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Member of The Dean's List, class of 2020

Kathryn’s place on the Dean’s List recognises her pro-active preparation to enter the world of work, her resilience and her genuine passion for helping others to access wider opportunities.

Creating opportunities

Kathryn demonstrated a real interest in improving access to opportunities for disadvantaged communities and empowering people to pursue their passions. She took on the role of Clubbing Crew Volunteer and supervised individuals with learning difficulties on their nights out at the Students’ Union and Bar One.

She also joined the Helping Hand Volunteering Programme, taking weekly walks around the city centre to give out food to homeless people and directed them to much needed shelters and facilities around ºù«Ӱҵ.

Sporting achievements

A significant part of Kathryn’s student life was being an active member of the University Netball Club. During that time, she took on the voluntary role of Campus League Netball Ambassador, coached netball in underprivileged primary schools and took part in a 13-mile overnight ‘Spider Walk’ amongst other charitable activities.

Kathryn was elected to be Captain of the Netball Team in 2018. Her active contributions to the club over her four years as a member resulted in her being shortlisted at the Annual Sports Awards for SUNC’s Most Improved Player and for the Black and Gold Award.

Real-world experience

Kathryn made an enthusiastic pursuit of employability opportunities during her studies. She completed a placement year at Aldi where she trained as a Store Manager, experienced the corporate environment in Head Office, developed her network and learnt to work under pressure. During her placement, Kathryn overcame the daunting challenge of managing staff who had worked in the industry for many years, keeping up team morale and setting employee targets, through which she grew her confidence, resilience and communication skills.

Alongside her studies, she was an active member of the Women in Business Society, attended talks with prospective employers, held a part-time job as a Level 2 Swimming Teacher and worked as a Student Ambassador in the Management School.

Next for Kathryn

After thriving on her industrial placement year at the international supermarket chain, Aldi, she joined their Graduate Area Manager Programme.

Due to the experience and skills she gained on her placement year, Kathryn completed her graduate training scheme after 6 months instead of the usual 12 and is now the Area Manager for Cheshire.