September 2014 marks the end of a journey and the beginning
of a new one. This year has changed me as a person in various different
aspects. The experience I had at Essex was unexpected and extremely rewarding for
a young graduate. The course of this year was unique for me, considering the
more practical background that led me to the postgraduate program in Art
History and the career I am now heading towards. I have much to look forward to
and a lot of amazing memories to base my expectations on.
In the various activities I have done over the course of
this academic year, most of them rewarded me with other favourable
circumstances. As my friend and former lecturer Duncan Wooldridge told me: it
is more important to make the most of small opportunities rather than waiting
for the big ones. Being a frontrunner at the University was one of these
opportunities, which helped me to enhance my academic CV with more professional
experience. Over these past three months I have gained various transferable skills
not necessarily related to the study of art but highly prized by employers.
Marketing the department has allowed me to step on the working ladder whilst
marrying this new expertise with my studies.
Being on the frontrunner scheme whilst doing my dissertation
was also helpful to manage my time and study harder. Instead of focusing all
the time on my writing and turning into an art historian freak, working
alongside other frontrunners in the library put a routine in place and created a
break from my study time. The three mornings per week when I took the bus to go
to campus did not feel like I was going to work. The placement was designed to
be as beneficial for me as it is for the department to hire an extra pair of
hands. Even though my role involved a greater deal of marketing activities I
was not aware of before, I still had the opportunity to apply in the job what I
have learnt during my lessons. Working on the art history student blog, writing
exhibition reviews and designing the Art History Newsletter have nurtured my
knowledge, and allow me to practice it in a professional environment.
Not only I am grateful for this opportunity, I would also like
to galvanise forthcoming students who are starting in September to consider
such activities offered by the university.
Rather than being an extra income on the top of the loans, they allow
you to set yourself up straight away with a professional background alongside
your studies. You will finish your undergraduate or postgraduate program with a
lifetime experience of working with lecturers in a professional environment and
finally you will leave Essex with more than one string on your bow.
For more information about frontrunners, and the placements available, visit their website.
