Class of 2021

Samira Diebire wants to play her part in solving global issues and has made her first steps towards that goal by spearheading Essex’s move to decolonise its curriculum and help create safe and inclusive spaces on campus for Black and minority ethnic students.

Seb Chambers was mesmerised by physical theatre when he watched third-year East 15 Acting School students perform during his Certificate of HE Theatre Arts year and now he’s landed his own dream role with one of the UK’s leading physical theatre companies.

Inspired by an Essex human rights course, Sophie Kabangu plans to change the world by helping others and she’s well on her way thanks to Amnesty International training which helped her found Colchester’s Black Lives Matter movement.

A family tragedy and circumstances beyond his control cut short Adeyemi Awomodu’s earlier attempts at higher education, but a Nigerian Agricultural Engineering degree’s loss was Essex’s gain and 32 years later, Adeyemi is graduating with a BA English Language and Linguistics.

Lottie Grogan and Reanne Black met on East 15 Acting School’s Certificate of HE Theatre Arts. Inspired by their joint love of physical theatre and comedy, they created a show together and now they’ve just returned from showcasing their talents at PhysicalFest in Liverpool.

Anxiety almost prevented Tia Topple from going to university but today, thanks to the support of her lecturers and her own commitment to helping others, she’s graduating with a BSc Sports Performance and Coaching and is well on her way to a career as a sports psychologist.

Amanda Cole has had a fascination for the Cockney accent and a curiosity for how it has reconfigured across Essex since she was a child so, when she was looking for somewhere to study it as a doctoral student there was only really one choice.

Despite a tough 18 months for the theatre industry, Faye Williams has completed a West End work placement and scooped a top East 15 Acting School award which she’s using to fund a trip to the theatre for her fellow students.

Determination, perseverance and supportive friends helped Freya Harvey complete her degree after family heartbreak left her behind with her studies and struggling to keep on top of deadlines.

When Gurhan Gurses’s family relocated to the UK from Turkey in 2010 he worked hard to improve his English skills before studying accountancy, but he soon realised that wasn’t for him and he needed to chase his childhood dream of becoming a sports coach.

Jake Macpherson has always wanted to work in theatre and now, with a prestigious East 15 Acting School award under his belt and experience in a hit London show, he’s well on his way to a career in stage management.

Despite already having a career in human resources, Lauren Young decided to follow her passion and study history, a subject she says offers so much more than people expect. In the process, she’s helped shape courses and been the voice of fellow students.

Inspired by her dad and drawn by its gender equality, Charlotte Gowers knew from a young age she wanted to be a triathlete and now she’s working with a national youth forum inspiring others to join the sport.

Biology is a passion for Rosie Faint - her ambition is to contribute to finding a cure for cancer - so it’s no surprise that when she was faced with completing a final year project in a new field and without access to labs, she rose to the challenge.

Inspired by her own experiences of domestic abuse Sam Howlett is passionate about being the voice of the vulnerable and marginalised. She used her time at Essex to ensure those in the community who needed legal advice got it and advocated for students with children.

Physiotherapy student Zoe Wager has faced her own health challenges as a student but that didn’t stop her from playing a crucial role in the NHS response to Covid-19.

Little did she realise that when she embarked on her BA Criminology and Social Psychology degree Alisha Kaur would be helping to defend the rights of prisoners on Death Row.

Yoana Dancheva is leaving a lasting legacy in the Department of Language and Linguistics where she’s helped shape courses and contributed to research projects.

A seizure disorder made the prospect of university life daunting for Tazi Amey but supportive friends and lecturers, and a home in the Theatre Arts Society ensured she was able to make the most of her Essex experience safely and anxiety-free.

Like many students, when she was leaving sixth form Eleanor Bennett was unsure what she wanted to do, so decided to take a year out of education and instead joined a finance company as an information consultant.

Gatha Jayamohan was drawn to Essex by its multicultural community and relished the opportunity to explore how languages work but her most memorable experience will be how the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted her year abroad.

Matthew Laws always knew he wanted to work in hospitality and be part of people’s special occasions so studying at Edge Hotel School, where he had the chance to work at the Brit Awards, was a no brainer. And he’s landed a great job at the end of it too.

A desire to travel and witnessing democratisation in Lithuania inspired Justas Sankauskas to apply to Essex but it was our diverse international community that really opened his eyes to new cultures and opportunities.

Olivia Brown’s own experiences growing up as a black woman from a working-class background caused her to question from an early age why inequality and injustice dominate for many in society.

After undertaking an internship with the United Nations in Prague, Karolina Mathesova started to consider studying human rights and international relations. This summer she is graduating from Essex with a BA (Hons) in Politics with Human Rights.

Malik Mikel came to Essex with a clear goal in mind – to exceed in his law degree so that he could pursue his life-long ambition of becoming a judge. And not only did he achieve a First, but he was also a student ambassador, had a petition to the US government signed by 17,000 people, produced a TEDx talk, and played for the university football team.