Lara Kenny

I came to Aberystwyth eager to learn and, although I had earned myself a scholarship and some great A-Level results, I was nervous about what lay ahead of me. From my very first lecture at Aberystwyth however, I could tell that there were some fantastic lecturers among the teaching staff, not just those with a long history at the university, but also those that had recently joined the institution and could bring along new perspectives and experiences. Whether they were new or had been at the university for years, they were all approachable and incredibly helpful. Combined with that, there were also some great modules which, like the lecturers, were both long-standing and new, covering the real core of management as well as some of the contemporary issues and were assessed in a variety of ways, offering students a great chance to develop a wide range of different skills. Backed by an immensely friendly group of support staff, I never felt as if I was lost or helpless.

As one of many course representatives at the Staff Student Consultative Forum (having been elected by my fellow classmates), it was my job to communicate the views of students to the staff and I was also one of the first to hear about the university’s plans for the new institution on the Llanbadarn campus and it was exciting to see all of our comments and suggestions being considered and incorporated. From what we’ve seen, the new institution will offer fantastic facilities for years to come.

As my degree also included German, I spent a year studying at the University of Düsseldorf, where I was able to add some great experience to my CV as well as learn more about some of my favourite areas of business.

Whilst Aberystwyth may seem like a quiet seaside town, it certainly isn’t! With too many societies and sports clubs to count, as well as other university opportunities such as business competitions and lectures from experienced professionals and visiting lecturers in most subjects, there are plenty of chances to get out and meet people and making friends will never be a problem. Aberystwyth University is small but there is a strong community spirit, both between students and staff as well as among the students.

Although I will be sad to leave, all of the experiences and relationships I built at Aberystwyth University will stay with me. Thanks to many brilliant staff members, I am now moving on to Aston University for a Masters in Human Resources and I think that the sum of everything I’ve achieved and done at Aberystwyth helped me to win my scholarship to study there,  and will continue to boost my CV and future prospects.