The 2018/19 Board

2nd year International Business - International Business

Hi! I’m Abigail, a 2nd year International Business student at the University of Liverpool.

I am heavily involved in dance and I am a part of the committee of the University of Liverpool Dance Society as the Competition Co-ordinator. Outside of the society, I train in different dance styles regularly, including street and contemporary. Also, outside of university, I love to hand out with my friends and split my time equally with them all as I have different connections in different groups. I am also a peer mentor for first year business management students at the University of Liverpool.

I heard about the PSAB opportunity through my student emails, which I would advise regularly checking, for times such as this. I decided to apply because I thought it would be a fantastic experience to gain experience working in a FTSE 100 firm. In addition to this, I also thought it would be a great opportunity to expand my network and make connections with people from different courses and different universities. Further to this, I also think this opportunity looks amazing on your CV, especially when applying to industrial placements, like myself, as you can really talk about what skills you have developed form working in a FTSE 100 firm.
 

2nd year St Andrews University - Economics

Hello, I’m Anesu - a second-year student currently studying Economics. The first two years of a degree at my university are quite interdisciplinary and I have particularly enjoyed taking advanced German and a module in Finance.

In my spare time I have been involved in voluntary projects on campus. This summer, I was able to combine my enthusiasm for languages with volunteering by volunteering abroad at a nature workcamp for two weeks in Germany. It was incredible being able to practice the language whilst giving back to the workcamp and nature.

When I was browsing through my university’s careers website, I came across the PSAB role. It stood out as a valuable opportunity to collaborate with people from other universities, improve higher education resources and develop soft skills such as project management. Currently, I am working on a project where I will be gathering student feedback about the Pearson online learning resource MyEcon Lab for economics students. I am excited to see where this project goes!

3rd year Newcastle University - Psychology

I am currently in my final year studying Psychology at Newcastle University. I love my course as I am really interested in behaviour, and enjoy gaining a better understanding of the underlying processes that drive people to do the things that they do!

I found out about PSAB through a student jobs search board, and applied as it seemed like a fantastic opportunity to work in such a prestigious company and help to shape future resources. So far I have really enjoyed working alongside other likeminded students to improve the educational materials available, and look forward to future projects.
 

2nd Year University of Bath – Psychology

Hi, I’m Darya and I am a second-year Psychology student at the University of Bath with an interest in developmental neuroscience. I am specifically interested in child development and how the influence of biopsychosocial barriers to learning (in everyday and education contexts) can be overcome.

I found the PSAB programme through the student job website as it wasn’t advertised at my University. It seemed like a great way to incorporate my interest in Psychology and to find out how young people learn effectively in more of a business context, which I hadn’t really explored through my modules. The chance to contribute to the way Pearson shapes their future learning tools meant applying for PSAB was an easy decision for me. I’m not sure what I expected before the launch, but I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and working with the other students from different areas of study. I am also sure that the skills I am acquiring through PSAB will be extremely valuable for my placement next year in London. I am excited to continue working on projects for the continuation of my place as a Pearson student advisor.
 

2nd year Waterford Institute of Technology - Pharmaceutical Science

My name is Doran Traylor and I am currently a second year student at Waterford Institute of Technology, studying Pharmaceutical Science. Pharmaceutical science focuses primarily on the development and use of modern-day medicinal products. In the future I hope to obtain a masters and hopefully a PhD further down the line in order to conduct my own research.
When not in college, I enjoy hanging out with friends, reading, swimming and also playing Gaelic football.

I found out about the PSAB through a Lecturer in my Institute, they had encouraged me to apply for the position. I was delighted to have been considered let alone chosen to be a part of the 2018/2019 board. I care deeply about the quality of education and wanted to be apart of a project working to improve the quality of education on a global scale.

My experiences through the student advisory board has taught me how to work as a part of a team and improved my communication and critical thinking. I have gained a lot of real-world experience as part of my work with the other PSAB members and staff.
 

2nd Year University of Southampton - Economics

Hi - my name is Hannah and I am currently a second year Economics student at the University of Southampton. I am hoping to pursue a career in investment management, and have a great interest in the global economy. At the moment, I am particularly enjoying studying topics such as econometrics and game theory.

Outside of my studies I enjoy volunteering for a scheme which supports disadvantaged young people. We take these young people out on educational activity days; giving them the opportunity to try new things whilst also learning. This is important to me as I am able to act as a role model to them, and help to raise their future aspirations.

