Megan Crooks

Why did you choose Northumbria University?

Newcastle is a great city with great opportunities, being such a large student city there is always something to do and the night life is fantastic. The course offered at Northumbria seemed to be a good balance of exactly what I wanted to do, and even  though the course was offered elsewhere Northumbria's stood out due to the varied methods of teaching.

What do you think of Newcastle and our region and what are your favourite things to do?

I love a big night out with the girls and Newcastle really gives this the chance to happen - no matter what night of the week there is always an event or gig to suit everyone's taste.

What has surprised you most about living in Newcastle and this region? What has impressed you most?

Although I am originally a local girl, living within the University grounds really creates a lively enjoyable atmosphere which I was surprised to find within a city campus.

Did you find Northumbria University welcoming?

From moving into halls on my first day to coming to my first lecture I have always found it really easy to chat and make friends with peers as well as approach members of staff with any questions.

Who has inspired you most at Northumbria University?

I have an amazing set of friends around me who are always there for advice, however the main people I feel have inspired me are the girls from my course. ITMB is usually thought of as mainly male, however there are some girls on the course and we're always cheering along each other's progress and providing support when we can.

What is the best thing about your course?

I could not recommend ITMB any more highly, from what I have told my friends they all say they wish they had done this course. They say it's an unfair advantage as it offers a great balance of IT and Business so you know how to apply your IT skills in a business environment. As the course is written by many large companies we are exactly what they are looking for. ITMB also offers many opportunities to meet with the employees and ask questions and make yourself known. The ITMB events are held twice a year and allow you to meet some amazing employees and find out first-hand what they are looking for. If that isn't enough the support and encouragement to complete a placement year is second to none, with support from completing your CV to the pat on the back when you receive an offer. So overall you can probably tell I think my course itself is the best thing.

Have you worked on any projects with businesses or been on a placement?

ITMB offers amazing opportunities to participate in business-run competitions, creating some amazing experiences. I entered a competition run by Cap Gemini which required you to create a marketing solution for a company, on developing a solution teams were knocked out at each stage, putting my team mate and I in the final five. We had an all-expenses paid trip to London where we presented our ideas to the company's executives, and on finishing the day we were awarded second place. Another amazing thing to add to my CV.

Have you taken up any opportunities to travel with your current course or undertake field trips?

Since starting university I have participated in several competitions that are open to ITMB students. One of the competitions I entered was through P&G, where I was partnered with another ITMB student from across the country. We were required to communicate and complete specific tasks, and after each task some teams were knocked out. We reached the final five, and were invited to attend a competition day where we all competed head to head. On winning this event my team mate and I were invited to the world finals. The world finals were held in Frankfurt, Germany and created amazing opportunities to work alongside many students from around the world in the P&G head office. The all-expenses paid week really put you in the business world with many tasks to complete each day. Overall the experience was amazing and I would recommend anyone spends the little bit of extra time and enters competitions. It really makes your CV shine!

If you could offer some advice to students thinking of coming to study here what would you say?

Visit the University and see how you feel - at the end of the day it's all about you feeling comfortable in what you're doing.

How do you feel you have changed as a person since being at Northumbria University?

I feel I have developed as a person becoming a lot more independent as well as understanding how to find a balance of work and play.

If you had three words to sum up your time with us what would they be?

Best years of my life! Not really three words.

Would you recommend Northumbria University to a friend?

Yeah!

For more information about me, visit:

http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/megan-crooks/a6/109/749