When visiting Royal Holloway on the Open days and Applicant Visit Days, I was so inspired by the friendly and informative Student Ambassadors. The ambassadors were so helpful and really passionate about Royal Holloway and it really had a big impact on my decision to study here. I knew as soon as I joined Royal Holloway that I would love to become a student ambassador and pass on my passion and enthusiasm about the university to other guests and prospective students.

I have absolutely loved my three years as a Student Ambassador; it has undoubtedly been one of the best things I have done while at university. I have gained so many new skills and experienced things I never would have got the chance to do. I have given large-scale presentations alongside the Heads of my departments, and even the Principal, to prospective students and guests on open days: something I never would have imagined myself doing before university! I have been given the opportunity to work such a wide range of events, on-campus as well as off-campus, such as representing Royal Holloway at UCAS conventions.

One of my favourite experiences has been the school visits, where various senior schools bring their students to Royal Holloway to gain an insight in to university. These are a great way for Royal Holloway to provide a positive insight in to university and hopefully leave a lasting impression on the students. The schools bring such great enthusiasm and curiosity and it is always a pleasure to show them around campus and help provide them with a great insight in to university. One of my most memorable school visits was providing a campus tour to a group of year 7’s, who were so enthusiastic and excited about being at a university. One of the students said to me ‘’I’m going to work really hard in school now so I can come here one day’’. This really stuck with me: it reminded me how lucky I am to go to Royal Holloway and also how important it is to provide a positive impression of university for the students. The school visits are always such great fun and the school teachers and students often feedback that they have had a great day.

Being a Student Ambassador has given me amazing skills to take forward in to the (big and scary) working world. I have learned how to interact with so many different people of differing ages and developed my confidence, public-speaking skills and definitely my time-management by having a part-time job alongside studying a degree. All of these skills are so important for future jobs and, as I am currently in the midst of applying for graduate jobs, I have really realised how invaluable the skills and experiences I have had as a Student Ambassador are.

From working and loving the school visits, I have developed an interest in a career in teaching. I am not planning on teacher-training this upcoming year but potentially the following year. I know that the skills and experiences I have gained here will be really beneficial for my future job applications and interviews.