Meet the team

The Student Recruitment and Outreach team work to encourage motivated and talented students to consider if Birmingham is the right choice for them.

The Student Recruitment Team work throughout the UK participating in a range of events with schools, colleges and UCAS and also organise many events on campus.The Outreach Team has a particular focus on raising aspirations and improving attainment amongst local students and has a number of widely recognised initiatives for schools and colleges in the West Midlands.

Student Recruitment team

Clair Abbey

PA to Head of UK/EU Undergraduate Recruitment
Tel: 0121 414 2242
Email: c.abbey@bham.ac.uk

Clair is PA to the Head of UK/EU Undergraduate Recruitment and is also the central contact for schools and colleges wishing to arrange for members of the team to give Higher Education talks to their students and to represent the University at organised fairs. Clair also arranges attendance at all major UCAS Higher Education Conventions across the country. Clair also has responsibility for booking prospective students on to campus tours, managing our schools database and is also the lead administrator for the Birmingham UCAS Higher Education Convention which is hosted biennially by the University.

Kathryn Barnett

Office Manager
Tel: 0121 414 7168
Email: k.e.barnett@bham.ac.uk

Kathryn provides administrative support for the work of the Student Recruitment office and assists in the organisation of the general services provided at Applicant visit days. Kathryn is also responsible for the day-to-day management of the office’s Student Ambassador team and assists in the organisation of conferences for teachers and careers advisers.

Elizabeth Chandler

Head of UK/EU Undergraduate Recruitment
Tel: 0121 414 8599
Email: e.chandler@bham.ac.uk

Lizzie is responsible for the strategic direction of the Universities' schools and colleges liaison development within the UK and Europe, working closely with colleagues across External Relations. This involves the management of a team of Student Recruitment Officers and Support Staff, who work with schools and colleges across the UK and Europe, giving presentations on Higher Education issues at schools and colleges; hosting events on campus and managing the production of resources aimed at providing students, teachers and parents with useful advice and information.
Lizzie job shares with Yvonne Williams. Lizzie is currently on maternity leave until October 2013.

Christine Cox

Student Recruitment Administrator
Tel: 0121 414 3374
Email: c.a.cox@bham.ac.uk

Christine coordinates and co-manages the University’s Undergraduate Open Days and is responsible for the Open Day finance administration. Christine is also the central contact for teachers wishing to arrange a group visit to the University by their school or college.


Michelle Mallender

Student Recruitment Officer (UK/EU)
Tel: 0121 415 8095
Email: m.mallender@bham.ac.uk

Michelle’s role involves working with students, parents and teachers to provide advice and guidance relevant to higher education. This includes predominantly UK-based activity; visiting schools and colleges across the UK as well as hosting visits onto campus, for both UK students and international students domiciled in the UK. Michelle also engages in EU recruitment activity, visiting schools and attending exhibitions within the EU to provide advice and guidance to prospective students, who may wish to pursue higher education within the UK.


Katherine Pagett

Student Recruitment Officer
Tel: 0121 414 3501
Email: k.a.pagett@bham.ac.uk

Katherine visits schools and colleges throughout the UK to deliver presentations to students, and sometimes their parents, on general issues relevant to researching and applying to Higher Education. Katherine also hosts group visits to the University and attends UCAS and school based Higher Education Conventions (HEC) and events to provide information, advice and guidance to those considering applying to university. Katherine also organises conferences at the University for teachers and careers practitioners and the Insight lecture series. Additionally Katherine manages the Birmingham UCAS HEC which is hosted biennially by the University and recruits and trains Student Ambassadors who assist with the department's activities.

David Rice

Student Recruitment Officer
Tel: 0121 414 3208
Email: d.rice@bham.ac.uk

David works with schools and colleges across the UK delivering presentations and providing advice and guidance on a range of issues relating to higher education. David is also responsible for the organisation of the central activities run by the student recruitment department at applicant visit days. Other activities David is involved in include attending UCAS exhibitions, hosting school visits to the university and running a series of video conferencing academic lectures to schools around the country.

Anna Speakman

Student Recruitment Officer
Tel: 0121 414 7142
Email: a.speakman@bham.ac.uk

Anna is responsible for managing and organising the University’s Open Day events to which both school groups and individual prospective applicants and parents attend. Anna visits schools and colleges across the UK to support all aspects of the Higher Education decision making and application process by delivering talks and attending Careers and Higher Education events organised by schools. Anna also represents the University at UCAS Higher Education conventions. 

Yvonne Williams

Head of UK/EU Undergraduate Recruitment
Tel: 0121 414 3697
Email: y.e.williams@bham.ac.uk

Yvonne is responsible for the strategic direction of the Universities' schools and colleges liaison development within the UK and Europe, working closely with colleagues across External Relations. This involves the management of a team of Student Recruitment Officers and Support Staff, who work with schools and colleges across the UK and Europe, giving presentations on Higher Education issues at schools and colleges; hosting events on campus and managing the production of resources aimed at providing students, teachers and parents with useful advice and information.
Yvonne job shares with Elizabeth Chandler.

Outreach team

Mohammed Ansar

Outreach Officer
Tel: 0121 414 7169
Email: m.ansar@bham.ac.uk

Ansar organises the Raising Aspirations in Secondary Education Programme ( RAISE) which includes a number of activities aimed at Year 7 to 11 students such as the Christmas Science Lectures, The Physics and Biology Big Quizzes, Birmingham Science Festival and the History Day.  He also delivers Aspiration Raising Days for school groups onto the campus and  delivers presentations in schools and attends school and college HE and Careers fairs. Ansar has responsibility for the Academic Enrichment Programme, a year 12 residential programme in August.

