International Graduate Ambassadors

Find below a list of our Graduate Ambassadors based internationally. These graduates are from the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. If you’re interested in involving some of our Graduate Ambassadors for an event or activity at the University, please get in touch with givetime@soton.ac.uk

Some of our Graduates are from a Widening Participation and Social Mobility background if you are interested in involving them in a specific event please get in touch on the above email.

Artur Cássio Fernandes – MLang French and Spanish 2019

I enjoy sharing my experiences about studying and working abroad with others, as well as providing guidance and advice where possible.

Skills: One of my biggest skills is being a good communicator as I enjoy talking to others and finding out about what motivates them as well as sharing my own story. I am also quite organised and have good attention to detail. These are all skills which I find valuable and would like to impart to students.

Teacher of English as a Foreign Language, Cambridge School Portugal.

Terence Abeeku Dankyi – PGDip Risk Management 2019

I seek to share insights and personal experiences of my time at Southampton beyond information sourced on the main website, career advisory services and social media platforms. Through anecdotes and open and candid conversations, I hope I can help make prospective students’ feel at ease in their decision to study at a wonderful institution such as this.

My advice for incoming students would be to embrace all facets of opportunities afforded them by the university and the city itself. Beyond the lecture halls, labs, libraries and academic facilities, there’s so much more to see, explore, imbibe and benefit from. So dare to be bold, to try new things and to live your best life while you’re still a student.

Operations Officer, Ghana Deposit Protection Corporation (GDPC)

Arifcan Yilmaz – MSc Civil Engineering 2022

I am volunteering to be a Graduate
Ambassador to share my experiences, career
advice, observations about current trends
and suggestions on how to spend university life in the most efficient way. Knowledge and experience multiply when shared!

Skills: As an international student, I experienced the difficulties and benefits of studying abroad. I have strong communication skills and I am good at giving motivational and encouraging speeches. I have an outgoing personality and I can find common ground with most people. I am working in an important part of the sector and I can share my experiences related to my field. I’ve also served as student chair and board member of a nonprofit university association.

Civil Engineer, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure

Sreebin Kokkal – MSc Business Analytics and Management Science 2023

I am passionate about helping people and believe that by sharing my experiences with University students, I can help them succeed in their studies and beyond.

Skills: I’ve worked in the IT industry for a few years and have developed a variety of skills including leadership, project management and problem-solving. Also, during my time at the University, I learned a great deal about time management and organisational skills, which I can impart to students.

Griselda Valtierra Villalobos – MSc Supply Chain Management and Logistics 2021

I can offer advice for international students, from deciding where and what to study, to scholarships, visas including adjusting to a new education system. I can also share my story through student life talks as a first-generation student.

Skills: I speak English, Spanish and Portuguese fluently and experience in Mental health and wellbeing, as a student and graduate that has been through it, and used the university resources that are available as well as other personal resources.

Solutions Design Analyst at TOC Logistics

Bhavna Sharma – MA Luxury Brand Management 2020

As a Graduate Ambassador, I would be able to help through giving degree advice and taking part in student life talks as an international and mature student I feel my insights would be quite valuable.

Skills: My strongest skill is communication, from my experience as an operations manager in luxury hospitality; and as an international student. I have also honed my networking skills, my management and organisation skills. As a student mentor at University it has also helped me gain strong mentorship skills.

Head of Member Retention and Corporate Accounts at Quintessentially India.

Ella Fletcher – BA Modern Languages 2021

I really enjoy giving advice, both pertinent to my area of studies and to student life in general. I have also have valuable professional experience across many sectors (education, retail, and marketing) and have studied abroad.

Skills: I am confident taking part in online events, including discussions and giving presentations, due to my experience with the Regular Giving team at Southampton.

I am readily contactable and good at giving advice, when needed.

I am dependable and stick to my commitments; I am used to juggling multiple roles at once.

Pursuing her PhD in Linguistics at Universitat d’Alacant, Alicante, Spain.

Roxy Lu – MA Contemporary Curation 2019

I can help students to identify their career goal, shape CVs, and specifically coach their design portfolio production and interview skills. 

Skills: I am confident giving designed career solutions, as I successfully helped at 2 people getting into Amazon and Alibaba, and few others to get into better universities. I’m also confident talking at public events due to my experience performing on stage since a young age.

Creative Designer for Alibaba Group, China.

Mehmet Karaoglan – MSc Advanced Clinical Practice 2019

I was a postgraduate student between 2016-2019 at the faculty of Health Sciences (MSc. Advanced Clinical Practices) and want to stay connected with the university and alumni. I can pass on my postgraduate experiences to new students with short chats via social media apps.

Skills: I would say that during my studies I struggled with writing essays and saving money. However, I gained some inter-personal communication skills both from my supervisor and my personal tutor via face-to-face meetings and emails. So I am confident passing these skills on to new students.

Working as Senior Lecturer at Kahramanmaraş Sütçüimam University, Turkey.

Iyabode Olabisi Dedeke – MSc Neonatology 2019

I am able to guide other students on how to work through part-time learning, meeting their deadlines, and participatory roles during modular discussions.

Skills: I am confident in conducting database search as well as creating project files after my dissertation module. I am focused, and can see the end from the beginning.

Consultant Paediatrician at the Federal Medical Centre Abeokuta, Nigeria.

Nixon Paul – MSc Race Car Aerodynamics 2020

I’ll be able to share my experiences about the course and life at university, and also help prepare prospective students for a new chapter in their life.

Skills: My listening, communication and problem solving skills make me an asset to the team. I was able to gain experience working as a Conversion Ambassador for the University and as a panelist to prepare students to migrate to Southampton.

Engineer at the Ministry of Defence, India.

Konstantina Alexaki – PhD Physics and Astronomy 2022

As a Graduate Ambassador, I would love to help by giving degree advice in all different stages and taking part in student life talks. I am happy to share my passion for studying and working in a laboratory! Being an international student studying at the University of Southampton, I would like to share my experience with other students.

Skills: I am confident in time management and organisation skills as I managed to participate in many extra-curricular activities alongside my PhD journey. I am passionate about working in science and communicating this field with the public. I am enthusiastic about meeting and communicating with new people from all backgrounds due to my 4-year teaching experience at the University of Southampton.

Postdoc Research Fellow at Foundation for Research and Technology, Greece.

Rosmalily Salleh – PhD Education 2020

I’d love to help in any activities such as student life talks, campus recruitment events, sharing information, and answering question from prospective students.

Skills: My positivity and eagerness. I am confident and have experience of being a student ambassador and as a research assistant to professors which has enhanced both the soft and hard skills that involve human relations, research and planning, management, and computer skills.

Principal Assistant Director at Ministry of Education, Malaysia.

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