SSEES Staff Spotlight: Lisa Walters

What brought to you work at SSEES? 

I've been working in HE since I graduated, first at the Open University on the prisons team, then at King's College looking after Medicine and Dentistry and have always enjoyed working in the sector. I have to admit, I didn't know much about SSEES when I applied for the role, but it sounded interesting and at interview the interactions I had with people here solidified that this was somewhere I'd like to be. That was over 10 years ago and I've not looked back! 

If you weren’t working in Student Recruitment, what would be your dream job?

Something with animals - I've always fancied running an animal rescue somewhere in the countryside where I can run around looking after donkeys and dogs and being in the fresh air with no spreadsheets or budgets in sight.

Can you describe your role and tell us what you find most rewarding about it?

I oversee anything external activity for the school - so admissions and student recruitment, marketing, events and communication. This can include running open days, advertising campaigns, managing our social media and newsletters, showcasing our impact and managing the website. My role is really varied and because of that I am never bored. Anyone who knows me knows I love to chat, so the fact I get to talk to so many prospective students as part of my work and help them with some quite big decisions means a lot. I'm also constantly learning from my colleagues about the fascinating history and cultures of the region we study and feel lucky to be part of such a vibrant institution. 

Outside of work, how do you unwind?

I love to travel, like most, so try to book in as many trips as I can - I  enjoy visiting new places and exploring for a few days. I'm also a big music fan so any gigs or festivals I can get to, I will! For a bit of downtime, I attempt yoga, though am rubbish at it, and having recently moved out of London, am loving early morning countryside walks. 

If you could recommend only one book, what would it be?

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara - extremely depressing but left me thinking about the characters for months after finishing it.

Who has been the greatest source of inspiration to you, and how have they impacted you, personally or professionally?

This might sound a little cheesy, but it has to be my Mum - she's always worked hard since I was young, endured some pretty tough times, and has shown me how to approach everything with compassion and kindness. She went on to start up a very successful business on her own and I carry through a lot of her qualities in both my personal and professional life - work hard, have fun, and never assume you know what someone is going through. 

Tell us something about you that might surprise people.

I'm pretty good at the saxophone (and even better after a glass of wine!).