Eloise Bakewell, 21, has graduated from Edge Hill University with a BSc in Psychology and is now preparing to become a primary school teacher. Her time at university included volunteering with GirlGuiding and the SHOUT crisis textline, as well as a student trip to India, all of which she says helped build her confidence and practical skills.
Volunteering and community roles built confidence
During her studies, Bakewell took on roles with GirlGuiding and the SHOUT crisis textline, balancing real-time crisis intervention with youth mentorship. She also joined the Scouting and Guiding Society and served as Treasurer for the Psychology Society. According to Bakewell, these experiences turned abstract psychological theory into practical empathy, communication skills, and emotional resilience.
“Throughout my time at university, I wanted to do more and give back,” Bakewell explained. “I pushed myself to volunteer for GirlGuiding and the SHOUT crisis textline, which helped me gain essential skills and build my confidence. I also joined the Scouting and Guiding Society and served as Treasurer for the Psychology Society. It’s amazing to look back and see how much I’ve grown.”
Edge Hill Excellence Scholarship and India trip
Bakewell’s commitment to community work earned her an Edge Hill Excellence Scholarship, which recognises students who go above and beyond in volunteering and enterprise. At the end of her first year, she also joined a student trip to India.
“It was completely out of my comfort zone,” she said. “I was travelling with nine people I didn’t know at all, learning about wellbeing and culture. It was one of the best experiences of my life and it’s something I never would have done if not for the opportunities available here.”
Personal growth and future plans
Reflecting on her transformation, Bakewell noted that university helped her develop more confidence than she thought she had. “Before, I never would have imagined I could speak in front of large groups or walk into a room of strangers and start a conversation,” she said. “University helped me break out of my shell and realise that I am capable of so much more than I thought.”
Joined by her parents and younger sister at her graduation ceremony, Bakewell, who is from Rugby, now plans to begin a Primary PGCE next year. Her long-term goal is to blend her expertise in education and psychology. Her advice to current and future students is: “Try as many new things as possible. If something seems even slightly intriguing, give it a go. Even if you only try a society once and it’s not for you, you’ve lost nothing, you’ve only gained the experience of stepping out of your comfort zone.”
