June 9, 2025, by Arts Placements
Student voices in action: My role improving the Humanities department
Final year Religion, Culture and Ethics student, Marina Bennett, tells us about her impactful placement experience
The placement I did was advertised as a chance to improve the Humanities department academically and communally. Immediately, I was interested: the opportunity to make a real impact at my university and share my own experiences was something I found genuinely exciting.
Allaying early concerns
After being accepted, I met with my manager and the group of students I’d be working alongside. Together, we planned out our tasks for the year. We discussed how we’d divide responsibilities and manage deadlines alongside our degree work. This initial planning session was incredibly reassuring. Like many final-year students, I worried about balancing my placement with third-year studies, but knowing a solid support system was in place eased those concerns. Throughout the placement, that support has remained consistent. It allowed me to prioritise my academic work when needed and gave me the flexibility to collaborate with peers effectively. This balance has not only helped me manage my time better but also strengthened both my teamwork and independent working skills.
Starting work
The project began with reflective journals, where I wrote about my own experiences throughout my degree. I focused particularly on the academic and community aspects of studying Humanities. I received training from the University’s library resources team to help with this. These reflections helped me grow personally as they sharpened my time management, improved my formal writing, and encouraged me to think more deeply about my experiences. Looking back, the reflective writing was one of the most transformative parts of the placement. It pushed me to confront negative experiences, recognise areas for my own improvement, and suggest meaningful changes to help the department grow. It felt rewarding to turn personal insight into something that could benefit others.
I also had the chance to organise and lead focus groups for students across different year groups and minority communities. This gave me hands-on experience with event organisation, marketing (through both video content and printed materials), and student engagement. Leading the sessions taught me a lot about active listening and facilitating open discussions. At first, the groups felt a bit awkward and overly formal, but as I gained experience, I learned to guide the conversations more naturally. Building connections with students in this way was an extremely gratifying experience.
Reporting back
Towards the end of the placement, I analysed the data collected through focus groups and surveys. I then produced a report linking this data with the themes from my journals. This final stage brought everything together and gave me a real sense of accomplishment. It felt meaningful to contribute to the development of the Humanities department in such a direct way. More than just gaining valuable skills for employment, this placement helped me feel more connected to the university and the Humanities community. I’m truly glad I took the opportunity and would recommend this placement and other opportunities to other students.
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