Monthly Archives: November 2019

“Studying at Birkbeck makes you feel part of something.”

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Studying the BSc Business and Human Resource Management at Birkbeck helped Valentina Introna move from the shop floor to the role of HR Business Partner. This is her #BBKStory.

It hasn’t been an easy journey deciding to go back to study. English wasn’t my first language and I felt that the only way to be fully confident in this new country was to access an academic level of the language. I studied classics in school, back in Italy, and I thought to challenge myself with something scientific and completely new.

When it was time to submit my university application, I was scared and quite nervous; I applied for five colleges and surprisingly all of them accepted my application. I was happy and excited by the unknown! I looked up all ranks, the opinions, the videos made by former students and I decided that Birkbeck was the one for me. It could allow me to work while studying and everyone in those videos looked satisfied.

I am a people person, always have been and always will, but I loved my calculations and my budgeting: Business and Human Resources Management was absolutely the perfect fit for me. Birkbeck was the only university able to combine this dual aspect where the first year (I literally looked into all the modules of each course!) was completely business oriented -i.e. Micro and Macro Economics, Financial Accounting, Quantitative Methods- and the last two a deep dive into the fascinating world of HR. I fell in love on day one, Corporate Social Responsibility.

I started at 31 years old, I had to work, I wanted to work; I couldn’t think of myself just as a student and honestly London is not well-known for its easy-living. I was in retail, supervising a fashion-clothing concession and I remember doing 9:00 to 5:30 shift at work and 6:00 to 9:00 at Birkbeck, an intense twelve-hour day. Every professor and lecturer was so passionate and inspiring that the tiredness of a day standing serving clients was easily forgotten. I was able to understand things that the next day I could apply to my job. I still remember when my manager asked me to help her to read the company’s financial statement. I felt recognised. Once I changed company and I was in my second year, my new manager was so impressed from my commitment in studying while working that, one day, when our Europe Retail Management came to visit the store, he introduced me as “the future HR of the company”. In that moment I was on the shop floor putting shoes back in the box and yes, he was right; exactly one year later I was offered the role of HR Business Partner for the company. I still can’t believe it.

It hasn’t been easy, but studying at Birkbeck makes you feel part of something; you have the chance to meet people with a similar path, your same age, perhaps older; you have the opportunity to advise younger students by sharing your previous experience. You could simply meet special mates that will stay by your side for the entire journey or why not for life. I’ve met two great friends thanks to Birkbeck.

I probably will need few months off studying, but in my plan there is a Masters and, if it’s going to happen, it will be at Birkbeck. The College gives you the right support, everything is online, lessons are recorded, and lecturers are easy to reach. My supervisor for the final project has been so helpful and full of insights that still I am using some of his suggestions to coach my store managers. I will always have good words about Birkbeck, because it gave me a chance: it’s up to you to use it to the fullest, but without the initial opportunity there won’t be stories to tell.

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Turning a hatred of education into a passion

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In their early life Phoebe Ewles-Bergeron associated education with self-loathing and suffering, but after a challenging journey they were able to develop their love for studying history at Birkbeck.

I always hated school. Education was not joyful or positive in my opinion. It was confusing, frustrating and seemingly endless – but I’ve always loved history. When I was four years old my mother found me in the sitting room trying to “excavate” the carpet after watching one too many episodes of Time Team. I was intelligent and curious about the world around me but in a system that labelled me as an underachiever. When I was six I was formally diagnosed with dyslexia and dyscalculia. Nothing at school seemed to work and soon I believed that my bad grades represented me. I got only Ds so I must be stupid. I could not wait for it to end.

As if that was not enough as a teenager my health started to fail. I was extremely fatigued, experiencing blackouts and had extreme, immobilising chronic pain. No doctor could give a diagnosis. What we now know as Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTs) made my life worse by the day and the previously bad grades worsened. Frustration led to depression and anxiety. But luckily my love of history remained a constant.

When I considered the possibility of university Birkbeck appealed immediately. My PoTs systems are less prominent in the evening so attending classes would be much more realistic at that time of the day. Plus the College heavily promoted diversity. I saw testimonials from people like myself who were finally achieving with the help from teachers and administrators who supported and accepted them.

