Karis Williamson

Karis Williamson is a poet and script writer from Inverness. She gained an OU Bachelor of Arts Open Honours Degree, specialising in Creative Writing and the Classics, as part of the OU's graduating Class of 2020. 

Karis is participating in the Birds of Paradise Young Artists (BOPYA) Digital Project, was involved with a play-sharing event at Glasgow’s Centre for Contemporary Arts, and has had a topical opinion piece published by The Guardian.

The 25-year-old has congenital muscular dystrophy and began studying with the OU in Scotland aged 16, having left school in the last year of primary school. 

She said: “The OU really is the gift that keeps on giving. To say that it was worth it would be a huge understatement; I absolutely loved it and I'm grateful to everyone for all their help.

“I would definitely recommend the OU as it's been life-changing for me. It's given me self-respect and re-educated me about what I'm capable of."

Expanding horizons

The Open Degree programme is flexible and allows students to choose their own subjects to build a bespoke qualification. 

I enjoyed The arts past and present the most as it opened up new worlds for me and it gave me confidence to tackle things I never imagined I would, such as studying the ancient world, Buddhism and Seamus Heaney.

Karis said: “I decided to study with the OU as I had missed a few years of formal education. I loved poetry and creative writing and I wanted to re-discover education and get a degree.

“Due to my illness I can never take tomorrow for granted and I want to squash in as much as possible while I can!

“I already loved the arts and humanities. Studying them introduced me to things I hadn't explored, like philosophy and art history. I also decided to study social sciences as I wanted to try something different. I was especially intrigued by the content of the course and how people's differences impact upon the social world.”

Speaking about her favourite course - in which she gained a distinction - Karis said, "I enjoyed The arts past and present the most as it opened up new worlds for me and it gave me confidence to tackle things I never imagined I would, such as studying the ancient world, Buddhism and Seamus Heaney."

Support provided

I felt that the team who supported my entry to the University were really behind me and wanted me to succeed.

Karis featured in a Muscular Dystrophy UK 'Meet the Trailblazers' video and is an Ambassador for the online 'Euan’s Guide' of disability access reviews.

She said: “The OU couldn't have done anything further to support me. The Student Support Team are fantastic and helped me to access the equipment I need to study and my tutors have been very supportive.

"My tutor for 'The arts past and present' course really encouraged me to explore things academically and in my own way. I also felt that the team who supported my entry to the University were really behind me and wanted me to succeed." 

Karis received Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). She said: “The DSA has been invaluable for my studies, providing the equipment and assistive technology I need to access the course materials, such as an eye-gaze computer, special software, a printer and a bookstand.”

Poetry, film and radio scriptwriting

Poems Karis composed for her OU 'Advanced Creative Writing' course featured in a National Theatre of Scotland (NTS) audio-visual exhibition at Inverness’ Eden Court Theatre. She also helped to make a micro-short film for a NTS event and said “I wouldn't have been able to do this if I hadn't studied script-writing in Advanced Creative Writing.”

Karis has done a radio script-writing project too. 

Her ‘poetry apprenticeship’ includes attending former New Statesman poet Bill Greenwell’s poetry clinics, and taking part in online Arvon and Live Canon masterclasses. She has been mentored by Bloodaxe published poet Aoife Lyall. 

Karis’ poem Sculpting Stanzas appears in a Bill Greenwell anthology, and her pamphlet Iamborn was long-listed for the Disabled Poet’s Prize (2022). One of her poems will feature in a BOPYA short film in 2024.

Photo credit: Chris Floyd