Southampton Solent University staff stories transcript

00:00

Southampton Solent University logo and 'Celebrating 20 years 2005-2025'

00:05

I worked here as a student. I then became the residences administrator and I had the opportunity to do some CPD so I took the opportunity to do my MBA, at which point then I continued to learn in different departments, moved my way up and became the contracts and projects manager. So in my time at Solent, I have literally gone from changing the toilet brushes in the student residences to looking after the cleaning contract and some of the biggest contracts that Solent has.

Lesley is talking to the camera. Cutaway shots to Lesley's first staff badge and to her at graduation.

00:28

So I joined in January 1994 as a YTS and over the years I've worked in different departments, from a faculty office, admissions, exams, and graduation team over the years. I've done my staff development, I completed my degree here, and then went on to complete my master's and I'm now proud to say I am the senior associate academic registrar within the academic registry department.

Sarah is talking to camera. Cut away shots to her at graduation.

01:35

I'm most proud of a research project that I started in 2003 when I joined and it was enabled by the University, then Southampton Institute. It was a project about a philosopher Ludwig Stein who lived for a while in Norway. It became a book in an exhibition at the John Hansard Gallery in 2005 and subsequently was exhibited in the Venice Bonale in the Fondion Prada - just get my pronunciation correct - in 2018, and then in the new Kleum University of Chicago in 2019, and currently exhibited in Belgium.

Guy is talking to camera. Cutaway shots of his work being shown at exhibitions.

01:35

I was actually supported to do my business studies degree while working here, and graduating was definitely a proud moment.

Helen is talking to camera.

01:43

I started working at Solent in 2003 as an invigilator. For my teaching career, I started as a an associate lecturer and then went full-time. But before that I was a student here at Solent, so I did my MBA - I also did my PhD here and I am so grateful that the university supported me with the scholarship to do my PhD.

Whysnianti is talking to camera. Cut away shots to her graduation.

02:07

I mean the campus has changed drastically and we actually moved over to the Spark building in 2023. We had a new student hub built for us in the back of the Spark building which was brilliant. That's definitely one of my highlights.

Helen is talking to camera.

02:25

I was here when the Spark building - that we're in now - the Spark building was constructed, which is absolutely fantastic, transformational.

Guy is talking to camera.

02:34

So something that I've really enjoyed doing whilst here is being part of the staff choir. We do singing for wellness sessions every Tuesday and that's been going for nearly 12 years. So that's... I've really enjoyed doing that.

Helen is talking to camera. Cutaway shots of the staff choir.

02:46

I'm most proud in my time at Solent, of being part of the machine that's delivered so much success. I've seen so many people flourish in my time here, from students that I studied with, from people that I've worked with, to being able to develop myself to escalate my career as well. For me it's all about people and place that makes Solent so special.

Lesley is talking to camera.