Volunteer focus: Samuel Ajayi

You probably know that university life depends on great lecturers and academics, engaged students who feel they belong, and fantastic staff who keep all the plates spinning behind the scenes. What you may not be so aware of is the army of volunteers who we depend on to take a good university experience and make it exceptional.

Volunteers like Samuel Ajayi.

Samuel graduated from Southampton in 2019 with a BA in Film Studies. During the course, he developed a talent for entrepreneurship, spotting an opportunity to combine his love of film with another passion: digital innovation.

Alongside his role as a Product Manager at Channel 4, Samuel is driving forward his own venture, the Film Finder app. The app is designed to help people discover great films at lightning speed, answering that burning question: what should I watch next?

“Scrolling through streaming platforms looking for a film can be a painful experience,” says Samuel. “Once I realised how many people struggle to find something to watch, I knew I had to build a solution—and thus Film Finder was born.”

Now, as an alumnus, Samuel is helping students to explore the point where their talent and passion meet while equipping them with the insights to make these aspirations a reality.

Samuel shares his experiences with a global audience of students and recent graduates through E-Mentoring Southampton, regularly speaks on Humanities alumni career panels to highlight the diverse career options on offer to Humanities students, and delivers workshops as part of Southampton Business School’s year-long employability programme, the Talent Development Programme.

Realising opportunities

It’s the wide range of skills and experiences that Samuel’s had, both in his career and his entrepreneurial innovation, that have shown him the importance of going that extra mile for people. While at Southampton, he was sure to take advantage of all the opportunities on offer, many made possible by alumni volunteers.

As a student himself, Samuel attended employability sessions, CV clinics and career-focused guest lectures, developing a particular interest in entrepreneurship through societies and initiatives such as Take Off and Fish on Toast. Now, Samuel is volunteering to make this possible for current students.

“What I learned had a huge impact on how I think and work, and I’m still benefiting from that today. For example, how to do an elevator pitch. I went to workshops and practised, and eventually internalised it, and every time I go to networking events I sharpen that skill. Now it’s almost like a superpower!”. In August 2024, Samuel won The Kickback’s business pitch competition through using his skills and experience to pitch Film Finder.

Passing on the torch

“There are many lessons I learned throughout university and in my career that I wish I’d known earlier. I started volunteering to share these insights, helping students navigate challenges like uncertainty, anxiety, and developing a proactive, opportunity-seizing mindset which sets them up for future success.”

Samuel feels his recent experience of university, and shared experiences with other students, makes him easy to relate to, but it’s something he knows he’s also benefitted from.

“Connecting with students, empathising with their struggles, and offering guidance has not only allowed me to support them but has given me the chance to reflect on my own university journey—helping me preserve the meaningful memories and lessons I might have otherwise forgotten.”

Get involved in your Southampton Together community

Support your university community through E-Mentoring Southampton

Register with E-Mentoring Southampton today to connect with students and recent graduates around the world ready to take the first steps in their career.

– Give back to your global Southampton community by sharing your career insights and advice.

– Raise your employer’s international profile.

– Gain professional development through mentoring.

– Connect with alumni from around the world.

All you need to get started is a preferred email address or a LinkedIn profile. Join E-Mentoring Southampton now to start building your global network.

Mentor a student team in the Universities Business Challenge 

Want to inspire the next generation of business leaders?

The Universities Business Challenge is the world’s leading online simulation-based inter-university competition designed to develop students’ employability and enterprise skills. Each University of Southampton student team is coached by an experienced alumni mentor to help them navigate the challenges they will face as they climb through this competition.

If you are interested in mentoring a team later in the calendar year, please email GiveTime@soton.ac.uk for more information.