The Inspire Project: Jan Hanson

What is your Ph.D. and why did you choose to study at York SJ? 

I'm currently a second-year Doctorate in Education (EdD) student who is coming to the end of the taught part of the program. My proposed thesis is about finding out why there is a gap in support for neurodivergent and disabled final year students when they move from university to either a graduate scheme or employment. I chose York St. John university because I liked the setup of the EdD program with the fact that there are two years of taught support before having two/four years to complete your thesis. I also like that there are only ten of us in our group as I would find it very difficult with my neurodivergence in a large group for any face-to-face sessions. 

What is your PGR journey, and did you overcome any obstacles pursuing your studies? 

My PGR journey started at the age of sixteen, which was forty years ago when several teachers wrote me off as someone who would never amount to anything because I had failed all of the nine O-Levels I had sat. At this point, my neurodivergence was undiagnosed. I was diagnosed with dyslexia when I was thirty, dyspraxia at the start of my EdD, and ASC in November 2021. I have always wanted to prove these people wrong because I have felt that the system failed me, and I did not deserve the label of thick and stupid just because my way of thinking and working did not fit a logical specific way of being examined/tested. 

To get to where I am today, I have had to jump through so many different hoops because my way of learning and my journey has not been conventional as I have got my qualifications through my profession rather than going directly from school to university. I achieved my degree whilst holding down a full-time job and had two young sons and my husband. They are my inspiration because they have always had the belief in me that I can do it. My husband and I have been together for forty years.  

He has stood by when every educational journey has got tough and in helping me get diagnosed. I had a stroke when I was twenty-eight and our youngest son was eleven weeks old, who was then diagnosed with a heart condition. I am pleased to say we are both well and he is now my proofreader as he loves the English language and how it is constructed, while I still find it a bit of a mystery. My eldest son helps with the computer side of things, ensuring I have the correct technology to assist with the hours of typing I do. He is also the one that has encouraged me to follow my dreams and I want to say a massive thank you to my family because without them, I could never have come this far.  

Who inspired you to study for PGR and why? 

The inspiration for my thesis has been my students.  I have seen the gap in their support and that has inspired me to try to make things better for them in the future. I have been working with these students for five years, therefore I've seen several of them when they started as first-years and have now graduated. It is essential that there is continuity and joined-up thinking to enable them to be confident about their neurodivergence, so this doesn’t manifest into a mental health issue if they start masking in a new work environment. 

How important is it to have the inspiration to drive your PGR? 

Inspiration and passion are paramount to drive you forward with your PGR because otherwise it will stumble, and falter and it will make the long hard days of coding unbearable. If you have inspiration and a purpose, you will be able to break down each step and know there is a reason and an inspiration behind them.