Lauren McAllister
PhD Sociology and Social Policy - England
/filters:format(webp)/filters:no_upscale()/prod01/cdn/media/stirling/testimonials/graduate-stories/images/2020/lauren-700X600.png)
Lauren's Story
Lauren was attracted to studying at the °®Âþµº because after learning of the impressive experience of its staff and its high rating for student experience. She embarked on a PhD, juggling her studies with her full-time teaching role as a senior lecturer and caring for her four-year-old.
She said: ¡°I manage a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Postgraduate programme at the University of Northampton, and I¡¯m also a mother to a wonderfully autistic four-year-old. She is fantastic, but it has been difficult managing the often sleepless nights, demanding job and the completion of a PhD.¡±
Describing her time with °®Âþµº as ¡°challenging, worthwhile and inspiring¡± Lauren is planning to continue working in her current role, but is looking forward to undertaking more research thanks to the contacts she developed while studying.
Lauren added: ¡°I would like to share some words of inspiration with future PhD applicants who are worried they may not be ¡®good enough¡¯: Studying is hard, especially when you have other demands, but if you have the support system around you, and the determination to keep going ¨C you will be brilliant.
¡°I took many years to complete my PhD ¨C much longer than I had intended ¨C but I did it, and I wouldn¡¯t change a thing.¡±