Rebecca cruises to new life

By Clearing

Psychology graduate Rebecca Moulton is singing her way to a new future in the USA after completing a degree at the University of Teesside.

Rebecca, 23, is originally from Pontefract and came to study at Teesside in 2002 after a friend recommended it to her. She is a former pupil of Minsthorpe Community College and Wakefield College in Wakefield and a keen dancer and singer. While studying Rebecca has also been singing in clubs and hotels throughout the region. Eventually she hopes of perform on cruise ships, while keeping a home base with her boyfriend in the USA.

Her dissertation explored what makes a face attractive to people. The project involved her showing photographs of various Miss World competitors to men and women to see if there was a difference between British and American ideas of physical beauty. She found that both sets of men and women found the same type of face the most attractive – a non-symmetrical smiling face with large eyes. Rebecca chose the subject of attraction and facial beauty after coming across it while reading for a module early in her second year of study. Finding herself fascinated by the subject, Rebecca chose to explore how beauty traits had evolved through the years and how certain characteristics were universally appreciated as beautiful.

Other areas of interest to Rebecca were the psychology of home and neighbourhood and the psychology of learning disabilities.

Rebecca said: “Eventually I want to work with children, probably as a primary school teacher and then as a child psychologist. I’d also like to do a Masters degree in psychology as well but for the time being, I’m hoping to join my boyfriend in the States and work as a singer and entertainer on cruise ships. I’ve always loved dancing and singing and I perform under the stage name of Rebekka-Raye. Ray was my dad’s name and he died when I was young, so the name keeps me close to him.

“As much as I love performing I knew I would need an education as well, and my friend told me all about Teesside. I’ve really enjoyed it here and the campus is very safe, friendly and lots of fun. The lecturers are a great help and I’ve been a bit star struck when I come across their names in journals!”

Rebecca will join her boyfriend Phil Shuttleworth, a regional director for British soccer in USA and a football coach, who used to study at the University of Teesside, in San Diego later this year.

For more information about the University of Teesside, call 01642 342308.

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