Please tell me about your role at the university
First and foremost, I’m a psychologist and my current title is Director of Student Support Services at a University which means I oversee the Counselling, Disabilities, Mental Health, Wellbeing and Information Teams – all of which support students to reach their full potential.
We support students through any difficulty that may arise during their time here. This could be anything from struggling with a mental health condition, experiencing a traumatic event or just in need of general support and guidance. A large part of this involves risk management, safeguarding, mental health specialist intervention and suicide prevention.
There is also proactive work involved in my role as I drive forward strategies and initiatives around mental health, sexual violence and anything to do with tacking barriers and stigmas. I’m often writing policies and strategies or taking part in projects which aim to enhance the student experience. I work very closely with colleagues around the institution to ensure that we doing everything we can to improve student life and create an environment where students feel safe and part of a community. I’m a member of many committees which drive the strategic vision forward, with one of our main goals being to support students to enjoy their time at University, achieve the goals that they’ve set for themselves and go on to lead fulfilling lives while being mindfully aware citizens of this world.
How did you come to work in higher education? Please tell me about your career background.
I started my career studying psychology as an undergrad and one of the best decisions I could’ve made at the time was getting involved in as many opportunities to expand my skillset as possible. I was involved in more extracurricular activities than I can count. At an academic level, I did research on the side with one of my professors and I also taught a laboratory component for a general psychology class for first-year undergraduate students. I also volunteered for a Rape Crisis Centre on evenings and weekends, providing advocacy for victims of sexual violence during their police investigations and medical examinations.
All of these experiences really helped catapult me into the next chapter of my life which was studying a doctorate in counselling psychology. For the next three years, I received scholarships to cover tuition and worked several jobs at a time to cover living costs – including working at a club until 4 am and starting placement at 9 am the next day – every week – which I don’t recommend but it demonstrates the sacrifices you sometimes have to make in order to achieve your goals.
In order to get the best training possible, I chose to do 2-3 placements at a time, working for the NHS, prison-system and multiple charitable organisations. I also happened to be a College Warden and held several roles within the Disability team and also a Wellbeing Officer for a short period of time. Obtaining various roles within the Student Support Department helped me learn the operational functions of a support service and inspired me to lead the service.
Once I qualified, I became Head of Wellbeing for nearly four years and was promoted to Director three years ago which leaves me where I am today. Working in HE is fantastic because there are many opportunities move around within an organisation and learn about other areas as well.
Would you say your job is rewarding/meaningful?
I couldn’t think of a more rewarding job. It’s exhausting and it sometimes feels like juggling 120 different priorities all at once but I truly love every second of it. I wear different hats and multitask throughout most days, switching from risk management to joyful student campaigns to serious strategic decision-making multiple times a day. I’m continuously grateful that I’ve chosen such a rewarding field.
How do you think working in higher education compares to working in the commercial/government sector?
Higher Education provides a working environment that inspires. People come because they want to learn. People come to work there because they want to enrich future generations; they want to expand horizons; create opportunities; tackle barriers. I find that I’m constantly surrounded by people who are striving to make a difference, either to society or their own life. All of it is invigorating. You can almost feel the endless possibilities reverberating through the walls.
Please highlight any development opportunities you’ve had
I’ve had many opportunities for progression and promotion. I’ve been tasked with University-wide initiatives and projects to lead on. I also undertake multiple CPD opportunities every year including certifications in safeguarding, mental health first aid, sexual violence and rape crisis. I also attend conferences to learn about best practise in the sector.
What do you like most about working at a university?
I love the variety of opportunities. There are always events and different activities going on such as guest lectures or student-led events, it’s an exciting environment to be in. I also love being part of a generational shift and being able to observe subtle changes across the student population. For example, students have become much more vocal about important issues such as mental health and are tackling barriers as a result. It’s really quite amazing to experience the shifts first-hand.
What has been your career highlight whilst working in higher education and why?
The first highlight of my career that comes to mind is working with the most amazing people. It’s been brilliant to work alongside exceptionally talented and innovative colleagues, improving the overall experience of higher education by scrutinising every process and working hard to better it from all angles. The other highlight that comes to mind is being selected to speak at conferences about projects I’ve developed, it’s fantastic to have a platform to share best practise and promote our unrelenting efforts to produce excellent opportunities for knowledge exchange.