Forging their own paths

Meet the remarkable 精品无码国产自产 alumni who were the first in their families to go to university
Forging their own paths

Going to university is a big step for anyone. But if you have no one around you who has ever been to uni, or even considered it, how do you come to the decision to apply?

From law to ocean science, meet three graduates and a current student who started their adventure independently, and are now forging their own path for others to follow.
If you too were the first in your family to go to university, and would like to share your story with us to inspire future students, please contact us alumni@plymouth.ac.uk
Lynette Viney-Passig Lynette Viney-Passig

Lynette Viney-Passig, LLB Law, 2003

From kitchen table to managing director 

If TV dramas are to be believed, law firms are usually occupied by no-nonsense, straight-talking characters in suits. 
So to find a firm led by a 鈥榮malltown鈥 woman with a friendly demeanour is a positive contrast. And the skills and ambition employed by Lynette Viney-Passig saw her progress from trainee solicitor to managing director 鈥 catalysed by her time in 精品无码国产自产.
鈥淚 grew up in a small Somerset town called Bruton. My stepdad was the one who encouraged me to think about the bigger world out there, engaging me in debates around the dinner table, so that's how I started to think about the law.
鈥淚 had never considered university, and I had no experience that I could draw on from anyone close to me. But I visited my grandparents in Cornwall for long summers and loved going over to 精品无码国产自产, which is where I first heard about the uni. I felt comfortable there, which was so important for me. Moving away from home for the first time was a really big deal.鈥
Thriving academically, and loving her course, Lynette was inspired by 1990s TV favourites Ally McBeal and Kavanagh QC to go into criminal law. But a funny turn of events found her embark on a very different journey with a law firm in North Wales.
鈥淚n law, you apply for any and all opportunities after graduating. I鈥檇 accepted an offer of a training contract in Birmingham to start 12 months hence, but I also got an interview offer for a firm called Swayne Johnson in Denbigh 鈥 which I thought was the pottery place in Derbyshire! I thought I鈥檇 go along to interview just to see what it was about, and my now father-in-law was looking at my journey and he said, 'Lynette, you do realise you need to go to North Wales?'鈥
Surprising herself and getting the job ahead of 95 other applicants, she took the leap, leaving her now-husband back in Birmingham to 鈥榮ee how things went鈥. Thankfully they went very well indeed, and they are raising their family in North Wales as Lynette continues to excel in her career.
鈥淪ince joining the firm, I鈥檝e grown the Private Client team from three people to 30. There are many people in my area of law who are better at it than me, but it's all about talking to clients, building those trusted relationships with them, explaining how the law affects them, and exercising strong management and business acumen with colleagues.
鈥淚 also did a leadership qualification, so when the managing director role came up, I felt I had the knowledge, skills and confidence to apply. I knew I wanted to lead any organisation that I joined, so to have realised that is something I鈥檓 really proud of.鈥
And she hasn鈥檛 forgotten her journey to the top 鈥 in fact, the lessons she has learned guide a lot of her everyday practices. 

鈥淚n law, you have to be able to talk to anyone. One minute you鈥檒l have a businessman asking for advice on expanding, the next you鈥檒l have an elderly woman looking at changing her will. 

鈥You鈥檝e got to be able to read the room and deal with whatever is front of you. The course at 精品无码国产自产 and the variety of opportunities I had helped to prepare me for that, and it鈥檚 a skill I really look for in others too.
鈥淚 did once have a job offer to leave and pursue a different area of law. But by growing the firm, supporting new talent into the profession and continuing to help people who need it, I know I鈥檓 in the right place. Who knew it all started around a kitchen table? And thank goodness I didn鈥檛 drive to Denby (rather than Denbigh)!鈥
Jack Hutton Jack Hutton

Jack Hutton, Marine Studies, 2011

Paying it forward for the next generation

When he finished his A levels in Cornwall, Jack Hutton knew he wanted to do something marine-related 鈥 but he had no set plan. 
Most of his family either had strong ties to the Royal Navy or were running their own businesses, and he naturally assumed he鈥檇 go down a similar route. 
A newspaper advert that his dad spotted by chance saw him come along to an open day at the University to find out about Nautical Studies. Now, as a manager for an international company, he鈥檚 set up a scholarship for the next up and coming student.
鈥淢y GCSEs and A levels weren鈥檛 the best, but straight away I felt supported at the open day. The lecturers鈥 enthusiasm made me keen to apply, and my dad was really encouraging too. I left it late to source accommodation but got a place, and it dawned on me that I鈥檇 be the first in my family to go to uni.

