Sara Hanson

Why Teesside University?

I wanted to be far enough away from home to experience independent living, but close enough that I could visit home regularly. I attended an open day and liked the culture of the University and the town.

Tell us about your course

Business studies covered a broad range of topics and I liked the option to specialise in certain modules. One module required us to develop a marketing plan in partnership with a local business, it was scary but gave me real-word experience. I enjoyed the organisational development/culture modules, as well as the modules that focused on the human side of business. My course also offered a great placement year, helped by the career services.

What did you think about living in Teesside?

Living with complete strangers who were in the same situation as me helped us to bond and form life-long friendships. It was a steep learning curve in independent living.

How was student life?

I always lived quite close to campus, allowing me to visit the Student’s Union and local pubs. I also learned Japanese for two years and was secretary and then chair of the Horse Riding Club. Working as a paid mentor also helped my CV.

What have you done since graduating?

It is 18 years since I graduated. I was interested in pursuing a career in training and development, which evolved into organisational development and building company cultures. I moved into the field of corporate social responsibility holding general roles such as director of corporate responsibility and more specialist roles in charitable programming. I have worked for BP Amoco, ITVplc, Camelot Group and currently for The Walt Disney Company.