Mandy is part of the Student Advice and Guidance team. She’s here to support students with money and budgeting to help avoid running into financial difficulties.
What does being part of the Sussex Community mean for you?
For me it’s about the students, offering support and advice and hopefully making their lives a little easier so they can focus on their learning. The most exciting thing about my work is meeting people from all over the world.
My work is about connecting with students on an individual human level. I love it when a student begins to understand how managing their money well can impact every aspect of their lives, not just for their time at university but for the rest of their life.
Can you recommend any campus resources or clubs that have been particularly meaningful to you?
I am particularly impressed by the work that is done by the staff at the Meeting House and by the chaplaincy. The Meeting House Pantry provides food and other essentials to the most vulnerable of our students as well as running regular food-related events.
Are there any misconceptions about your role that you'd like to clarify?
I often get confused with the Finance Division, the Student Accounts team, Accounts Receivable, and the Student Funding Team. Whilst my work does sometimes crossover with theirs, my main focus is helping students to look at their finances overall and find ways to maximise income and minimise expenditure to avoid running into financial difficulties whilst they are studying.
Can you share a fun or interesting fact about yourself that people might not know?
One of my first jobs was as a bus conductor with London buses, I could not drive but at that time you could train to be a bus driver if you were a conductor. After working as a bus conductor for 9 months, I trained to be a bus driver. I learned to drive on a Routemaster bus and was one of the youngest female bus drivers in London at the time, I was twenty.