The only issue was that my A-level grades would most likely not be high enough to make me eligible for a degree. On paper I was far from a hopeful prospect – what saved me was the interview. I was able to explain my circumstances and talk about what I loved about history and archaeology. I was allowed to be myself and I walked out of Birkbeck with an unconditional offer. They saw past my bad grades from school but recognised that I was a young individual who loved knowledge and wanted to learn.

Birkbeck was efficient at getting me the help I needed through the Disabled Student Allowance. Teachers knew about my conditions and often offered me extra help when needed. In 2017 my physical and mental health declined and I had to request a leave of absence, the support and understanding that every member of the department had for me was truly exceptional.

I left for a year and a half, worked on improving my PoTS condition, worked on my cosplay hobby, and had surgery. But I was apprehensive about returning to Birkbeck.

You see, I am transgender. Non-binary to be precise. It was life-changing: depression gone, anxiety gone, and confidence up. My life was full of colour and potential. I was happy. But what would be the reaction of staff that I had come to respect? I should never have doubted it. The reaction was kindness. I still have my old gender marker on the official documentation as I’m still afraid of discrimination. But every member of staff I have talked to has been understanding; I was genuinely surprised. What surprised me, even more, was that my grades shot up. I went from an average of a 2:2 to receiving firsts. I truly believe that this change would not have been possible without the understanding and support of the university.

The best part of my experience at Birkbeck is that it has allowed me to flourish academically. As I studied History and Archaeology the course structure let me pick the topics that intrigued me the most. I got to learn both historical and archaeological approaches. I went on digs at the famous Must Farm and later Despotiko in the Cyclades. I finally decided that my interests lay in the ancient Greek and Roman worlds and I finished my four years at Birkbeck with a dissertation on that very subject. Education was no longer an annoying fact of life. It was addictive.

When I began my first year I still loathed education; I still associated it with suffering and self-hate. I am now in my first year of the MA in Classical Civilization and the complete opposite is true. I am confident in my abilities and intellect. Instead of fearing teachers who called me lazy, I now have teachers that encourage me to pursue further study. I have a disability plan that allows me to play to my strengths. I will never be able to thank Birkbeck enough for managing to transform a decade’s worth of hatred for learning into a passion, one that I hope will continue for many years to come.

I recognise that I am an odd individual; transgender, multiple disabilities and learning conditions. But I have found a place to be accepted at Birkbeck, to be understood. And I hope that any prospective or new student reading this, who is like me, who has struggled for years in a system that was not made for people like us, will consider Birkbeck as a gateway to great things.

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“I envisioned the day I could at last say, ‘I graduated from university’”

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Esther became homeless when family tragedy and funeral expenses meant she couldn’t afford her rent. However, she was determined to graduate from her BA Creative Writing and English programme at Birkbeck, writing assignments on trains, buses and a night shelter. Today she achieves that remarkable feat. 

Growing up in Kenya, Esther Wangui’s passion for literature was carved through Sunday School, where she studied the Hebrew scriptures, and weekly cinema trips, where she developed an interest in script-writing. When she came to Birkbeck to study Creative Writing and English she became interested in form, critical creative writing, and unpicking literature with her classmates in seminars.

However family tragedy struck when her step-son died by suicide in the first year of her degree. The funeral expenses meant she was unable to pay her rent, and she was evicted by her landlord after falling into a month of arrears.

She says: “Homelessness is not something one can share easily, so I didn’t tell my friends or fellow students. Staff at the shelter were very supportive, cheering me on. And although my class tutor did not know I was homeless, he was always very supportive.

“It was difficult at first. I felt stupid, ashamed, and angry at myself. I was staying at a night shelter in Kingston, so I had no privacy, nowhere to cry, no friends to share the downs with… I just kept moving towards the end of my degree. I come from a small town in Kenya which is home to numerous world-class athletes. I used to compete for my high school so I know to always keep my eye on the finishing line.

“The greatest challenge was being woken up early every morning, having to leave the shelter at 10:00am and returning in the evening, cold and tired. I craved what Virginia Woolf called a ‘room of one’s own’. While I was homeless, I even ‘slept’ at the airport several times, but mainly I read or wrote poetry. I was constantly lacking sleep and at times, fatigue affected my concentration. I thought of doctors and world leaders dealing with huge problems and was inspired to carry on, but I envied them for having a bed to go back home to. I could not afford to call my family in Kenya to share my problems. I prayed, I learned from others, and I thought about the fact that I had waited all my life to go to university. It was such a privilege to get an education at Birkbeck.