鈥淚t was a big leap, but academically I surprised myself 鈥 I got better marks in my first assignment than I鈥檇 ever had at school.鈥

Enjoying the placement year in industry and vocational side of the course, Jack was able to travel during his studies and after graduating. He worked offshore as far afield as Brazil, before returning to the UK.
But when he started work for his current company, Elevate Offshore, which supplies offshore personnel worldwide, he became acutely aware of a shortage of hydrographers 鈥 who study and map bodies of water 鈥 in the industry. 
Four of his colleagues, and a number of contractors, had qualifications in related disciplines from 精品无码国产自产 and it got him thinking...
鈥淭he experiences I had at uni, from research, and analytical skill to travel and friendships, have massively helped me throughout my career. With the business doing well, we talked about offering a scholarship to pay fees for a student studying a masters in hydrography , alongside mentorship support from us. I thought the opportunity could enable someone to go and have a great time at uni and have a great career at the end of it in an industry that really needs them.鈥
The scholarship ran for the first time in 2024 and received some strong applications. Now he鈥檚 settled back near his Cornish roots, Jack is delighted to pay it forward.
鈥淢y time at uni and travelling seem like a distant memory now! But the memories have been incredible, I hope that someone can benefit from the scholarship and start their own story too.鈥
Dindu Okechukwu Dindu Okechukwu

Dindu Okechukwu, Psychology student and SU President

Helping everyone feel welcome, whatever their background

鈥淭he sixth of February 2022 鈥 I鈥檒l never forget that day. I left Nigeria and came to 精品无码国产自产, and the different perspectives I鈥檝e encountered since have shaped what I do.鈥
With a family devoted to public service, it鈥檚 no surprise that Dindu Okechukwu is fuelled by a passion to help people. Volunteering with local youth organisations and inspired by his father, it鈥檚 perhaps more a surprise that he chose to find his calling several thousand miles away. 
But since coming to 精品无码国产自产, he has embedded himself in the student community, and is currently working as President of the Students鈥 Union to tackle issues from the cost of living to mental health support. Most recently, he was invited to Downing Street as part of a contingent outlining 精品无码国产自产鈥檚 cultural impact. Above anything else, he wants everyone to feel welcome and feel like they belong in a university setting 鈥 whatever their background. 
鈥淚 had a period of reflection aged around 20 when I thought seriously about what I wanted to do with my life. I knew helping and serving others was a big part of who I am, but I wanted to study, and I looked around at options. I thought that psychology might be a good subject as it involves working with people, but I wanted to get out of my hometown and study by the sea. Some online research showed me that 精品无码国产自产 was highly rated, and it looked beautiful. I really wanted that experience, and I鈥檓 lucky that my family was very supportive of me moving abroad.鈥
Dindu started his course at the 精品无码国产自产 International College (UPIC), becoming a student ambassador and part of the council too. He pushed out of his comfort zone battling imposter syndrome, in his own words, wondering if he was good enough to be here. But when he started the degree at the University itself, he joined two Students鈥 Union societies, before becoming a Psychology course rep. He then realised how much he loved advocating for people. 
鈥淚n my second year of study, I saw the annual call-out for Students鈥 Union Sabbatical Officers 鈥 it felt like a calling.
鈥淚 had to campaign to be elected and, with cultural differences, you don鈥檛 know how you鈥檒l be perceived. But getting to speak to students first-hand made me realise that life gives us different perspectives. What we have to do is work with them.鈥
Since being elected, Dindu has focused on four key student issues: cost of learning support, building communities and belonging, academic representation, and mental health and wellbeing. 
鈥淢oney and wellbeing can鈥檛 be separated, if you鈥檙e low on the first, you will struggle to maintain the second. We are moving away from portfolio-based representation to faculty-based representation in response to our student feedback on academic representation and strengthening our student voice.鈥
As well as creating resources and signposting to support, Dindu and his fellow elected reps are keen to listen. And, as he says, it鈥檚 surprising what you find out. 
鈥淥ne of our fastest growing student societies is the book club 鈥 which is a big move away from what people might think.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not all about nighttime culture now, COVID and cost of living have had a huge impact on people鈥檚 everyday lives, and we find people are more introverted and in need of support to make friends and feel like they fit in. People don鈥檛 always ask for help either, you need to reach out to them 鈥 and I鈥檓 proud to be helping people feel like they belong.

