Alumni

Lauren Groves

What are you doing now?

I'm a Regional Director for HostelCulture International. We provide tours to backpackers all over Europe in order to enhance their traveling experience, and promote hostels and hostelling online. I oversee our tours and other offline services in four cities.

How did studying at Northumbria help you achieve your career goals / give your career an edge?

Northumbria always gave me the flexibility to really make it my degree and allowed me to get what I wanted out of it. My year studying abroad as part of my course and an additional deferred year before completing my degree gave me the time to gain lots of valuable experience and transferable skills that made my CV stand out amongst many others.

What was the best thing about your course?

The staff in the MFL department were amazing throughout my degree - they were always highly professional and extremely encouraging.

Which skills/knowledge did you learn on your course that you use most now/throughout your career?

The communication skills that I learned throughout my course (not just in foreign languages) have been invaluable in many aspects of my career. As a senior manager of large teams of staff, it would be impossible to do my job without being able to communicate effectively.

What did you enjoy most about your time at Northumbria University?

I love that the campus is quite compact but that you're also on the doorstep of an amazing city. Spending a few years living in Newcastle was fantastic!

What advice would you give somebody who is thinking of studying at Northumbria?

If there is a course that fits what you're looking for then have no hesitation in applying - you'll have a blast and end up with a great degree from a top university, and there are plenty of opportunities to gain loads of extra skills along the way too.