I went to Mount St. Mary’s University in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California for my first degree (B.A. in English with a minor in Art). It is the only women’s university in Los Angeles founded in the 1920s. Many film and TV shows have used the campus, and I remember film crews being a regular feature on site during the 1990s when I was an undergraduate student there.

I originally chose Mount St. Mary’s for its nationally recognised science and health programmes including its renowned focus on women’s leadership development and was accepted on their nurse practitioner programme. Within six months of starting my course at Mount St. Mary’s, I wanted to change my major to English and it was only because of my excellent high school grades that they accepted me on the course.

I was inspired by my general studies courses in the first and second terms at university and missed the study of literature and history so after I changed my major I focused on as many modules I could that would enhance my English Literature degree. I took classes such as an Introduction to World Religions, French, Native American Religion, Buddhism, Philosophy and Ethics, American Government, Classical Civilisations, History of Western Art, and Linguistics. I also made the most of my university experience by joining one of the campus sororities (Kappy Delta Chi) and later becoming its president in my final year.

I loved every one of my university courses and think the breadth of module options available at American universities provides a very good opportunity for students to think about building their skill set and acquiring as much valuable information and experience as possible. I know this has benefitted my teaching career and the pupils I teach. I really enjoyed completing my undergraduate research projects in medieval women’s literature for English, and the different periods of ancient Greek vases for Art History. It was the opportunities I had doing extensive and independent research projects that prompted me to consider postgraduate study.

I don’t think I would do anything differently except I always wonder what it would have been like had I accepted my offer of a place at Harvard University to study Theology rather than accepting the University of Kent’s offer to study for an MA in Medieval and Tudor Studies (I completed my MA

and PhD at Kent). One thing is for sure, I probably would not be in Canterbury today if I went to Harvard but I cannot imagine my life anywhere else.