Shaheen Barkat

Outreach Officer
Tel: 0121 414 9017
Email: s.barkat@bham.ac.uk

Shaheen is the lead Officer for the evaluation of the University’s Outreach strategy. This includes the evaluation of Outreach activity to assess impact, assess performance against targets and facilitate a culture of continual improvement. Shaheen is also responsible for the Routes to the Professions programme. The programme aims to support access of underrepresented groups into professional courses in Medicine and Law and into professional careers. Students on the programme will receive tailored careers advice, application and interview support, guidance on relevant work placements, mentoring by students on professional courses, and the opportunity to shadow current students.

 

Kathy Buckley

Outreach Administrator
Tel: 0121 414 6793
Email: k.buckley@bham.ac.uk

Kathy provides finance andadministrative support to the team of Outreach Officers, manages the evaluation, monitoring and reporting of the team’s activities and administers the mentoring schemes. She maintains outreach contacts in local schools and colleges and is also responsible for updating the team’s webpages on the University’s website and managing stock of promotional and marketing materials.

 

Jane Patel

Assistant Officer
Tel: 0121 414 8489
Email: j.e.patel@bham.ac.uk

Jane is a main contact for the University's Masterclass Programme which is designed to stimulate enquiry into university learning and broaden knowledge of subject areas. Jane supports the Mentoring Scheme and other progressive programmes we run as a University. Jane spends her time delivering campus visits and attending school and college events in the local area. Jane also visits Primary Schools with the Professor Fluffy Programme, encouraging Year 5/6 pupils to explore the vocabulary and concepts of higher education.

Janet Hadley

Outreach Administrator
Tel: 0121 414 6722
Email: j.hadley@bham.ac.uk

Janet provides administrative support to the Access to Birmingham scheme and is the first point of contact for queries from students and teachers. Janet also supports the Head of Outreach and Outreach Officers in their activities, with particular responsibility for the Office Finance Administration

Lucy Hall

A2B Assistant Officer
Tel: 0121 414 8729
Email: l.hall@bham.ac.uk

Lucy is involved with organising the Access to Birmingham (A2B) and Realising Opportunities Schemes. She regularly visits schools and colleges to discuss the programmes and coordinates the Higher Education Learning Module for students participating in the A2B scheme. As part of the Outreach team Lucy also runs University visit days for schools and delivers presentations on other higher education topics in schools and colleges across the West Midlands. She is also responsible for the Sandwell Schools that are involved in the Forward Thinking Programme.

Ester Hill

Outreach Officer
Tel: 0121 414 8039
Email: e.h.hill@bham.ac.uk

Ester works with pupils from as young as Years 5/6, introducing higher education to them through the innovative ‘Professor Fluffy programme, through to Years 12/13. Ester also conducts talks in schools and hosts school and college visits to campus. Ester oversees a number of other projects including the Subject Enrichment Programme and long term progressive programmes with local schools. Ester also helps to run the University’s UniFest event.

Catherine McNicholl

Assistant Outreach Officer
Tel: 0121 414 5873
Email: c.h.mcnicholl@bham.ac.uk

Catherine is the first point of contact for UniFest, the residential summer school for Year 10 pupils. Catherine supports the application process to summer schools by visiting schools speaking about residential opportunities and supports teachers and parents in applying to and preparing students for summer schools. Catherine also coordinates the University's Subject Enrichment programme, organises University visit days for schools, supports colleagues on the Access to Birmingham (A2B) scheme and attends school higher education and career conventions.


Gail Rothnie

Head of Outreach
Tel: 0121 415 8545
Email: g.h.rothnie@bham.ac.uk

Gail is responsible for the University’s strategy for outreach work related to the widening participation and fair access agenda. Gail manages a team of Outreach Officers whose activities include the Access to Birmingham scheme and a comprehensive programme of outreach work with schools in the West Midlands including campus visits, progressive programmes of intervention with specific target cohorts, student mentoring, residential activity, work with teachers and advisors, transition activity preparing young people for higher education study and subject enrichment activity. Outreach activity is with students from year 6 to sixth form. Gail is the University’s representative on the Management Group for the local Aimhigher Partnership, and the national Realising Opportunities Programme.

Anne Snell 

Access to Birmingham Officer
Tel: 0121 414 7801
Email: a.m.snell@bham.ac.uk

Anne manages the Access to Birmingham (A2B) scheme, which recruits the most able students from disadvantaged backgrounds to the University. For successful applicants to the scheme, this involves organising activities to ease the transition from school or college to university life. In particular, Anne gives presentations to sixth form students about how they can benefit from the scheme and provides general advice and guidance for prospective university applicants from schools and colleges in the West Midlands. Anne is also the first point of contact for any student leaving local authority care to come to university.

Laura Taylor


Outreach Officer
Tel:
Email: l.taylor@bham.ac.uk

Laura is involved in a number of outreach activities which include running visits to the University for school groups, delivering presentations in schools, and attending school and college higher education and careers fairs. Laura also has responsibility for outreach mentoring schemes (including the Aimhigher Associates scheme) and co-ordinating the Looking Forward Aiming High and Forward Thinking programmes.