My brother went to Birmingham, which is exactly why I didn’t want to go! I wanted do my own thing, but was soon captivated by the campus, the POLSIS department and the combination of degree subjects I could explore. As someone who had to work throughout university, I also wanted to be close to the city where I could find part-time work.

Why did you choose to study International Relations and does it continue to impact on your experiences?

There really wasn’t any other option for me. I wanted to carve out a career that would allow me to travel and I’d always been fascinated by the world of diplomacy, so I knew I need the right degree to give me the start I needed.

Tell us about your career journey from Birmingham student to where you are today

After completing my degree, I was desperate to spread my wings and travel, but I was also keen to gain some experience in international relations. I interned at an NGO in Berlin for one year and then joined a master’s degree in Amsterdam to study conflict resolution. After that I joined a graduate internship with the Foreign Office that led to some incredible opportunities working at Embassies in New York, Poland and the Overseas Territories. After a brief pitstop working on EU exit for Defra, I moved out of international policy and moved to head up the policy team at Social Work England.

What one word would you use to describe the University of Birmingham?

Opportunity.