teesside University to others?

I would recommend Teesside University to others as it offered me personal support and an excellent student experience. Coming to Teesside has helped me become more independent, resilient, and created more opportunities for me than I could have ever imagined.