LTU Alumni Panel from left to right: Mia Haggar (Social Media Manager at Wicksteed Park), Matt Dudley (Co-founder of Sports News Blitz), Georgia Levy-Collins (Journalist at BBC Leeds), Liam Mould (Fan Engagement at Bradford City).
With degrees ranging from Broadcast Journalism to Sports Journalism, all four graduates are now in full-time employment and praised the teaching, resources and personal development skills learnt at their time at the Horsforth Campus.
Sitting on the sofa of the lecture theatre alumni were once taught in, Darren Harper, Senior Lecturer in Journalism introduced the LTU Alumni Panel as “one of the most important talks of the week.”
Leeds Trinity Alumni Panel Guest Speakers:
- Mia Haggar, Social Media Manager at Wicksteed Park
- Matt Dudley, Co-founder of Sports News Blitz
- Liam Mould, Fan Engagement Officer at Bradford City FC
- Georgia Levy-Collins, Journalist at BBC Leeds
“Pay attention in your newsdays, because that’s how it is when you go into a newsroom” said Georgia Levy-Collins, who graduated in 2022 with a MA in Journalism and now works for BBC Leeds. “Everything I’ve learnt on the courses, I’ve used (…) the telly studio they have in the gallery here, it looks like that when I go and help produce the Look North bulletin.”
The panel discussed both their anxieties and excitement of their time at university, and all students complimented the ways in which Leeds Trinity prepared them for industry.
Alumni also highlighted the room for entrepreneurship after their degrees. Matt Dudley, Co-founder of Sports News Blitz shared his experience of founding a sports news page with his placement contact. “We founded SNB, as it’s supposed to be a platform for people like yourselves to gain valuable hands-on experience.”
The alumni students added that the skills learnt in both the undergraduate and postgraduate programs were transferable to a range of industries including Social Media Manager to Sports Fan Engagement Officer.
“I still have a social media and journalistic head on (…) the creative angle, looking at how I can put the club in the correct light – my PR head is always on” said Liam Mould who studied Sports Journalism and now works for Bradford City FC.
Sharing fond memories of the years spent in the TV and Radio studios, all of the graduate students encouraged the audience before them to take every opportunity that is thrown at them and utilise the high-tech equipment available for free loan at the Media Centre based at the University.
“Always say yes, even if it isn’t the job you want, you can make your way up.”
Four months after winning the Graduate Futures Award, and sitting first place for Journalism on the Guardian University Guide, Leeds Trinity University’s Alumni Panel sat on the panel as a complimentary exemplar of the University’s high rankings.
If you, or someone else you know is interested in either an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, open days for Leeds Trinity University 2027/28 academic year are now available to book online at: Open Days – Study – Leeds Trinity University