Meet the Student Voices!

Rowan

My name is Rowan. I’m a recent graduate from The Royal Centre School Of Speech and Drama where I studied theatre practice and costume construction. I am now about to do my master’s while setting up my own business making sewing patterns inspired by historical clothing.

I volunteer as a Student Voice at TPT because I wanted to support other blind and partially sighted students to fully access education.

I’m hoping that by using my experiences as a partially sighted student studying for an arts degree I can help others navigate some of the barriers I faced, or preferably remove them entirely.

Amber

My name is Amber and I’m a third-year student, studying Medieval and Early Modern History at Chichester University. My dissertation topic is ‘Studying today’s beliefs about medieval England (1377 – 1558) – a place where civilised people had strong emotional bonds and where crimes were punished fairly and justly’. When I complete my degree this year, I hope to continue with a history Masters at the same university.

I joined TPT because I wanted to help other young visually impaired people within education so they can fully access the curriculum and pursue whatever future career they want to. I have had a variety of experiences at different schools and wish to remove some of the barriers that I faced from the paths of other blind and partially sighted people.

Anxhela

I’m Anxhela, I’m 20-years old, and have Uveitis and Glaucoma. I live and study in London – I am currently studying Law LLB. When I finish my Law degree I plan to start studying Graduate Medicine, as my dream career is to be a doctor, though I also have a passion for Art.

I volunteer to make an impact in society. I chose to volunteer with TPT as a Student Voices member because I resonate with TPT’s mission and I believe volunteering is a way to give back to society. I hope to use the opportunity to learn about visual impairment and its impact upon students from different backgrounds.

Currently, I’m writing a blog about my experiences as a student with a visual impairment and as a young carer for my parent.

Paul

As a mature student, I had a gap year lasting nearly 30 years between leaving college and starting university. Despite being born partially sighted (and now registered blind), I have always been an avid reader, and interested in writing. I began my undergraduate studies in Creative Writing at the University of Chichester in 2016, have just completed my Masters, and have now applied to do my PhD.

Throughout research for my studies, I have become interested in law. I have always been a tenacious campaigner and advocate for visually impaired people and believe passionately in getting their voices heard. Therefore, I am now looking to switch my career plans to study Law and become a Barrister specializing in Disability Discrimination, Intellectual Property Law, and Medical Negligence. This is alongside finding a literary agent for my children’s stories featuring my former guide dog, Wanda (pictured), who tells the stories from her own point of view.

I joined the Student Voices group in 2021 and have met some wonderful friends from all around the country who I would never have met without TPT. I look forward to continuing to work with TPT and helping to make the Student Voices group stronger and more successful. We have certainly got off to a very good start.

Khansa

My name is Khansa Maria and I am currently pursuing an MPhil at the University of Oxford. My research focuses on the intersection of cultural understanding of disability, education and employment. At Oxford I am involved with various initiatives to promote accessibility.

I wanted to volunteer with TPT because I firmly believe that we need more people with disabilities to get involved with the advocacy process. I wanted to give back to the community and to continue learning from experts who bridge the gap between the disability community and policy makers.

In the future, I hope to continue working in the inclusion, diversity and equality field with policy makers, cooperate organizations and activists. In my free time, I enjoy exploring different cuisines and contemplating the mysteries of Harry Potter.

Ramneek

Ramneek is a third-year Electrical engineering student at a London university. As an aspiring Design Engineer, problem solving, leadership and creativity are some of the core skills Ramneek brings to the table. As a visually impaired woman in STEM, she has faced a number of challenges throughout her journey, but her resilience and determination has led her to come out the other side much stronger. Ramneek has also been a part of a number of science engagement organisations including In2ScienceUK, where she spent her summer supporting the Cardiovascular Team at University college London and Great Ormond Street Hospital.  In the Stemettes Youth Board, Ramneek is the accessibility consultant and is able to share her story with fellow Stemettes.

She is also an active advocate for inclusion and diversity within the STEM community and was recently crowned the winner of the Samsung Solve for tomorrow competition 2022, where she championed for the visually impaired community and her efforts and achievements in this space were further credited, by being nominated and shortlisted in the TechWomen100 awards 2022.

Zehra

My name is Zehra and I’m currently studying law and sociology at a mainstream 6^th form. When I complete my A levels, I hope to go to university and study law. My ambitions for the future are  to become a barrister  and  advocate for human/disability rights and eventually, to become a judge.

I joined the Student Voices group because I wanted to help  other visually impaired students and advocate for them having equal access to education and get the best experience from it, so  they can achieve their aspirations in their lives.  since I started volunteering with TPT, I have been involved in a technology webinar and Just Like You campaign video which I thoroughly enjoyed taking part and gained valuable experiences.

Aleks

My name is Aleks. I have a variety of different eye conditions with the most impactful being the retinal detachment . I am a marketing student at Middlesex university .

My goals after graduation are to work in advertising or PR, as these areas often involve creativity and ‘outside the box’ thinking – these are skills I both enjoy and excel at. As well as this, I enjoy listening to music, walking in parks, reading classical books, and taking interest in pop culture.

One of the main reasons I am eager to start volunteering is so I can give back to the community. In the past, I have received a lot of support from a number of different charities and organisations. Therefore, I would really like to offer some my own support and services in return, to show my appreciation and to help make the community a better one.