Kate Penton-Voak

Kate's Story

Coming from a British Forces background, Kate Penton-Voak was used to travelling widely and was open to going to somewhere completely different for University.

“The location, campus and degree flexibility drew me to Stirling,” she said.

She originally applied to study Geography, but after taking a Sociology module in her first semester, she quickly developed an interest in this and realised it was what she wanted to pursue.

“This makes me doubly grateful for the degree flexibility as well as the diversity of available modules and routes of study,” she said. “I also liked being able to approach any lecturer or tutor for help and advice. The close-knit feel of the university allowed for this.”

Outside of her studies, Kate worked as a Student Ambassador for three years, presenting and promoting the University to prospective students and speaking in both London and Birmingham. She also took part in the University’s STEER peer support scheme helping other students with their studies.

In her fourth year, she worked with the Careers Centre as a Careers Crew Intern for the Applied Social Sciences department.

“I had always wanted an internship and struggled to get one in the summer months as I would usually go back home to Germany and see my parents,” she said. “The University offered me the Careers Service Internship, which allowed me to have a paid internship for a year alongside my studies, as opposed to in the holidays.

“It helped me develop my social media marketing skills and my confidence in networking and advertising on social media. I also improved my communication skills by working with other members of staff, and gained experience in events planning and management.”

If everything goes to plan, she is hoping to put this experience to good use when she begins a Masters degree in Management at St Andrews in September.

She will be taking good memories with her from Stirling, describing her time here as: “Unforgettable, adventurous and challenging (in a good way!).”