An award-winning radio host, voiceover artist, band manager, promoter, and recent graduate is returning to provide first-hand experience and advice to future students and parents at one of the region’s largest university open days.
Next week (Tuesday, August 18) the University of Sunderland will attract over 1,000 visitors to the city to experience life if they choose to study in the North East – and former student Alex Burgess will be on-hand to provide her recent experience of learning at Sunderland.
Alex, from South Shields, graduated last month with a degree in Media Production, and during her studies managed to get a job as a presenter at Capital FM and start her own company, Lone Wolf Promotions, managing local bands.
She said: “I started off at the University’s student radio station Spark FM and thought this could be a career, and I could get the education alongside it, so that really pushed me into doing the degree at Sunderland.
“I can’t believe it has been over a month since graduation. It was so nice to celebrate all of our hard work. I think studying at Sunderland has certainly helped me realise my strengths, and given me opportunities in radio that I didn’t even know were possible for me.
“It’s given me a vocation which I’m excited to explore now that I’ve graduated.”
The Open Day, on Tuesday August 18, will be held at the Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s, and visitors will be able to meet lecturers, take a tour of the University buildings and accommodation, including the television and radio studios, and meet current and former students like Alex.
Running from 9:30am until 4pm there will also be a specific talk for anyone interested in postgraduate study, as well as the opportunity to talk to staff about fees, funding, and scholarships on offer at the University of Sunderland.
Alex can’t speak highly enough about her time at the University, including winning Best Female in the 2013 National Student Radio Awards, on the back of which saw the 22-year-old become Capital FM’s youngest ever presenter.
She added: “I am looking at doing more shows at Capital now I have graduated, which is exciting – I’m going to be doing a week of overnight shows per month. It’s all a steep learning experience, but I am loving it so far.”
To pre-register for the Open Day, and to find out more information on how to get there, visit: www.sunderland.ac.uk/opendays