Kerrie Gillespie wants to make sure all school students have the opportunity to receive an education.
Today she is celebrating the end of four years of studying English in Aberdeen, but her graduation does not mark the end of her time at university.
She will soon begin another course to achieve one of her “long-term goals” of becoming an English teacher.
The 21-year-old said: “I hope that I can provide students with excellent teaching, knowledge and guidance because I never got that whilst I was at school.
“I went to secondary school in a really disadvantaged area which meant I had many academic challenges to overcome, such as a lack of teachers, facilities, and extra help with exams.
“I had no permanent English teacher for five months before my higher exams, I guess that’s one of the reasons why I want to pursue this.
“I am determined to ensure no young people have to go through that. Education is extremely valuable.”
Hard work pays off
Despite the challenges she experienced at school, Miss Gillespie said hard work and support from friends and family helped her succeed academically.
She added: “I hope that anyone experiencing difficulties in school will always know that they are ‘smart’ enough and they do have what it takes.”
Miss Gillespie, from St Combs, said she felt relieved walking across the stage at P&J live to achieve her degree.
She was originally influenced by a family member to study in Aberdeen and was won over by the “outstanding teaching” available, which meant she knew there would be something to suit her.
Managing to complete her dissertation was a stand-out moment for Miss Gillespie, who was also able to explore other areas of interest over the past four years – including writing for a female-led student magazine and assembling a collection of her own poetry.
- To find out who else is graduating from Aberdeen University this week, take a look at our interactive list below.
Conversation