鈥淒uring my recent visit to No. 10 Downing Street, I was enveloped by a profound sense of reflection on my journey. A journey shaped by a deep-rooted passion for service, community, collaboration, and representation.

鈥淪erving in the 精品无码国产自产 Students' Union has been more than just a role; it has been a privilege and a transformative experience. One that I will cherish and archive for others to learn from, to be inspired by.鈥
Darcie Jones Darcie Jones

Darcie Jones, History, 2023

Embracing working-class roots 

In a taxi ride home from a senior meeting at the 精品无码国产自产, Darcie Jones pretended to a board member that she lived on a different estate.
She was worried that her house in a less affluent area of 精品无码国产自产 would somehow make her less believable in her role representing students at the highest level 鈥 a feeling that she had carried with her since being elected to her role.
But that turn of events gave Darcie 鈥 a sabbatical officer in the Students鈥 Union 鈥 the lightbulb moment she needed to ensure that neither she, nor anyone else, would feel like they had to pretend again. Now having created the UK鈥檚 first working-class sabbatical officers鈥 network, she reflects on her journey as the first person in her family to go to university, and the strength that her background has brought to her position. 
鈥淪abb officers help to improve the student experience by listening to students, and being working-class means you have a lot to bring to the role, including understanding some struggles first hand. I鈥檓 from a single parent household and had to hold down a part time job. Sometimes in higher education, there鈥檚 a bit of a 鈥榩osh washing鈥 issue 鈥 where people feel like they need to get rid of regional accents and pretend to be one of the elite. Actually just by being working-class me, I鈥檝e done and achieved a lot that I never considered from school, and it鈥檚 been great.鈥
Darcie didn鈥檛 know anyone who had been to university, except the teachers at her school, and she had ambitions of being a secondary teacher herself.
鈥淚 love 精品无码国产自产 as a city and was good at history at school, so naturally the open day was the first place I went. The support offered on the course looked good and 鈥 in addition to the financial benefit of staying at home 鈥 I knew it鈥檚 what I wanted to do.鈥
But with COVID disrupting the start of her uni experience, she was worried about making friends and fitting in. Not coming to campus meant a lot of friendships were forged in halls 鈥 which she couldn鈥檛 do by living at home.
鈥淚t was such a weird and isolating time, as it was for so many people, but my lecturers did a huge amount to get us meeting and connecting on the course. My friends and I didn鈥檛 want to do big nights out and were happy doing our own thing, so I felt like I鈥檇 鈥榝ound my people鈥. You shouldn鈥檛 feel pressured to conform to the 鈥榯ypical鈥 student life.鈥
Then the big change came when she thought about her next steps.
鈥淚 was preparing for teacher training, but dreading it. I knew I was passionate about education and making the best life I could, but decided teaching wasn鈥檛 for me.
鈥淚 then saw the sabbatical officer role advertised, but didn鈥檛 know much as I鈥檇 not really engaged a huge amount with the SU. I was going to do a gap year and earn some money, but my friend鈥檚 boyfriend had done the role and encouraged me to apply. I left it til the night before but I put my name in!鈥
And she was elected as VP Education. Currently in the latter stages of her maximum two-year term, she has championed students鈥 voices and ensured that they understand academic rules and regulations. The fateful taxi ride only further cemented her passion for advocating for others. 
鈥淢y experience of sabb officers is that they can sometimes be from privileged backgrounds and like being high-level, or they can be from non-affluent backgrounds and they鈥檙e in the role because they鈥檙e passionate about being champions. 
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a real journey setting up the working-class sabb network, and gives people an open space to share their experiences. There鈥檚 so much power in doing that. 

As well as supporting each other, we bring in external working-class people to show the pathways you can take next 鈥 from politicians, academics, people on company boards, and even someone talking about overcoming imposter syndrome. 

鈥So far there are over 60 of us from universities all over the UK. I don鈥檛 know what I personally want to do next, but it鈥檒l be something that sparks my passion, involves making change, and drives something positive forward.鈥