Question: What would it be your reaction if someone told you when you where in school how far you would arrive in your life? Would you believe it?

Emily Mattacola answered on 14 Nov 2019:

Great question! I definitely wouldn’t have believed it. I grew up in a single parent family on benefits. I was the first person in my family to go to uni, so the fact that I’d go on to do a PhD and teach at a uni is not something that I’d ever even have thought possible.
I think what all of this has taught me is that everyone is capable of amazing things. We need to not judge people by their background, and instead give people a chance to show what they can do. All it took for me was a few really key teachers at school, sixth form and uni to help me to see that I was able to do these things, it’s certainly not something I would have believed on my own. Something I now always try to do with students is to be encouraging and nurturing, in the hope that I can be that inspiring lecturer for someone else.