Alumni spotlight: Andreea-Daniela Coroama

Lady with brown hair and black suit, crossing arms and smiling.

9 September 2022

One of the great things about UWL is the way in which everyone becomes part of the same huge community. Staff, students, faculty and alumni work together to achieve common goals and create new opportunities. This week, we’re focusing on one former student that is making a difference to students’ lives, it’s our very own International Student Experience Coordinator Andreea-Daniela Coroama!

During her time at school, Andreea considered different careers, from paediatrician to economist, to lawyer; but she never lost sight of the fact that she wanted to go to university. When the time came, she settled on England because she knew it was the best way to learn English and have more work opportunities.

Andreea discovered yet more challenges were awaiting her when she started her course. Trying to adapt to a new education system, and a new language, which sometimes made it challenging to understand her lecturers, she was finding it hard to make notes and keep up. But Andreea wasn’t scared to ask for help. The academics at UWL were more than willing to go the extra mile to be helpful and supportive.

I really liked my lecturers and academic staff. They encouraged us to ask questions, so whenever I didn’t understand I’d go after class, and they’d help me to get it. They listened to me, and they took into consideration my feedback and made the necessary changes for me to have a better student experience."

This in turn encouraged Andreea to seek out opportunities to help others. She volunteered to act as a course rep, listening to her fellow students’ issues and liaising with the university staff to make sure everything ran as smoothly as possible.

This was great for me. My confidence grew because people were trusting me with their problems, and I got to discover more about my fellow students. I also got to meet all the staff at the Claude Litter Business School and see how the university worked behind the scenes, and most significantly see how important our voices are for the university’s decision-making process. It helped me to understand that I was part of a community, that I had friends, and that I could do things to make an impact. Thinking back, that was one of the happiest parts of my student life. It’s so energising to know that you are part of something and that you are leaving your mark.”

Upon graduating, Andreea secured a four-month internship at UWL, putting her knowledge to good use in helping the student experience team. The skills she built by volunteering as a student helped her to impress the team and earn her a permanent position, creating a welcoming, vibrant, and supportive environment for international students.

I understand the challenges so many students face when they come to the UK. I moved from my home in Romania to Italy as a child and did not know a word of the language, beyond ‘ciao’. Then I came to London and experienced the same situation.

UWL has supported me throughout my journey, and I am so happy to be able to give that level of help back to others. This is what makes the university so special, and I am delighted to be a part of it and make a difference to our students."

Andreea’s story just shows how much UWL fosters talent and provides chances to succeed:

The best possible way to do anything is just to throw yourself into it and try it out. If you think too much about it, you’ll always find reasons not to. This is how I live my life, I just go for it, then afterwards I think ‘what did I get myself into?"