I found out about PSAB from a job website, and was immediately intrigued by it. I am excited by the opportunity to make a real difference to the future of higher education, whilst also being able to work collaboratively with people from different universities all over the country.
 

2nd Year Keele University – Education and History

I’m Mark and I study Education and History at the Keele University. I have a particular fascination with modern history, and a deep interest in creativity within education.

In my spare time I am involved in theatre. I’m vice chair of the drama society at Keele and have just finished directing a play. I write poetry occasionally, and enjoy helping others online with their studies and university choices too. Before PSAB I also worked locally on projects to support strategic leaders in their policies and initiatives aimed at young people.

I heard about PSAB through a friend’s recommendation, and applied since I’m passionate about education and believe it’s important to try to help explore where it’s going. So far I feel extremely grateful to have made the contacts I have, meeting great people from all over the country. This is going to be a great year!
 

2nd Year University of Manchester - IT Management for Business

My name is Owen and I’m from Indonesia. I study Information Technology Management for Business at The University of Manchester. I think it’s fair to say that choosing to study abroad has been one of the best decisions of my life. Throughout my studies here in the UK, I’ve learnt many life skills. One of them is how to be independent, as I am obviously so far away from my family. I have learnt how to manage time and how to manage my responsibilities, as there are a lot of them. Most of them are because I am currently the President of the ITMB Society.

In my spare time, I have recently started road cycling, which I find challenging and satisfying at the same time. I also love to watch movies and would consider myself a cinema aficionado.

I applied for PSAB because I believe it’s a great way to work with people that I have never worked before. In my typical day at university, I will not really have the chance to work on a project with students from other courses, let alone students from other universities. So far, I have had a great time working with my colleagues in PSAB, as I have been able to appreciate and take into account different perspectives and opinions from colleagues scattered around the UK. I am also so grateful that I applied because, without knowing it prior, PSAB also provides you with a mentor throughout the year, and my mentor has been excellent. She has helped me with practice on interviews and work preparation, and she’s been really understanding about how busy I am now with my course. I believe the skills and experiences PSAB has and will give me are beneficial for my future career and I would recommend anyone to sign up.
 

3rd Year University of Liverpool - Business Management

My name is Pavlina and I am studying Business Management at the University of Liverpool. My course encourages me to look at business from different perspectives such as theoretical, managerial, legal and financial on both domestic and international scale. It is challenging but rewarding experience attempting to figure out the right combination of factors leading to a successful enterprise. Extracurricular, I enjoy participating in entrepreneurial competitions and a variety of online courses.

I heard about PSAB in a university newsletter and I immediately applied because I wanted to get some real-life teamwork and consultancy experience. Right at the beginning of our two-day residential stay at Pearson’s London headquarters, I was impressed how talented and open-minded all my fellow board members are and I enjoyed every opportunity to contribute to a mutual inspiration. Moreover, I had a fantastic chance to consult and learn about real educational projects within Pearson.
 

2nd Year University of Southampton - Accounting and Finance

Hi, my name is Sammy, and I am currently in my second year studying Accounting and Finance at the University of Southampton. I really enjoy my course, because I’m into numbers so it allows me to develop these skills, it also gives me the opportunity to learn about other subject areas such as Economics, Marketing, Business Analytics and more. I hope with this degree I can go on to pursue a career in the banking sector.

I found out about this opportunity on LinkedIn, I thought it would be a great opportunity to gain new experiences and skills, work with different people, and help make influential change for a big organisation, so I decided to apply for the PSAB scheme and was lucky enough to be chosen. I would highly recommend applying for this opportunity, as it has improved my research skills, communication skills, equipped me with a mentor to help with placement applications, and has also allowed me to meet people from different universities across the UK studying different courses. It’s an amazing programme!
 

2nd Year University of Liverpool - Chemistry

My name is Yemurai Rabvukwa I study Chemistry at the University of Liverpool. The PSAB programme was advertised on my university’s career website and I thought it would be a great idea to apply. I originally applied in 2017/2018 intake but could not proceed further with the application as I was undertaking Study Abroad in the first semester. However, I applied again for the 2018/2019 as I felt it was an opportunity I couldn’t miss. I wanted to develop my market research skills to help me with my future career and I felt as though being on the board would help me do so.

I love being a board member as the work that I contribute, for the project that I am involved in, will be used to help with the 2019 product launch. It is exciting knowing that my input is being used for real life applications and could potentially make an impact. I also love having a mentor as it is nice having someone to talk to about my long-term goals.