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Josh

There is honestly no better job for a student at York. It's super flexible, offers really engaging work and opportunities and it allows for you to really connect with and help shape the student community.

Student ambassador Josh

Your degree: BA Criminology

Your college: Halifax

Your year of study: 3rd 

Your hometown/place you lived before coming to York: Tunbridge Wells, Kent

What type of school did you attend: Catholic Comprehensive Secondary/Sixth Form

Fun fact about yourself: I’m half Maltese! 

Favourite place in York: The Shambles

Tell us about something you’re involved with outside of your studies…
Avid member of Halifax Running Club, also member of CrimSoc and SocSoc.

Why did you choose the University of York?
I loved the way the city and campus were separate, giving me a nice distinction between social life and studies. I also really liked the modules available to me on my course, as they linked directly to the career I’m interested in pursuing after uni.

What’s your favourite thing about the University of York?
The collegiate system at York is really great. It gives you a little extended family outside your house and course, as well as providing a great environment for friendly competition in sport within the University community – which is really appealing personally.  

Why did you decide to apply to become an SA?
It seemed like a really flexible job that I could work around my studies and social life, there simply aren’t any other jobs like this in the city, oh and it paid really well too! 

What did you think it would involve and how right was that prediction?
I knew it would involve open days and engaging with prospective students which was correct, but I didn’t know I would be able to get involved in things like filming and residential trips, which have been super fun.

Did you have any concerns before applying or when starting and what were they?
Only one, which was the application process, which was soon put at ease.

What is it like being an SA?
It's fantastic! There is honestly no better job for a student at York than that of an SA. It's super flexible, offers really engaging work and opportunities and it allows for you to really connect with and help shape the student community, which I found really rewarding.

What types of SA work have you been involved in?
I have been involved in virtual open days, student-led panels for prospective students, filming of promotional uni material, the YorJourney Summer Programme and helping out during clearing.

What would you say to encourage those of other genders, backgrounds, ethnicities to apply?
We need you! Honestly, the more representative the SA programme is the more effective of a tool it is for representing the University and encouraging students from differing backgrounds to come to York. It is through the diversity of Student Ambassadors that we can nurture connections in prospective students that may otherwise have felt out of place. 

How do you think you have benefited both at University and how it may help you in your future job search/career?
I have benefited from living independently and from doing things for myself first and foremost. In regard to my future job search/career I’m relatively fortunate in that I know what I’d like to go into after uni, so with that in mind I have been able to construct a degree tailored to that and provide myself with the best possible opportunity for getting into it in the near future.

Are you glad you became/are an SA? Why would you encourage others to become an SA and why?
I am glad I became an SA, I would say to anyone thinking about becoming an SA to just give it a shot, it is probably one of the only jobs with literally zero strings attached, so if it's not for you there’s absolutely no problem! But that leads me to my next point, and that would be how diverse the opportunities are that are provided to SAs, to the point where it is almost impossible for the job to not be for you. I’d say if you want a rewarding position that actively does good for your student community and want to make a good amount of money in the process, then being an SA is most definitely the role for you.