Chelsea graduated from St Mary’s University in 2018 with a First-class degree in Physical and Sport Education, after being the first in her family to go to university.
Coming from a Traveller background, Chelsea didn’t think university was something she could do; despite wanting to attend. However, with the support of her teachers, Chelsea joined St Mary’s in 2015.
We caught up with Chelsea about her journey to university and her time at St Mary’s, as well as her current work in Widening Participation and helping others in the Traveller community to access Higher Education.
What did your journey to university look like and why did you choose St Mary’s?
My journey to university was a complicated one. I’m from a Traveller background, and I honestly didn’t see myself going to university even though I wanted to. I didn’t know any Travellers who had been to university, so it seemed almost out of the question.
I spent a lot of time navigating and overcoming that challenge, getting myself to a point where I knew that I was ready to go. Now, I look back and I wonder why I was ever worried.
I chose St Mary’s because it was a small university and I wanted that campus feel. Going into university I was dealing with anxiety, so I knew I needed a supportive environment. St Mary’s was somewhere that would provide that additional support.
How did you find your time at St Mary’s?
Honestly, I loved my time at St Mary’s. I was able to have really great relationships with my lecturers, and I definitely made the most of all the office hours and additional support outside of class. I’m even still in touch with many of them today!
The lecturers and University as a whole really helped me to develop as an academic. There were times where I would be reading a mind-blowing article, and just being able to then have conversations with my lecturers about what I was thinking and reading really sparked an interest in academia for me.
I also enjoyed the social side to St Mary’s too. I played rugby during my time at university, and I always felt that the sport societies had a great vibe to them while also being accessible.
What was it like being the first in your family to go to university?
I look back now and I feel proud of myself, but I felt very stressed at the time. My parents couldn’t support me because they didn’t know how to, as they didn’t have that academic experience. I honestly felt like I was navigating the journey on my own.
This is why the support I received from my lecturers at St Mary’s was really important. Going to university changed my life, but I hope it has also shown other Travellers who would like to go to university that they can.
What has your journey since graduating from St Mary’s looked like?
It has actually been really busy. After I graduated from St Mary’s, I went and did a Master’s in Education at King’s College London. I then worked in various policy and teaching jobs, before starting in my current role as a Senior Researcher at Young’s Foundation.
My goal is to make research more accessible, as I think it can often feel quite abstract and aloof to people. I also do some consultancy work on the side, which allows me to stay engaged with projects that I am interested in.
Can you tell us more about your work with students from Traveller communities?
During my master’s, myself and another student co-founded the Romblon programme which was a Widening Participation project aimed at Gypsy-Roma-Traveller students. We worked with the Widening Participation team to use funding for lots of different activities that really increased the profile of Traveller students.
I think that the fact that the programme is still going now, with additional funding, is a real testament to its impact.
Is there anyone (former or current) from St Mary’s you would like to give a special mention to?
Yes, there are two people in particular I’d like to give a shout-out too!
The first is to Michael Hobson, someone who goes above and beyond in providing support to students. Michael was great at holding me accountable and pushing me to be the best I could be.
I’d also like to mention Jo Fonseca, who was a great support as well as an amazing supervisor for my dissertation.