BA (Hons) Dance & Performance
Graduated 2016
As a proud member of the Bucks Alumni team, my time at BNU was unforgettable! I started my journey at Bucks in 2013 studying Dance & Performance. As I have been dancing since I was 2 years old, I thought it was only fair to show BNU what I was capable of haha!
What are your memories of being a student at BNU?
From living large in brook street halls with my besties (any excuse to live 10mins away from the shops & campus when you’re a newbie), spending every Wednesday night in the SU for R&B nights, going around the UK competing & winning trophies with the incredible Dance Society to then travelling over 24hours by bus to Salou for a week of sun, sea & sand (let’s not forget the games, alcohol and running around making a fool of ourselves), my time at Bucks was second to none and if I could go back in time and live those 3 years again I absolutely would!!
What advice could you give to recent graduates who want to get ahead?
Follow your passion and don’t let anything stop you. Do not worry if you fall out of love with the career path you thought you wanted, when one door closes another one opens. Take the leap and have faith!
How did your degree at BNU impact on your career?
Now as much as I wanted to pursue my career in dance, I unfortunately had to move back home and put that path on hold. During this time I fell in love with retail and began my journey into jewellery which led to my success as a retail manager. Although my degree didn’t come with me during this change, it definitely gave me confidence to go for the opportunity that I didn’t think I needed.
Why did you join the course?
Since primary school I always knew I wanted to be a dancer/performer so my mum did everything she could to support me with this. I studied dance in high school and college so it wasn’t a hard decision to study it at university!
What aspects of your studies did you enjoy the most and why?
It’s such a hard question to answer and it’s probably such a cheesy thing to say but I loved every part of my studies. Learning new techniques from teachers and developing on the ones I already had, building on my skills as a secretary and chairman within the dance society, performing on stage during competition seasons and as part of the course itself and finally, making the best memories with some of the best people!
Which parts of your student experience were the best preparation for your job?
My confidence with talking in large groups was quite low before Bucks and having to produce and deliver presentations for my course has definitely strengthened this weakness. I found myself getting involved in different projects that opened up new perspectives and challenged different opinions which naturally made me look at the world differently and finally, leading and being responsible for a team of 30+ during competition season helped develop my management skills and leadership qualities.
What are your major careers milestones since completing your studies?
I started my journey with H Samuel in 2018 as a sales associate. I moved into a supervisor position within 6 months and then worked my way into store manager after 3 years. My entire journey so far has been a milestone however, in 2023 I was named as one of ‘Retail Jeweller 30 under 30’. I had the chance to travel to London to meet all the other winners, spoke with amazing people in the industry and even appeared in their annual magazine!
What are your future ambitions?
I’d love to continue my journey in retail for another couple of years learning and developing my skills, travel for a while and then move into motherhood and build a family of my own!
What advice would you give to a student considering the course or looking to get into a career in your sector?
I spent a year after college working and researching what university to go to. I didn’t want to move too far from home but I also knew Bristol didn’t have the opportunities that I needed. After 3 open days & a lot of miles travelling up and down the country, I ended my search with Bucks. The campus was beautiful, the course fitted everything I wanted, the people and staff who worked at Bucks at the time were amazing to speak with and made me feel like I belonged there. Travelling home with my mum, I spoke about how the open day made me feel and the only thing I could say was “I’m home”! From that day I knew Bucks was the university for me :) All I can say is, if you want it GO FOR IT! Take the leap and have faith!