Rosa took part on our Oxford Summer School programme in 2000 and went on to apply to the University of Cambridge. She now works in the Business and Consulting sector, and is currently Brand Strategy Director for FleishmanHillard. Read on to find out more about Rosa’s Sutton Trust experience!

Tell us a bit about your background and where you come from

“I grew up in Baildon, West Yorkshire with my parents and went to a non-selective local comprehensive. As I was always achieving highly academically I had started to think about the possibility of Oxbridge but remember being told I “could apply, but probably wouldn’t get in” by one of my teachers.”

What was the highlight of your Sutton Trust programme?

“I did the History programme in Oxford, summer 2020. We stayed in Magdalen college which was almost otherworldly! I remember some lectures, being in the library, some outdoor shakespeare and a speech from Peter Lampl.”

What skills did you gain from taking part in the programme?

“Recognising that history was broader and more interconnected than the disjointed themes and time periods of the school curriculum. And the confidence to apply to Cambridge to study history (I had already been on a CUSU state school access residential earlier in the year so I was fortunate to decide which city I preferred based on both experiences!)”

What are you doing now and what are your plans for the future?

“I have had two decades of working in brand strategy consulting in a variety of agencies and consultancies which I still enjoy and plan to continue doing so!”

What would you tell someone who was unsure about applying for a Sutton Trust programme?

“Do it. These opportunities are there to be taken. There is no downside and it could just change your whole life.”

 

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