Life after UA92: Harry’s Journey

We love catching up with our UA92 alumni. We spoke to Harry, a UA92 Sports Journalism graduate to hear about his journey and what he’s up to now.

What was UA92 life like?

From day one, life at UA92 was a really positive experience. Everyone knew everyone and there was a sense of community. I remember being so nervous during ‘Welcome Week’, but everyone was so friendly, and it felt easy to make new friends and get comfortable. The opportunities I had access to were endless and I tried to take every single one I could. We often had industry experts in to speak, allowing me to make some really valuable connections that helped me get to where I am today. Something I made use of a lot during my time as a student was the media facilities and the equipment. Having access to a state-of-the-art media lab, with professional cameras, microphones and editing software helped me develop skills that gave me such a boost early in in my career.

What did you get involved in whilst at UA92?

I don’t think there’s enough space on the page to go through the things I did at UA92! One of the most impactful was becoming a student ambassador, because I could get involved with everything from open days and college visits to campus tours and radio appearances. I ended up hosting student Q&As at open days and this is where I found my love for presenting. I even ended up hosting sessions with guest speakers such as Gary Neville and Clive Tyldesley, which was incredible. I also became a student content creator for UA92’s social channels.

What are you doing now?

I’m currently working as a Social Media Assistant for The Overlap, working on ‘Stick to Football’ and ‘Stick to Cricket’. My role mainly entails interviewing the talent that appear on our shows every week for social media. So far, I’ve been lucky enough to interview Ant and Dec, Piers Morgan, Jimmy Anderson, Joe Root, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and Ashley Cole.

The confidence and skill required to do that every week came from all of those experiences I had as a student ambassador, speaking at open days, hosting guest sessions and content creating.

How did your UA92 experience set you up for the world of work?

I never considered social media or content creation as a career until I was offered an internship at Salford City. I worked with their Lionesses and did match days with the men’s team. I was also taught to be a well-rounded person. It’s not just having the technical skills like being able to film, edit and write, we were also taught about how to identify our strengths, become good communicators and the importance of self-reflection and taking accountability, all of which have become vital in my role today.

UA92 gave me the confidence to speak to world-renowned celebrities every week, one of them being Roy Keane (it’s not an easy thing to do!)

I am forever grateful for the opportunities they gave me and the pathways it’s opened for me since. It’s the greatest decision I ever made.

Check out other alumni stories here.