Students
Imelda Azabuike
Nursing at Stow (2006-7) * Graduated in 2011 from GCU with a degree in Adult Nursing
Imelda is the mother of three young children, one of whom was born during the course of her studies. She graduated in 2011 with a degree in Adult Nursing from Glasgow Caledonian University. Since embarking upon the Access to Nursing programme at Stow College, Imelda has been busily acquiring and perfecting good study skills, but she reflects that it is probably her excellent time-management skills that have been most crucial to her success. Like many of her classmates, she had to juggle multiple responsibilities - her young family, her studies and her mentoring work – and believes it was important to keep on top of things. ‘If you let one thing slip it affects the others and has a knock-on effect,” she says.
Most of Imelda’s university classmates were younger than twenty-five, but this did not affect her negatively. In fact, she believes that there was a good balance between mature and younger students, with the younger students being more ahead in terms of technology and the more mature students bringing their life experience to discussions.
Imelda admits that the course was tough but she was always aware that there would be problems to overcome along the way and, as long as she looked for help and was determined, she knew she could complete it. She was aware that her family commitments might make things a bit more challenging but says, “That’s why I worked harder!”
At GCU, she was very active in student life, serving as a Class Representative and as a volunteer Student Mentor for the University. She was promoted to Senior Leader for the PASS (Peer Assisted Study Support) programme and, despite her busy schedule, continued to devote some of her time to helping other students right up until graduation.
When asked how returning to education has affected her she says: “My confidence has increased so much. Throughout my return to education there has been a huge change in my personality. I have the ability to speak to people now, individually and in groups. I can articulate well, and can manage my life and everything that revolves around it. It has made me a balanced person.”
Most of Imelda’s university classmates were younger than twenty-five, but this did not affect her negatively. In fact, she believes that there was a good balance between mature and younger students, with the younger students being more ahead in terms of technology and the more mature students bringing their life experience to discussions.
Imelda admits that the course was tough but she was always aware that there would be problems to overcome along the way and, as long as she looked for help and was determined, she knew she could complete it. She was aware that her family commitments might make things a bit more challenging but says, “That’s why I worked harder!”
At GCU, she was very active in student life, serving as a Class Representative and as a volunteer Student Mentor for the University. She was promoted to Senior Leader for the PASS (Peer Assisted Study Support) programme and, despite her busy schedule, continued to devote some of her time to helping other students right up until graduation.
When asked how returning to education has affected her she says: “My confidence has increased so much. Throughout my return to education there has been a huge change in my personality. I have the ability to speak to people now, individually and in groups. I can articulate well, and can manage my life and everything that revolves around it. It has made me a balanced person.”
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