Why did you go on to higher education?
Realized that without some form of further education and qualification, career prospects would be very limited.

Why did you choose your degree subject?
I’ve always been an incredible sports fan, but also had a huge interest in literature – so this way I got to combine my interests.

Best and worse things about university
Experiencing being away from home for the first time and making life-long friendships.  Worst – that the course only lasted for three years

Describe your current role.
My area of expertise is adolescent sexuality, so my research and teaching deal with issues like unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, sexual assault prevention and contraceptive compliance.  I speak at university campuses around the country, in addition to working with both undergraduate and graduate students in our department.

How did your time at Marjon help your career?
Marjons gave me a taste for academia, and I knew that I really wanted to pursue that direction even while I was in college.

Sarah graduated from Marjon in 2003 with a BA in Education Studies & Religious Studies and now lives in County Durham.  Sarah started out on a BEd Primary with RE course but soon realised primary teaching was not her calling and has since gone on to become a Teacher of Opening Minds and Humanities at Darlington Education Village.

What course did you study at Marjon?

I started out on a BEd Primary with RE but left with a BA in Education Studies & Religious Studies.

Why did you go on to higher education?

Because I wanted to teach and I always enjoyed RE.

Best and worse things about university

The best was the friendships, life experience and socializing.  The worst was the debt.

Describe your current role.

I teach a cross curricular programme of study which encompasses all of the humanities subjects to year 7 pupils.  I also teach citizenship and RE to KS3 and KS4.

How did your time at Marjon help your career?

It made me realise that I couldn’t be a primary teacher! I needed the grounding in Education to get myself my initial jobs in order to work towards my current role.  I started working in care homes with people with learning difficulties and challenging behaviour which then led onto work in a school for children with challenging behaviour as a learning support assistant.  My experience there meant that I got my first teaching job here at Darlington Education Village.

What’s the professional achievement you’ve been most proud of since graduating?

Getting my first teaching job!  But then I’m really proud to have been accepted on to a GTP course and will be thrilled when I finish it!

What personal achievement are you most proud of?

Not stopping in my quest to teach.  I knew that it was what I wanted to do, but now realise that primary was not the route for me.

What are your main hobbies or interests?

Teaching, I love my job! I also love swimming, gardening, cooking and I have recently discovered belly dancing.

What are your plans for the next few years (career-wise and other if relevant)?

Complete my GTP and NQT year – hopefully completing my Masters in my NQT year, then moving to Loughborough to be with my fiancé and planning the wedding of the year.