The Student Sessions

On this episode, Sandali from Aston University chats with Tonia about her journey navigating a new country when moving to the UK for university and how she managed to adjust to her new life and becoming independent. Listen to more of Sandali on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Buzz Sprout!

In this episode of the Student Sessions, Liverpool John Moores University student, Charlotte, talks with us about the emotional difficulty she faced when transitioning to university life, a struggle many others are experiencing, and advice on how she overcame the overwhelming feelings of it all. Hear more from Charlotte by listening to her episode on the Student Sessions!

Is it important to target people in their early career? In this episode, we sit down with Sharon, a seasoned professional with 32 years of experience at Coca-Cola across sales, finance, and HR. Sharon shares how her team works closely with psychologists to create safe, supportive environments where young employees can express their anxieties, grow with confidence, and thrive in their early careers. Why focus on early career support? Sharon explains how investing in young talent benefits both ...

Overcoming barriers and self-celebration, Jason Arday Professor Arday is Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Cambridge, Faculty of Education. He is a Trustee of the Runnymede Trust, the UK’s leading Race Equality Thinktank and the British Sociological Association (BSA). Jason sits on the Centre for Labour and Social Studies (CLASS) National Advisory Panel, the NHS Race and Health Observatory Academic Reference Group and the ITV Cultural Advisory Council. Professor A...

Professor Seun Kolade, Head of Research at Sheffield Business School, is a seasoned academic with a focus on digital transformation, circular economy, and transformative entrepreneur Ing. A recognised agile leader and senior fellow of the Higher education Academy (SFHEA), Prof Kolade is the author of more than 80 academic outputs, and has led numerous funded projects and international collaborations.

Imposter Syndrome, Wellbeing and Self-Care, Peter Olusoga Dr Peter Olusoga is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Sheffield Hallam University. His PhD thesis, completed in 2012, focused on stress and coping in elite sports coaching, and his current research focuses on burnout and well-being in high-performance environments. Dr Olusoga is a BPS Chartered Psychologist, an experienced consultant, and host of the award-winning sport and performance psychology podcast, Eighty Percent Mental. ...

Building relationships and connections, Alberta Mason, L’Oreal Alberta Mason is a Senior Talent Acquisition Manager within L’Oréal UK and Ireland. With 20 years of experience specialising in graduate and senior level recruitment, she is an innovative and passionate industry expert who, during the pandemic, amassed a tiktok audience of 10,000 through providing bite sized employability support online. Alberta currently manages the L’Oréal for Youth programme, which is the business’s...

Take Action: Get out of your comfort zone, Reggie Nelson Reggie Nelson is most recognised by the media as the young man who went ‘from East London to the City’, by knocking on people’s doors in wealthy areas for life advice. Reggie is an Associate for a Private Equity firm in London, and a two-time published author. His latest book is a memoir called “Opening Doors”, which is available online and in all good bookstores. In this episode, Reggie gives us an insight into his journey and di...

Comfort zones: Getting to know and embracing the real you, Adenike Abidoye Adenike Abidoye is a finance professional with 24 years of corporate work experience, mostly in the Oil & Gas sector. She holds a master's degree in forensic accounting from Sheffield Hallam University, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, and an Associate member of the Institute of Certified Management Accountant of Australia and New Zealand. Adenike is currently a Lecturer an...

Navigating the Doctoral Application Process, Associate Professor Alisha Ali Alisha Ali is an interdisciplinary and internationally recognised social scientist researching sustainable development in service industries. She is an Associate Professor and Head of Research Degrees in the Social and Economic Research Institute at Sheffield Hallam University and Vice-Chair of the Council for Hospitality Management Education (CHME). In this episode Alisha takes us through what to expect when ma...

Tips for Effective Time Management, Lucy Ndlovu Lucy is a PR and Communication Specialist and Founder of Progressive Talent CCIC, an Organisation aimed at advocating for Black Professional Women in the workplaces. A Community Advocate and passionate about volunteering and making an impact in the community she lives in. Lucy is a recipient of BAME scholarship award (ASPIRE) where she received the 2022 inaugural prize. Passionate about mentoring and promoting cultural change in the commun...

Positive thinking: Developing a winning mindset, Dr Charles Egbu What is a positive mindset and how do we develop one? In this episode Professor Charles Egbu shares his thoughts and tips. A British Academic who has over 30 years’ experience of the Higher Education Sector Dr Charles is Vice-Chancellor of Leeds Trinity University. His First Degree was in Quantity Surveying [First Class Honours, UK]. His Doctorate was obtained from the University of Salford, UK, in the area of ...

ASPIRE: Breaking racial barriers in the academy, Dr Francis Awolowo In the first episode of the series we discuss the ASPIRE programme at Sheffield Hallam University, with the person behind the idea and the programme leader, Dr. Ifedapo Francis Awolowo. Dr Francis is an accomplished scholar with a wealth of academic achievements. With 7 degrees, including a distinguished PhD in Forensic Accounting, Dr. Awolowo has established himself as a leading authority in his field. Currently servin...

In this episode of The Student Sessions, Reagan and Tonia have a chat with Erykah and Khadija about their internship experiences. Erykah and Khadija are both from Cardiff University and give some great advice on what it is like to work at a company during an internship. It’s more than learning the practical skills of the job, you also learn a lot about yourself and develop your core skills like team work and self-confidence – both of which Erykah and Khadija say are so important in finding f...

Today Reagan chats with 3rd year Law student, Rebbecca Knight about her experiences with their internship at Birmingham Airport. We discuss; how taking an internship improves your self-confidence, gaining valuable core and industry skills, and the support you can expect from your university careers team.