Samantha Wilkinson, Senior Lecturer in Childhood and Youth Studies, shares her story on why, and how, she became a Senior Fellow.
Upon returning to work following my second maternity leave in September 2023, I decided to create a ‘vision board’, which I kept as a screensaver on my phone. Amongst many things on this vision board that I have not yet managed to accomplish (home improvements!), my vision of obtaining Senior Fellowship featured prominently. Having had caring responsibilities for my parents for many years, which unfortunately have now come to an end, and taking breaks from academia due to maternity leave, I was motivated to invest in myself, and my professional development.
Getting started
So, I had a plan, but how to even get started? As if by magic, and sheer coincidence, an email came around. Our brilliant Deputy Head of School was setting up a community of practice so colleagues could carve out time and space to work towards the common goal of Senior Fellowship. This is exactly what I needed, a supportive environment to keep me on track.
Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) has a supportive system for obtaining Senior Fellowship, and colleagues are able to identify a mentor. A colleague from MMU’s University Teaching Academy came in to meet us during one of the community of practice sessions. Immediately, from her enthusiasm, motivation and positivity, but also her organisation and honesty, I knew she was the perfect fit to mentor me in my quest for Senior Fellowship.
I was able to submit my Senior Fellow claim before I had even envisaged doing so. I went down the Dialogue Route offered by my institution at the time and found it a wonderful way to talk about my practice. Following the successful awarding of my Senior Fellowship, I attended a writing retreat to support colleagues in obtaining the recognition and have since acted as a mentor for another colleague seeking to gain this recognition.
Get the buzz
Since obtaining Senior Fellowship, I have got a ‘buzz’ for reflective practice and investing in my own professional development. I recently applied for, and was successful in gaining, UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE) Practice Recognition for my supervisory practice. Recognising the positive impact of a community of practice for supporting me in obtaining Senior Fellowship, I am in the process of organising a community of practice to support other colleagues in my faculty to gain UKCGE supervisor recognition.
Next on my vision board is to complete the Masters in Higher Education that I am nearing completion of at my institution, but next year perhaps I can start to work towards Principal Fellow – I certainly think there is no harm in beginning to collate evidence in a safe folder to support a future fellowship claim.
Top tips
- Create a vision board with Senior Fellowship featuring prominently on it.
- Find your people, whether that is via a community of practice, or a mentor who will encourage you to realise your potential.
Samantha Wilkinson is a Senior Lecturer in Childhood and Youth Studies at Manchester Metropolitan University. Within this role, she is Doctoral College Departmental co-lead for PhDs in Education, and Programme Leader for the PhD in Education Research. She is a UKCGE recognised research supervisor.
