What’s your name, your course and your role?
My name is Gaynor Wells, and I am in year two of the MSc Speech and Language Therapy course. I have recently taken on the role as the Mature Student Champion at HSU Bournemouth, which is organised through the Student Union.
What made you return to education as a Mature Student?
I always wanted to go to university but never had the opportunity to do this when I was younger, after leaving school at 16 without suitable qualifications. I have always been interested in the English language, including accents and dialect, and worked for an International English Language college in my hometown for nearly thirty years whilst busy with family life and bringing up my two young children.
One day in 2016, I was at home watching a TV programme with my now adult daughter about a mature student in Cambridge. I told my daughter I’d like to do something similar, so I went to Weymouth College and attended a short course in functional skills in Maths and English. These basic qualifications enabled me to enrol onto a year long pre-access course at Weymouth College, followed by an access course for another year. The qualifications I gained from the access course gave me the opportunity to study English Language and Linguistics at Kings College in London at Undergraduate level.
After graduating from Kings College in 2021, I worked from home for a software company on the help desk as an IT support employee. During the summer of 2024, I was at an outdoor event in my hometown of Swanage and began speaking to a lady in the queue for the bar and she told me she was a speech and language therapist. Speech and language therapy as a career option had been highlighted throughout my studies in linguistics, and I thought it sounded interesting and something I would like to pursue. I believe that I was meant to speak to the lady that day and she encouraged me to look around for a course and it was from there that I researched different universities and found HSU. The location of the university appealed to me as it is a commutable distance from my home.
I applied for the course and was unsure whether I would be offered a place due to my age, however it turns out HSU values mature students, as we can often bring experience, transferable skills and a different outlook on life to our studies and future career. I was delighted that my application was successful and I began my current course in January 2025.
How have you found the support available to mature students?
Overall, I think the support for mature students is really good. However, I applied to be the Mature Student Champion because mature students can sometimes feel a bit overlooked within university life. Many of us are juggling other responsibilities alongside studying and are therefore less able to take part in some of the social activities offered on campus, so I’m really glad the Mature Student Network has been set up to provide a dedicated space for mature students. The wellbeing support is excellent, but it would be nice to see more support that focuses specifically on the needs and challenges of mature students.
Have you been able to balance study with work, family and other commitments if so, how?
I’m not working alongside the course at the moment, but balancing other commitments can still be challenging. I manage it by staying organised and using my time carefully. My mum is elderly and lives in Somerset, so I often split my time between Swanage and Somerset to support her and take her to appointments. It can be tough at times, so motivation is really important. I make the most of my time on campus by using the library before and after lectures.
What would you say to someone considering returning to education?
I’d say life’s too short, so give it a go. Lots of people feel imposter syndrome when they return to education and think they’re the only one feeling that way, but that’s really not the case. If you’re able to, try joining a club or society, or just connect with other students if you’re feeling unsure or a bit lonely. I’d definitely encourage anyone thinking about it to go for it.
