Name of Student: Connie Newstead 

Job Title: Undergraduate Peer Writing Advisor 

Company Name: The University of Exeter  

Description of Organisation:  

The University of Exeter is a public research university located in Exeter, Devon, South West England. It is one of the top 150 universities in the world and ranked among the top 15 universities in the United Kingdom. The university offers exciting courses in beautiful and historic surroundings. It is a member of the UK’s prestigious Russell Group of leading research universities. 

What was your biggest achievement on your internship? 

I have really developed my editorial skills. I am much more thorough when scanning work and have worked on giving criticism constructively and with a positive mindset. This has even become evident in my own work. 

Were there any challenges during your internship and if so, how did you overcome these? 

The influx of students to the writing centre was quite low, so our manager Jason asked us to give speeches in lectures to advertise the writing centre. It was quite daunting to speak in front a large group of my peers, however, after writing down bullet points of what I wanted to say, I decided to give it a go. The talks we gave did help boost the number of bookings at the writing centre and gave me confidence in my abilities to speak publicly / to large groups. 

 What were your reasons for undertaking this internship?   

  • To improve my job prospects by expanding my CV and what I can draw upon in interviews. 
  • To gain experience and knowledge within a specific occupation or field. 

 As a result of my internship…  

  • I have improved my communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills 
  • My job prospects have improved by expanding my CV and what I can draw upon in interviews 
  • I have developed specific skills that could help me in the future 
  • My overall confidence has increased 

During the internship… 

  • I received learning and development opportunities which could be helpful for my career (e.g., online courses, research development or mentoring). 
  • I received regular feedback from my manager/supervisor. 
  • I received regular feedback from my manager/supervisor. 
  • Overall, this internship has been a positive experience. 

Would you recommend this internship scheme to other students?  

Yes, I would recommend this internship scheme to other students.