Sharon works as Chief of Staff at the University of Warwick, providing high-level and broad-ranging advice and senior executive support to the Vice-Chancellor and the Executive Team. She is also a Graduate at the Centre for Lifelong Learning, graduating in 2004.

She shares with us her Warwick Story and how she found joining the CLL Community and moving into her new career after graduating.

1. What did you study at the Centre for Lifelong Learning?
   Health and Social Policy which covered history, law, politics, education, economics and sociology
2. What did you do before starting the course? 
   I was a Dental Hygienist working in several practices in Coventry and Rugby
3. Have you had any successes/achievements you would like to mention since finishing the course? 
   I would say that my successes and achievements have been linked to my career at the University of Warwick. I have worked my way up through the administration and am now part of the Executive Team of the University.
4. What do you do for work now? 
   I am the Chief of Staff at the University which means I am responsible for the Executive Office and provide high level administrative and project management support to the Vice-Chancellor and Executive Team.
5. What made you decide to study at the Centre for Lifelong Learning?
   I had been a Dental Hygienist for 16 years and I was ready to change my career but I knew that I would need a degree to go into the areas I was interested in. The 2+2 Degree was the perfect option for me as although I had a professional qualification it had been a long time since I had done any studying and the course allowed me to build up gradually, in a supportive environment, to the level I need to reach to complete my degree.
6. How would you describe your experience of studying at the Centre for Lifelong Learning?
   Incredibly supportive! On the 2+2 you feel really secure in the first 2 years whilst you're in a college and the thought of coming to Warwick in the 3rd year was very daunting but the CLL really helped with lots of inductions and training to support you through those first scary weeks. Even after that you knew if you had any questions or needed to talk things through there was always someone willing to spend time with you. In terms of the academic element of the course, I found this to be fascinating. I really enjoyed all the modules I took and that helped with the studying - it's much easier to learn when you find the subject interesting and there were so many module choices in my particular degree I couldn't help but find learning interesting!
7. If you could give any advice to our current students, what would it be? 
   Don't listen to the voice inside your head that says you can't do this and you shouldn't be here. You can do it and you absolutely should be here! Oh and do the reading for your seminars 😊

Find out more about our Graduate and Student Success Stories