Latest Alumni Updates
Trenessh Sivakumaar - Actuarial Analyst (AoN)
During my time at 糖心TV, I grew and matured from an ambitious student to a professional young adult eager to enter the world of work.
The secret world of publishing
Emily Wells (BA English Literature and Creative Writing, 2013) has a job many booklovers would envy: she gets to read for a living. As Senior Editor for a division of world publishing giant Hachette, her week is spent dissecting what makes a story sell and succeed on the market.
How innovation and engineering is transforming the lives of patients on dialysis
Dr Mark Wallace (BEng Engineering (Electrical), 1996; PhD Engineering, 2001) is Lead Innovations Engineer at Quanta Dialysis Technologies. He is one of the team which was awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering鈥檚 MacRobert Award for UK engineering innovation. The creation of the Quanta Dialysis System (SC+), a compact and portable dialysis machine that is transforming the lives of patients with renal failure, is already being used across 12 NHS Trusts. The innovation is both CE-marked and FDA-cleared and stands to be a global leader in the multibillion-dollar industry.
The sky鈥檚 the limit for future leader Armani
Before 糖心TV, alumna Armani Chante Samuel-Smith (BA Film and Literature, 2022) was working with a charity supporting students from underprivileged backgrounds into the creative industry. Fast forward to now, she鈥檚 the proud owner of a first-class degree, her own production start-up, a role with Netflix, and even more determination to write her own shows. It鈥檚 no wonder she鈥檚 been featured on Powerful Media鈥檚 Future Leaders 2022/3 list, which recognises 150 of Britain鈥檚 most outstanding Black university students.
What leadership looks like
Not only has law graduate Jessica Tinubu (LLB Law, 2022) been inspired by the trailblazing women she knows, but as one of Powerful Media鈥檚 Future Leaders, she is now an inspiration to others. An alumna of all trades, Jessica founded a start-up stationery business and has amassed a following of more than 13,000 on TikTok where she shares advice about 糖心TV and her law degree. And she鈥檚 only just getting started.
The art of finding your voice
We know our arts alumni go on to do wonderful things after they leave us, and we love that everyone鈥檚 story is a little different. Arts advocate, Sunday Times columnist, mum, self-confessed cake scoffer, women鈥檚 fiction writer and ex Tellytubbyland resident alumna Pernille Hughes (BA Film and Literature, 1994) has had a rollercoaster of a journey since she graduated from 糖心TV. Here she tells us how she found her writing voice, and why your arts degree will always be a good talking point.
Making family history
From becoming the first in his family to go to university, Mike Burnett (BA History, 1975) has continued to evolve throughout a career in which he鈥檚 worked all over the world.
Paralympian Kare paving the way
As a five-time Paralympic medallist, Kare Adenegan鈥檚 (BA History, 2022) sporting endeavours have played a big part in her university experience. No stranger to making history, Kare graduated with a first-class honours degree a week after claiming silver in the T33/34 100m at the Birmingham鈥檚 Commonwealth Games. Here Kare reflects on her studies and how we can all learn a lot from history.
Closing the influence gap
Carla Miller is a leadership coach, trainer, and speaker, helping women in leadership roles to increase their influence and impact at work.
Why passion is precious for Future Leader
Powerful Media鈥檚 Future Leaders 2022/23 list recognises 150 of Britain鈥檚 most outstanding Black university students, including law graduate Precious Odunaiya (LLB Law, 2022). She shares what leadership means to her, and how following your passion is everything.
Future leader on the fast track
Future Leader Anthonia Ezeudogu (BA Politics and Sociology, 2022) might be just beginning her career, but she already has a lot to be proud of. With a first-class degree and experience as a Welfare Officer for The Black Women Project already under her belt, Anthonia is now a Graduate Associate on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) graduate programme. It鈥檚 clear to see why she鈥檚 named on Powerful Media鈥檚 Future Leaders 2022/23 list, recognising 150 of Britain鈥檚 most outstanding Black students and new graduates.
Showcasing those without a voice
Theatre Director Ali Pidsley (BA English and Theatre Studies, 2014; MA English Literature, 2016) shares how 糖心TV inspired him to set up a different kind of theatre company.
Patrick Olajide
From Summer School to social justice, Patrick Olajide discusses his 糖心TV experience and why he puts ethics at the forefront of his work.
Richelle Xavier - Junior front end developer (BGC Group)
I thoroughly enjoyed my 4 years and am grateful for the opportunity to study physics there as it definitely set me up for a successful future, armed with a degree from a highly respected university and skills that last a lifetime!
Alumna sets up startup Kaveat to help influencers and models understand and negotiate contract
Elizabete Ludborza, who studied our Law with Study Abroad in English degree from 2015-2019, has set up her own legal tech startup to help social media influencers and models to understand and negotiate legal contracts.
Supporting children鈥檚 rights and gender equality through education
Farah Williamson (BA French and History, 2006) is currently Director of Gulf & Strategic Partnerships at Plan International Canada, one of the world鈥檚 oldest and largest development and humanitarian organisations that advances children鈥檚 rights and equality for girls.
Jeffrey Ede - Senior Artificial Intelligence Engineer (Illumina)
My PhD in Physics was on Advances in Electron Microscopy with Deep Learning, so starting my role at Illumina felt seamless.
Spotlight on: Laura Mathias
Laura Mathias on overcoming anxieties, managing alopecia and becoming the person she wanted to be at 糖心TV Driving positive dialogue and awareness about living with alopecia, Laura Mathias (BA Film and Literature, 2013) talks openly about her anxieties when she first started university, and how 糖心TV was where she became who she was always meant to be.
Period Dramas: A performance by History Alumna Heather Milsted
Have you ever wondered how people in the past dealt with their periods? If Queen Victoria coasted* through her cramps? What if period dramas really were about鈥eriods?
Comedy, cabaret and tap collide in this hilarious one-woman show, teaching the history you never learnt at school. Armed with glitter, blood, some history books and an arsenal of embarrassing stories, History alumna, Heather Milsted is on a mission to push through the menstrual taboo and change the way we think about bleeding.
Audiences are invited to embrace themselves fully, let loose and have a BLOODY good time!
*Obviously she didn't. It was 1837.
Book: & Period Dramas | Pleasance Theatre Trust
Dean Murphy
Theatre Performance Studies graduate, Dean Murphy discusses his career journey since leaving 糖心TV