Thousands of DMU students graduated in July after years of hard work. We reported some of their stories in our Class of 2015 series...
Meeting members of the Royal Historical Society when they visited De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) earlier this year helped Nick Parkes to confirm where his future lay.
Nick, who will be graduating with a 2:1 in History BA (Hons), got a chance to talk to the eminent historians when they came for the day to help open the new DMU Heritage Centre and give a lecture on the life, reputation and legacy of Simon De Montfort – the 13th-century Earl of Leicester after whom the university is named.
He said: “I was getting advice on what to do next and came to the conclusion I couldn’t really see myself doing anything other than researching, writing, teaching and lecturing.”
He has decided to take a master’s in history and hopes to continue his studies to PhD level: “My time at DMU has not just taught me dates and events from the past, but actual real-life skills that I can use in the future. The topics being studied force you to adapt your learning to include a variety of different sources, and my analytical skills have improved greatly as a result. I feel that I am a much more rounded historian than I would be had I studied at another university - and had I not been here I do not think I would want to go into further study.
But Nick’s time in Leicester has not just been about his academic achievements – he’s thrown himself into many areas of university life: “The best thing about DMU is the opportunities. There’s so much you can do outside of your area of study, whether that be in a sports team, volunteering or travelling – so make sure you explore every avenue and see everything on offer. It also helps you to stand out and it’s great for your CV.”
In February this year Nick visited Berlin with #DMUglobal, the ground-breaking programme which aims to offer the majority of DMU students an international experience. “I went to a film festival for a week with the Film Studies group – I was doing my dissertation on East Berlin and managed to merge the two together.”
A £200 bursary helped to pay for flights and went towards his hotel. “As well as enjoying classic films like Goldfinger on the big screen, it was great to experience another culture and visit the weekend markets. I did a lot of research for my dissertation at museums, archives and visitor centres. I also got a chance to interview Berliners, which meant I could use case studies as well as historical evidence.”
He also took part in the Square Mile programme, helping two Year 11 pupils manage their time and cope with exam stress: “DMU has given me the opportunity to mentor students from New College Leicester, which was just as rewarding for me as it was, hopefully, for them! Seeing the progress they made really made me feel like I had made a difference.”
Over the summer Nick was accepted onto the DMU Graduate Champions programme, taking a six-week paid internship as a market research analyst for Leicester City Council.
He said: “It went really well – I found it extremely enjoyable and my supervisor was very pleased with my work. I created a questionnaire to find out how we could encourage more visitors at places such as New Walk Museum, Newarke House, the Guildhall and De Montfort Hall.”
Nick concluded: “DMU has done loads for me. I came here not really fully believing in myself, but will be leaving full of confidence and ready for life ahead.”
Posted on Wednesday 15 July 2015