I have a keen interest in mentoring students as I believe that my experiences and personality would be a good fit. I grew up in a low-income family, in one of the ‘rougher’ parts of Plymouth, and neither of my parents or other family members went to University. University was my dream from a young age. I thrived in an educational setting and although I had no clue what I wanted to be ‘when I grew up’, I knew that my career needed to be in the world of academia, so that I could continue to be surrounded by learning.
I became a manager quite early in my career; though admittedly, this was completely by accident! I believe that my working life so far could allow a student an insight into early management, whilst offering the context for discussions around tricky issues such as assertiveness and emotional resilience. I’m calm, personable and empathetic, but also not afraid of a challenge or change, and I’d really like the opportunity to use these traits in a mentoring role, so a student can explore their own future potential, whatever that may be, or wherever they started.
Email: kkellaway@marjon.ac.uk