"Middlesex made me the way I am today... I want to be like my lecturers"
"Middlesex made me the way I am today... I want to be like my lecturers"
24/08/2022
Graduate stars of 2022 talk about their MDX experiences, ambitions and dreams
Computer Science student Romila Nilukshi Jeevapalan graduated with a Distinction from her BSc programme this summer and was a nominee for the Dr Ajit Singhvi Prize, a Middlesex award for Best Women Engineering Student.
Romila, who has a severe hearing impairment, has known she wanted to be a software engineer since she was aged just 7, and an engineer came to fix her computer, showing her exactly what to do to deal with the issues.
She took extra lessons at school and was boosted by a teacher who "really believed in me" she says. She also credits her mother, who "taught me to work hard and to NEVER give up, especially when there have been difficulties and barriers in life".
In 10 years' time, she hopes to be working for a big organisation, in networks or in cybersecurity, protecting customers' data.
At MDX, Romila says, "I've had brilliant opportunities and working experiences with so many different people and great conversations with other peers. It's been such a good learning opportunity".
She feels strongly about the current gender imbalance in university-level study for some STEM subjects, and hopes to see equal representation in future.
Matthew Roze came to MDX via direct entry into the third year of BA Theatre Performance & Production, after studying on courses with LAMDA.
As someone with dyslexia, who had once been told that he would never get to university, he found MDX lecturers and tutors "beyond helpful, incredibly nice... They knew how to talk to me, they would leave it to me until I asked. I’ve never had that, ever".
During his time at MDX, Matthew set up a workshop programme called The Neuroclusive Project - which originally he imagined would be aimed at neurodivergent students to help them learn through drama, but it became apparent, offered useful "life skills for everybody".
He also won a placement to do drama facilitation with teenagers at artsdepot, as part of the National Theatre's Connections programme, which culminated in a production of Like There Was No Tomorrow, a play about global warming from a young person’s perspective.
Looking ahead, he hopes to keep performing in some way.
"Whether you have a learning difference or not, whatever someone thinks of you, it doesn't matter: you shouldn't have to feel you’re the odd one out," says Matthew.
"Middlesex made me the way I am today... I want to be like my lecturers"
Computer Science student Romila Nilukshi Jeevapalan graduated with a Distinction from her BSc programme this summer and was a nominee for the Dr Ajit Singhvi Prize, a Middlesex award for Best Women Engineering Student.
Romila, who has a severe hearing impairment, has known she wanted to be a software engineer since she was aged just 7, and an engineer came to fix her computer, showing her exactly what to do to deal with the issues.
She took extra lessons at school and was boosted by a teacher who "really believed in me" she says. She also credits her mother, who "taught me to work hard and to NEVER give up, especially when there have been difficulties and barriers in life".
In 10 years' time, she hopes to be working for a big organisation, in networks or in cybersecurity, protecting customers' data.
At MDX, Romila says, "I've had brilliant opportunities and working experiences with so many different people and great conversations with other peers. It's been such a good learning opportunity".
She feels strongly about the current gender imbalance in university-level study for some STEM subjects, and hopes to see equal representation in future.
Matthew Roze came to MDX via direct entry into the third year of BA Theatre Performance & Production, after studying on courses with LAMDA.
As someone with dyslexia, who had once been told that he would never get to university, he found MDX lecturers and tutors "beyond helpful, incredibly nice... They knew how to talk to me, they would leave it to me until I asked. I’ve never had that, ever".
During his time at MDX, Matthew set up a workshop programme called The Neuroclusive Project - which originally he imagined would be aimed at neurodivergent students to help them learn through drama, but it became apparent, offered useful "life skills for everybody".
He also won a placement to do drama facilitation with teenagers at artsdepot, as part of the National Theatre's Connections programme, which culminated in a production of Like There Was No Tomorrow, a play about global warming from a young person’s perspective.
Looking ahead, he hopes to keep performing in some way.
"Whether you have a learning difference or not, whatever someone thinks of you, it doesn't matter: you shouldn't have to feel you’re the odd one out," says Matthew.