For most final-year students, the biggest challenge is dissertation deadlines. For 40-year-old law student, Selina Sayers, that pressure comes alongside sleepless nights, nursery illnesses and even emergency hospital visits.
Now in her final year of the LLB Law programme at Buckinghamshire New University (BNU), Selina is on track for a First-Class degree – all while raising a young child and changing career.
After a varied career in finance, sales and hairdressing, Selina decided to return to education in her late 30s to chase a long-held ambition.
Selina said: “I reached a point where I needed to go back to education and start a career I could truly call my own. When I was younger I always wanted to be a lawyer. It wasn’t until a law module during a higher education course that it all came back to me. I realised – this is my calling’.”
Living in Reading, Selina chose BNU for its location and welcoming campus, but her second year brought an unexpected challenge when she found out she was pregnant.
Juggling her degree with a newborn and now toddler means being organised is key.
She explained: “I give myself a strict timetable. Mornings are for bonding time, then afternoons are focused on university work – lectures, recordings and notes. It’s all about prioritising.”
Like many parents, Selina jokes about the “nursery illness bingo card” – but some moments have been far from light-hearted. During her studies, her daughter was hospitalised for several days with RSV.
She said: “It was devastating. She was on a feeding tube and struggling to breathe. I was trying to stay on top of everything, but the support at BNU was amazing. I was given an extension, and despite the stress, I still achieved a 2:1 in that module.”
Selina credits the support of her lecturers with helping her stay on track.
Sukhninder Panesar, Head of Law at BNU, has watched Selina’s progress closely. He said: “Selina’s work ethic is exceptional. To navigate such significant personal challenges while consistently producing work of this standard is an incredible feat. We're incredibly proud of her. She's a fantastic example of what our students can achieve when they have that level of determination.”
“Seeing the faith the lecturers have in me makes me realise I can do it,” Selina added. “I haven’t come this far to chuck it all in now. I’m determined.”
With a particular interest in Equity and Trusts, Selina plans to qualify as a solicitor through the SQE route. She has her sights set on specialising in commercial and intellectual property law, with the ultimate goal of running her own firm.
Graduating will be a 'full circle' moment for Selina and her family.
“It means so much. All the struggles, the tantrums – it’s all been worth it. I’ve shown my daughters that if you’re motivated, anything is possible,” she said. “My message to anyone else: take that leap of faith. Don't let anything stand in your way.”