“I wrote most of my assignments on the long train and bus journeys, and on weekends I worked from the Kingston University library, watching the winter turn to spring and then to summer. I envisioned the day I could at last say, ‘I held on, I tried my best. I graduated from university.’”

Now back in secure accommodation and excited for her future, Esther has started a Master’s degree focused on Near & Middle Eastern studies and Hebrew. She hopes to one day learn all four of the main Middle Eastern languages and go on to work in that region.

Studying after 60: never too late to learn

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40 years ago, going to university was unusual. Only 8.4% of school leavers went on to get a degree in 1970 compared to just over 50% now, and many older people today may feel they missed out on a major opportunity to explore a subject they’re passionate about and to develop a range of academic skills.

Undertaking degree level studies for the first time is a popular option for retirees with time on their hands and a willingness to learn. Not is it an excellent way to keep occupied after exiting the workforce and to explore areas of interest that may not have been available in the past; older students can also qualify for the same government loans as their younger peers, in most cases without the expectation that they will later exceed the annual £25,000 income threshold necessary to pay them back.

Known for its flexible, part-time and evening study, Birkbeck is an appealing choice for London’s mature learners where this year, 9% of students were 51 or older (1,026 out of 11,871), and 2% were 61 or older (291 out of 11,871). The College offers a range of workshops tailored to those who want to go to university later in life, to help them with study skills after a long time away from the books, and to offer support in using technological resources such as digital journal archives.

While a common view of a university student may be of a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed 18-year-old embarking on their studies after completing their A-levels, Birkbeck’s 2019 graduates prove there’s not just one way to do a degree.

John Alexander, BA History of Art, aged 68:
“My wife and I have spent our whole lives visiting galleries and I’ve long thought I’d like to learn more about the art we’ve always loved looking at.

“I researched the huge number of options available to me in London to study art, and quickly decided History of Art at Birkbeck would be the best as they have a great reputation, flexible hours and were happy to take me! I knew if I only went to the odd lecture at, say, a museum, I’d enjoy it but not retain the information. I need the discipline of having to write an essay or sit an exam (which was daunting at first after some 45 years) in order to force myself to focus and learn the material. It involved many hours sitting alone at my desk or visiting galleries, none of which I could have done without the patient and enthusiastic support of my wife. She said she will proudly add my graduation photo to those of our children hanging in her study.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my studies at Birkbeck and have been in awe of the many inspiring students of all ages I’ve come across. This was my first degree, and I was worried that I might not have sufficient grey cells left to learn but I’ve found it stimulating and enlightening. The only problem is that it now takes me much longer to go around galleries as I see so much more in the works of art than I used to! My wife has also enjoyed learning more, almost by osmosis, alongside me! It has certainly kept my grey cells active and I would highly recommend study to anyone of any age who wants to learn more about any subject. It’s challenging, but it’s fun!”

Diana Hills, Grad Cert History of Art, aged 72:
“I decided to do a graduate certificate in History of Art because I like working towards something rather than just going along to talks for interest. I’ve always been interested in art history and the course was an opportunity to try my hand at academic writing and learn more about aspects of art and architecture I didn’t know much about.

“To me it’s never too late to learn, and perhaps older people get more enjoyment in learning new skills. As we move more and more into a knowledge based age, it’s important that people of all ages have the basics so that they can cope and at least know how to access information. Education doesn’t just need to be academic – just the ability to communicate and appreciate the variety of opportunities modern life has to offer.

“The first assignments are always tough. Everyone has their own way of coping – you have to try, get the feedback and with time you do get better. Some of my family and friends said ‘I don’t know why you’re bothering’ and urged me to give up when I got stuck on an assignment. A number of people, including my grandchildren were a bit puzzled as to why I wanted to go back to school but they soon got used to me making notes, even if they couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t use a laptop!

“To study and get a qualification is a privilege for people of any age, and while undoubtedly you may go through a bit of a rough patch, the sense of achievement when you finish, whatever your mark or grade, is second to none.”