Luke Champion

BA Politics and International Studies 2016

What did you enjoy about your degree programme?

My degree grants a huge amount of freedom. Rarely do you feel tied to answering a specific question. Almost always I was free to challenge a theory I disagreed with, design a question to explore, and near the end of my degree, design my own theory. It felt as if I could set my degree on my own terms which made it a far more rewarding experience, instead of being confined to narrow restrictions.

Tell us about the award you have received. What does this award mean to you?

I received the Victor Wiseman Politics Prize, for the best undergraduate result of my year group. It has been a true honour to receive the award; three years ago if you had told me I would get a first I would never have believed you, let alone be top of my year. As such, it is hard to put one word to what it means to me to have achieved this after three years work. However, I can say that it has shown me what I am capable of and it is incredibly gratifying to have my efforts acknowledged in this manner.

What has been the highlight of your time at Exeter?

It is hard to pick one moment as the highlight of my experience at Exeter as I have had a number of different great experiences ranging from sublime days on the beach, visiting the ever glorious Club-I or receiving a high grade on a paper I cared about. Therefore, I will keep my answer broad. I would have to say that my first two months of first year was my highlight, every day met new people, learnt more about the ones I knew and got to top it off with some truly memorable nights out.

What will you miss the most about University?

Definitely the people. Ive made some the best friends I have ever had here and if I didnt get to live with them then they were never too far away to see or (usually) too busy to go out for an evening. The lecturers were also extremely friendly and by the end of three years were much closer to being friends than tutors. Together this made both social and academic life very enjoyable.

What advice would you give to current and future students?

Although it is not easy, try to be as adaptable and open-minded as you can. University can take you to a number of places and it is a chance to explore your interests, even ones you didnt previously know about. So just be prepared to try loads out, meet lots of people and at times work hard. Do that and it is impossible not to have a fun time.

What are your plans now that you have graduated?

In the short term I am going to do a ski season; it is something I have always wanted to do and it is my version of a year out (as I did not take one before I joined Exeter). Career wise, I cannot say with 100% confidence where I would like to find myself. That said, I am leaning towards a career in the oil and gas industry, seeing where my degree could be relevant.