Student Stories
Every year, I run, pro bono, a Make Your Mark Summer School and a Winter School so that young people can experience professional coaching before they enter the workplace full-time. And every year I recruit from each School, a few young people to become Make Your Mark Ambassadors.
These young people, tomorrow's leaders, help organise and participate in the Schools in return for free 1-2-1 and group coaching. They represent a rich mix of disciplines, institutions, nationalities and cultures, and collectively unite around our single mission, which is:
To give more young people, aged 18-25 years, access to Make Your Mark, so they too can experience and benefit from the essential skills professional coaching develops, enabling them to thrive in their personal and professional lives.
Read on to discover more about them, what they learnt, and how they apply their learning to Make their Mark.
Case studies
Emily Mason - Heriot Watt University
Make Your Mark Ambassador
“Learning that will stay with you forever,” is how engineering student Emily Mason describes what she’s taking away from the Make Your Mark with Susan Room® summer school. Discover Emily’s story and why she thinks “this learning could be revolutionary for women in STEM”.
Case studies
Kirsty Mitchell - Heriot Watt University
Make Your Mark Ambassador
Kirsty was a self-proclaimed ‘bad public speaker’ before doing Make Your Mark with Susan Room®. Now, this fourth-year chemical engineering student feels she has the confidence to “do it properly” and “can’t wait to give her next presentation”.
Case studies
Lauren Johnston - Heriot Watt University
Make Your Mark Ambassador
A Master’s student in Business Strategy, Leadership and Change at Heriot-Watt University, Lauren Johnston, jumped at the chance to boost her confidence and learn practical tools to help her overcome anxiety. Now emboldened and empowered, Lauren’s determined to help others experience this programme so they too can find and unlock their potential.
Case studies
Lewis Traill - Edinburgh University
Make Your Mark Ambassador
Lewis Traill knows he’ll graduate with great technical skills when he completes his studies in Mechanical Engineering, but he also knows he’ll need non-technical skills not currently taught at University. Here he shares why Susan’s professional coaching programme is perfect for helping students secure the essential soft skills they need to flourish in their professional and personal lives.
Case studies
Naomi Oamen - Dundee University
Make Your Mark Ambassador
Law student, Naomi Oamen, wanted to get better at articulating herself because that’s going to be key in her chosen profession - as a solicitor. Now she’s a Make Your Mark with Susan Room® student ambassador and is using her new skills to benefit others - particularly those from different backgrounds and race.
Case studies
Beth Thom - Heriot Watt University
Make Your Mark Ambassador 2020/21
International Business Management student at Heriot Watt University, Beth Thom, has attended many presentations but she’d never experienced anything like the Make Your Mark with Susan Room® summer school. Beth shares how she’s become a better version of herself and why all students should have access to this learning.
Case studies
Salman-ur Rehman - Heriot Watt University
Make Your Mark Ambassador 2020/21
A lack of speaking confidence was letting Salman-ur Rehman down in interviews. But with interviews the gateway between his university studies to his desired career as an innovative engineer, Salman was determined to master the art of the interview...
Case studies
Zeynep Aydin - Brown University
Make Your Mark Ambassador 2020/21
When Zeynep Aydin left Turkey to attend Brown University, it was her first time in a native English-speaking environment. Zeynep wanted to better express herself when speaking English, so jumped at the opportunity to explore vocal confidence and speech habits, primarily with a group of native English speakers.
Case studies
Edward Sheasby - St Andrews University
Make Your Mark Ambassador 2020/21
The University of St Andrew’s is known the world-over for its academic excellence. But forth year student Edward Sheasby believes the core skills he learned from Susan are non-existent on the university scene. Discover why Edward describes Susan’s offer as “critical to employability” and “incomparable”.
Case studies
Emma Boyle - Heriot Watt University
Make Your Mark Ambassador 2020/21
Emma Boyle admits to always having been self-critical and having low confidence. Discover how a Make Your Mark with Susan Room® student school helped this ‘International Business Management with Marketing’ student, transform her confidence and her exam results.