OU News

News from The Open University

  1. Home
  2. Category: Student stories

Category: Student stories

Gina Awad

OU study ‘the catalyst for everything I’ve achieved in raising awareness of dementia’

OU graduate Gina Awad was described as average by her school teachers, something which has haunted her over the years. But her complete dedication to raising awareness of dementia within her home community of Exeter has seen her receive a string of commendations for ‘outstanding work’. She’s not so average now… Gina created the Exeter Dementia Action Alliance […]

Read more about OU study ‘the catalyst for everything I’ve achieved in raising awareness of dementia’

nurse in community setting with patient

Sarah says OU study made her a better person and a better nurse

After all the challenges along the road to becoming a nurse, Sarah Burgess says she would “do it all again in a heartbeat”. Recently qualified with a BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing, Sarah pays tribute to the support and encouragement of her tutors that kept going to the end. As someone who left school with a […]

Read more about Sarah says OU study made her a better person and a better nurse

needle nursing

Liz forgot her fear of needles to pursue her nursing dream

Liz Westwood was inspired to become a nurse because of two important influences – her late mother and her work colleagues. For the last eight years, she has worked as a Healthcare Assistant in a community specialist palliative care team (improving the quality of life for those patients nearing the end of life). Now she […]

Read more about Liz forgot her fear of needles to pursue her nursing dream

People person Stefan swapped a life in the skies for saving lives

People person Stefan swapped a life in the skies for saving lives

As a self-professed “people person”, Stefan Franks feels at home pursuing a career in adult nursing. Having left school with GCSEs and BTECs in travel, Stefan began his career in the travel industry taking off for a five-year career with a major airline. Now he is working as a healthcare assistant at a surgery in […]

Read more about People person Stefan swapped a life in the skies for saving lives

47 countries, hip-hop and an Open University Honours degree: Shanel’s story

47 countries, hip-hop and an Open University Honours degree: Shanel’s story

Working with artists in New York as a music writer and producer of everything from hip-hop to classical, Shanel Cuthbert travelled to 47 countries during the last year of her Open University degree. Studying biological psychology was a sharp contrast to her busy life in the studio, and she’s now completing her Masters in Mental […]

Read more about 47 countries, hip-hop and an Open University Honours degree: Shanel’s story

Faye Tester, Usher Hall Degree Ceremony

From cleaner to environment manager, Faye says her degree is “so worth it”

Faye Tester went from being a cleaner at a gas distribution firm, SGN, and an extra on TV, to supporting the management of the company’s environmental compliance and procedures. She completely changed her life and says that, if it wasn’t for her Environmental Management and Technology degree with The Open University, she would never have […]

Read more about From cleaner to environment manager, Faye says her degree is “so worth it”

Discovering psychology led Andrew to a new career

Discovering psychology led Andrew to a new career

Growing up in North London, Andrew, 49, didn’t enjoy the academic side of school and left at 16 with 11 O-Levels.  After a spell in retail and a long career in IT, he made a dramatic change to his working life. After a family bereavement opened up the world of psychology to him, he decided […]

Read more about Discovering psychology led Andrew to a new career

Barbican degree ceremony

Anne overcomes adversity to reach her graduation goal

Anne is 69 and has wanted to achieve her degree her entire adult life. Having left school at 15 and started her career as a telephonist and receptionist, she married and gave birth to her daughter, Sandra. After her husband sadly passed in 1984, she battled with bladder cancer and severe arthritis. Recovering after years […]

Read more about Anne overcomes adversity to reach her graduation goal

“The Open University was never seen as a lesser choice”

“The Open University was never seen as a lesser choice”

Bass guitar player in The Franklys Zoe Biggs, 29 from Milton Keynes, attended a few traditional university open days whilst studying her A-Levels. But she was unsure about what career path she wanted, and didn’t want to get into debt studying something she might not then use in the future. An extra level of motivation […]

Read more about “The Open University was never seen as a lesser choice”

“You can achieve if you put your mind to it” – how Gareth studied while travelling the world

“You can achieve if you put your mind to it” – how Gareth studied while travelling the world

At the age of 19, Gareth Hand from Derbyshire was working as a teaching assistant in a secondary school. His dream of becoming a Music teacher meant he needed a degree, but with a mortgage to pay and a very busy musical life performing as a percussionist all over the world from Dubai to Singapore, […]

Read more about “You can achieve if you put your mind to it” – how Gareth studied while travelling the world

Page 27 of 29