Leanne Bookham

‘Don’t feel as though you’re going to be worse off for attending a newer or more rural university than others you may be considering. The lecturing team are exceptional, as is student support. As a mature student and a parent I was unsure of what completing a degree may look like for me; and now as I’m finished and looking back I think UoC has been a fantastic option”.

Barrow-in-Furness is my home town, so I really felt it was a positive thing that I would be able to learn through my own local university, keeping me further connected to the community I was born and raised in. Our Barrow campus is very much different to others with it being a hub base within Furness College. As a cohort of only seven students we have come to form some very close friendships and support networks, even making regular time to take part in study sessions outside of scheduled hours to further support each other in our learning     

Lecturers and tutors have really gone the extra mile in supporting students and have a fantastic appreciation of mature students like myself. They are inspirational, supportive and approachable. It has been lovely to have had this experience with tutors I feel we as a cohort have been able to get to know, relate to and can count on.

The university are keen to really push the student experience of learning and have offered several fantastic opportunities for further growth. Events such as the social work research conferences and the mock court day in Carlisle have been invaluable in my own progression as a practitioner.

"I feel very happy with my choice to undertake university education with UoC and I’ll miss being a student! I will be keeping my eyes open for some further education in the near future with any luck!"

I firmly believe the combination of factors from my time with the University of Cumbria has helped me maintain a strong focus on ethical practice and in empowering and supporting others. This qualification will open doors for me into the line of work I’ve always hoped to be able to do, but prior to starting my journey back into education seemed bordering on impossible to achieve.

The lecturing team organised a series of dates for writing workshops of a weekend for students to attend if needed, to be able to go and work in a proactive, supportive and structured way in the middle of chaotic working weeks. Attending one of these, set up and facilitated by staff in their own time of a weekend, was a massive help to myself and other students who were undertaking dissertations, other assignments and placements at the same time. I think this is a great example of how far the university staff are willing to go to support their students, and I’m grateful for it.