PhD graduate and former postdoctoral research assistant
Cordukes Circle member and Legacy pledger
What was your background before you came to York St John?
I studied at Nottingham University for my first degree (English). Then, in the mid-1980s, while working as a research assistant in a church-related education research institute, I studied at Brunel University for a part-time Masters in Public and Social Administration. At the end of my time at Brunel, my thesis supervisor tried to persuade me to stay on to study for a PhD in education policy. There was no particular topic that fired my imagination and I hadn’t the courage to resign from my job. So, I passed up the chance. But I later regretted that decision. After Brunel, I worked in the central administration at the University of Oxford for 23 years. I took early retirement in the autumn of 2008, not sure what I would do next.
How did you come to study your PhD at York St John?
The next year, a colleague drew my attention to a PhD studentship in Theology and Religious Studies on offer at York St John. As a city, York had always appealed to me; and I’d once attended a conference at York St John, so was familiar with the university campus. I applied for the studentship, with the idea of researching the religious social capital of members of cathedral Friends’ associations. I was successful and eventually embarked on full-time study for the PhD in November 2009.
The studentship presented me with an amazing opportunity, but also represented a massive responsibility. York St John was in the process of applying for research degree awarding powers and had to notch up at least 30 successful PhD completions to evidence its case. The university was investing in me to be one of the 30, so I had to succeed. Some of my classes took place at Leeds University, which ultimately awarded York St John students’ PhDs. Theology and Religious Studies at York St John was a small, friendly department.
Do you have any stand out memories from your time studying here?
I enjoyed their varied seminar series. My supervisors and the other academic staff were great; and administrative staff in the department and throughout the university were extremely supportive. I needed to access many inter-library loans for my research and was immensely grateful to the library staff for their help too. I completed the thesis in early 2013 and graduated in November that year. The ceremony in York Minster was an amazing experience.
While studying at York St John, I was encouraged to publish several academic journal articles. For three years from 2015, I was lucky enough to be employed at York St John as a part-time postdoc research assistant on an outside funded project led by my PhD supervisor. We published further academic journal articles; and in 2019, SCM Press published my book about cathedral metaphors.
What drew you towards leaving a legacy to York St John?
I am immensely grateful to York St John for all the opportunities it has given me; so, I am leaving a gift to the university in my will. The gift is to support research and conference expenses of YSJ postgraduate students working on topics in Theology and Religious Studies at the university.