"I firmly believe that higher education has helped me get to where I am today" - Suzi Clark's Middlesex journey

A student at Middlesex

I chose to enrol at Middlesex Polytechnic because I had researched becoming a teaching assistant to return to work after raising three daughters. Anthony Turner, the then Director of Studies, persuaded me to enrol for a BSc in Science, Technology and Society, with a second specialism in Independent Studies in Education.

It was a life-enhancing experience. I loved meeting mature fellow students and inspiring teachers, including Adrian Ryan, Jon Michaelson and Mammo Muchie. I graduated with a First Class Honours, having won the Professor Jonathan Powers prize for my thesis on electric cars. (Too bad I was so far ahead of the curve back then.)

The start of a marketing career

Recruited by the then Deputy Vice-Chancellor Ken Goulding before graduation, I went into the new National Centre for Work-Based Learning on the Tottenham campus as a Marketing Co-ordinator, and enrolled for D.Phil in Environmental Citizenship under the tutelage of the inspiring Professor Derek Portwood. 

A sudden loss

After a year, I was preparing for an interview for the role of Head of Press and PR at Trent Park when life changed very suddenly with the unexpected passing of my husband. It was an immense personal loss, and during that period I made the difficult but necessary decision to step away from my D.Phil. Although this meant pausing my academic journey, it also became a moment of reflection that strengthened my resilience and clarified the direction I wanted to take.

Middlesex continued to be a supportive place for me, and I took up the post at Trent Park, where I spent several happy and fulfilling years as editor of North Circular, working closely with wonderful colleagues such as Mike Brown, Teresa Kelly and Andrew Bailey. During this time, I also discovered the importance of standing by my principles, and I was deeply touched by the encouragement and solidarity shown by many colleagues who believed in me. Their support remains one of the most meaningful reminders of the strong community I found at Middlesex.

I was awarded a work-based MA in Press and Public Relations Management, and left the University shortly afterwards.

Chickenshed Theatre company

I joined the amazing Chickenshed Theatre Company, just up the road from the Cat Hill campus.  It was my pleasure to open the door of the VC’s chauffeured car when he visited to sign a new BTEC agreement with my new employers. 

Teach First

After several happy years at Chickenshed, I went to Teach First in the City of London and produced their first report at the House of Lords. As a school governor of 18 years’ experience, I was interested in the American model. There is now a Teach First in the Netherlands and the organisation appears to be thriving.

A caring role

I left to take up a job near my home in St Albans, as my dad had moved in to live with me. Crohn’s and Colitis UK needed a big fundraising boost and as I was also in charge of Marketing, I was able to capture the synergy and, with a team of seven, took their fundraising from £250k pa to £4.5million at the time of departure, as well as re-branding the charity on a shoestring.

Between jobs, I wrote for the national press, including the Times Ed and the Times Higher. However, with my dad becoming increasingly frail, I left Crohn’s and Colitis by mutual consent and became a full-time carer.

Of all my professional roles, in the oil industry in my twenties through to my fundraising career postgraduate, this was the most challenging. We managed, I grew as a person in understanding and humility, he died in my arms just before his 95th birthday.

Company director

Looking to re-enter the workplace in one’s 60s isn’t easy, in the end I chose to join our family’s events company and stayed as a Director once it re-branded to Kit & Caboodle.

Today, I thoroughly enjoy being consulted as a Director in Research and Development for new business opportunities. I enjoy employing interns, especially from Middlesex. I’m very proud of the degrees I achieved as a mature student, they helped me in so many ways. I remain passionate about work-based learning, particularly for mature students who often don’t realise that they can gain academic credit for their life skills.

The benefits of lifelong learning

At a time when AI threatens to cause unemployment across all sectors, it’s important for individuals to commit to lifetime learning and development throughout their working careers. For all those facing a change of career, I strongly recommend looking at the Professional Practice and Work-Based Learning page on the Middlesex University website.

In 2024 our small experiential events company won the Agency of the Year award from the Event Production sector in the UK.

I firmly believe that higher education has helped me get to where I am today. I’m not content to rest on my laurels, I’m passionate about advocating work-based learning, free speech, citizenship and getting more bright women onto the Board of companies. 

Art and authorship

I’m working on my second book, and my paintings, a hobby I began after lockdown, are now exhibited at local galleries. I’m a popular public speaker across Herts and Beds, having delivered 250 talks in four years.

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Suzi’s first humorous book “Butterflies and Baked Beans” is selling well on Amazon. She’s currently writing the sequel “Honeybees and Heartburn.” Information about her writing, art, music and talks is available on her website.