I was born in New York, but when I was a baby, my parents decided to move to Spain, and that’s where I grew up. My dad is Irish, and my mum was Colombian, and they had both moved to the US when they were young. They were living in New York during 9/11, and after that they felt it wasn’t the safest place to raise a family. They thought about going back to Ireland, but in the end chose Spain instead. My dad still runs a business there, and I still think of it as home.
I grew up in Málaga, on the south coast, a place that really lives up to its nickname, “the coast of the sun”. Some of my happiest memories are of going to the beach with my family every Sunday, having picnics by the sea. I still have a lot of friends there, and it’s a place that shaped who I am.

When I was 18, my mum passed away. It was the hardest time of my life. Everywhere I went reminded me of her, and I felt like I needed a fresh start. I’d always been quite independent, I’d been working since I was 16 and had some savings, so when I told my dad I wanted to move to New York, he understood completely. He trusted that I’d be okay, especially since we had family there.

Living in New York was an incredible experience. It’s true what they say, the city never sleeps. There’s always something happening, and the people are so open and full of energy. I originally thought I’d only stay for a year, but I ended up staying three. I couldn’t afford university there, it’s far too expensive, but I worked, made friends, and grew a lot as a person. Being there also made me feel closer to my mum. I would visit the places my parents used to go when they lived there, take photos, and send them to my dad. It was comforting to know that I was walking the same streets they once did.

After a few years, I started to feel burnt out. New York is amazing, but it’s also a very expensive city, and there were times when I was working two or three jobs just to keep up. Around that time, my sister, who had moved to London, called me saying she felt lonely and needed help with her upcoming wedding. I decided to come over and stay for a while, and I just never left. I made friends, found a job quickly, and started to build a life here.
I’ve worked as a barista for several years, I still love making coffee, though maybe not the cleaning part, but my favourite job was when I worked as a sales associate at Urban Outfitters in New York. I got to work closely with the visual merchandising manager and saw how much thought went into every display and design decision. Everything had a purpose. That experience opened my eyes to marketing. I started researching the field and realised it combined creativity and strategy, two things I really enjoy.

I didn’t meet the entry requirements to get into university, so that dream felt out of reach for a long time.  But when I came to London, I discovered UEL offered a 12-week pre-entry programme called ‘New Beginnings’, providing access to degree programmes  for people like me who wanted a second chance at education. I decided to enrol, and it completely changed my life. The teachers were so supportive and genuinely believed in me, even when I doubted myself. They gave me the confidence to see myself as a student again. One of my tutors even encouraged me to apply for a scholarship, though at the time I was convinced I wouldn’t get it.

Because I hadn’t lived in the UK long enough, I wasn’t eligible for full student finance. I could get tuition support, but not maintenance, so I told myself I’d just wait a year and reapply. Then UEL got in touch to tell me I’d been awarded the Dean’s scholarship. I couldn’t believe it. I was on the bus when I opened the email and just burst into tears. That moment changed everything. Without the scholarship, none of this would have been possible.
Now I’m studying Marketing at UEL and I’m really enjoying meeting new people and learning more about the field. My goal is to work in fashion marketing one day, inspired by my retail experience and my love for fashion. I’m getting great support from my course leader and the Careers Zone team, who’ve been helping me find internships and explore different career paths.

Life in London feels right. I live in North London but study mainly at the Stratford campus, and I try to attend as many events at Docklands as I can. I recently went to the Scholarship Celebration Awards, where I met the Vice-Chancellor, which was such a special moment for me.
Outside of university, I love music. From the ages of eight to thirteen, I went to a music conservatory and played the flute. These days, I play guitar and sing just for fun. Music has always been an outlet for me, something that brings me peace.

Looking back, I’m proud of how far I’ve come. From leaving school early and thinking university wasn’t an option, to now studying something I love at a place that truly believes in me. UEL has given me the chance to start over and build the future I once thought was out of reach. 

Shania Hunt 
BSc (Hons) Marketing