Natalia Andino

How did you hear about the Business School and why did you choose to study here?

I heard about Leeds University Business School when I was researching graduate programmes in the United Kingdom. I first heard about it through my friends from my first study abroad experience (I studied in England about 2 years ago) and they spoke highly of it. I also found information on the Business School through online sources where it was given high rankings and positive reviews on its academic reputation.

I chose to study here for many reasons, but primarily because it had a welcoming atmosphere for international students such as myself. I toured the university on one of the open days and I instantly fell in love with the campus and the enthusiasm of the professors. During that whole experience, I felt reassured that I would grow as an individual and receive the resources needed to get where I want to be.

What is the best part of your studies? What are you enjoying the most?

For me, it’s my course mates! I absolutely enjoy being with them! Our programme is designed to have the same classes with the same individuals every week. The course has many international students, so many of us were in the same boat when it came to familiarising ourselves with the culture, lifestyle, and methods of teaching at the university. And because we see each other practically every day, we’ve been able to connect really well and support each other in and out of the classroom, whether that would be studying, applying for jobs, or even attending university events.

What are your career aspirations? Do you think the experience and skills you will gain on your course will help you in your future career plans?

I hope to become a business consultant when I graduate from the university. I do believe that the experience and skills that I acquired and developed in my course will assist me as I progress in life. I was able to enhance my critical thinking, communication, and teamwork skills from assignments and tutorials within my programme. I have noticed I am more confident presenting new ideas in a group setting or answering a question in a large lecture hall. Having these skills will greatly prepare me for a position as a business consultant since it requires much of what I listed above in order to effectively instil appropriate behaviour and methods for individuals and an organisation to flourish.

Do you have any noteworthy achievements from your study at the Business School that you can tell us about?

Last semester I had a group project that had a duration of 7 weeks. For this project, I had to analyse a case study with students from other programmes, formulate what went wrong, and provide recommendations to prevent repeats of the case study. I had a wonderful group and we all worked hard on allocating the best material possible for our 10-minute presentation to the professor. After about two weeks, we got our results and we received an 86 (for those who are unfamiliar with the grading system, a 70 is a distinction, so an 86 is a very high score)! We were surprised at how well we had scored, but at the same time, it was well deserved a very proud moment for myself and the rest of the group.

What is your impression/experience of the facilities, the staff, your peers, the student union, the City of Leeds and the Yorkshire region?

The professors at Leeds have been nothing but helpful and supportive to me. You can tell that they genuinely want their students to perform their very best and succeed in the classroom - as a matter of fact, I currently have one professor who added an extra tutorial on Advanced Research Methods for students to come in to ask questions or get extra practice on certain topics.

I enjoy studying in the libraries, especially the 13th floor of the Edward Boyle Library and the Brotherton Library. The 13th floor of the Edward Boyle Library is exclusively for Postgraduate and PhD students. There is lots of study space and private study rooms, and every now and then I will see a classmate and we end up studying together! As for the Brotherton Library, well, it is very beautiful and I feel incredibly studious and productive there.

The city of Leeds itself is absolutely amazing. The centre is a short walk from campus and it has great stores and countless restaurants! It is quite lively throughout the day so it gives that fun, city-life feel to it!

What would you say your defining memory of studying here was?

I would have to say the lifelong friendships I’ve made will be my most defining memory of studying here. As I mentioned, I see the students on my programme frequently thus allowing us to grow a special bond with one another. There have been several occasions where many of us have attended dinners and activities outside the university to take a break from studying and enjoy each other's company. We had a Christmas dinner where just over 30 students attended (we basically were the restaurant that day)! It was definitely one for the books.

Would you recommend the Business School to others who are considering studying here?

Absolutely!

Besides the fact that the Business School has everything (i.e. secret upstairs study space, a large café, and great professors), the school really motivates students to perform well in their studies while having fun. It is also renowned for stellar academics. Overall, I’ve learned a lot and made so many great memories! I almost wish my programme was longer than a year so I could enjoy my time at the school a little longer!