I was fortunate enough to depart from Ashlawn’s 6th form with 3 A’s at A level which guaranteed me entry onto my chosen university degree course, a BA in History and Sociology at the University of Warwick. Having spent three years having a fantastic time [both socially and intellectually] I gained a First class degree. During my last year as an undergraduate I took a course concerning Gender and Sexuality in the Americas and this provoked my interest in the gendered dynamics of slavery in North America. I felt I needed more of a theoretical background concerning gender and feminism so I went on to study for a Masters in Interdisciplinary gender studies in the Centre for the study of Women and Gender also at Warwick. Following this I took my PhD in History at Warwick specialising in the cultural lives of the enslaved. I spent time studying in the United States as part of my doctoral research and graduated in 2003.

Life in Academia is not easy! I spent months on short-term teaching contracts, first at Aberystwyth and then York, where I built up my teaching and research profile. Finally in 2005 I landed a full-time permanent position in the School of American Studies at the University of East Anglia. In 2007 I published my first book, Courtship and Love among the Enslaved with the University of Mississippi Press. My job provides the opportunity to travel to various places. As well as spending time in the United States to undertake work in the archives and present conference papers last year I also spent a month in Australia.

Entering higher education coming from a comprehensive school and a working-class background can be quite daunting, especially at an institution such as Warwick where several of the students have attended private schools. Nevertheless the diversity of student life allowed me to meet like-minded people who I never would have encountered had I entered the workplace at 16. I loved university life and not just for the social aspects! My degree was intellectually engaging and allowed me to develop my knowledge and understanding of various issues. More than this however, my degree allowed me to develop as a person as I grew in confidence and a belief in my own abilities.