Daneen Cowling

BSc Geography

1. What has been the highlight of your time at Exeter?

The highlight of my programme at Exeter was the opportunity to make friends and professional contacts throughout the degree. This was due to the extremely social nature of my course (field trips, etc) and the many jobs, events, and organisations you can become a part of. My most memorable activity was the Student Staff Liaison Committee, which allowed me to create a large network of friends and ‘colleagues’ within and outside the university. This amplified my experience and opened up new friendship circles, which has been a real highlight. I also enjoyed meeting different professionals who gave me insights and knowledge, and exposed me to new opportunities. This was helpful in terms of course-related work and career prospects.

2. What will you miss the most about University?

I will really miss always being with friends (in lectures, the library and on nights out).

3. What did you enjoy about your particular programme?

I have enjoyed all of it! It’s been an extremely flexible course from the get-go, from allowing me to pick up a Biochemistry module in first year to going in a completely new direction for my dissertation. The support has been amazing! Of course, the field trips stand out as possibly the most enjoyable parts of the course (I went to Iceland). You can put into practice what is learnt in lectures and apply to real field sites alongside leading specialists in the field. We were introduced to new technologies and findings from teaching experts and applied these to our learning.

4. What advice would you give to current and future students?

Don’t be afraid to say yes! There is so much to do and get involved with at university and these options are limited to your three years. Get stuck in with as much as possible (but not so much it disrupts work-load). This is especially true for academic related activities. Joining committees and getting involved with the department will improve your engagement and make you more employable when you leave. Go to lots of important meetings and accomplish things you want to do, and attend loads of fun awards events! Once you leave, these countless opportunities will no longer be available so it’s smart not to waste them, you never know what they might lead to!

5. What are your plans now that you have graduated?

After finishing my summer internship with Arc Consulting (environmental consultancy) and Artecology (ecological engineering), I will be starting a new position as Assistant Project Manager at ADAS, for the HS2 project. This role (I hope) will lead to more large-scale land management projects around the world that I look forward to getting involved with.