Proud to be Staffs Story: Claire Barlow
Senior Lecturer, School of Life Sciences and Education
For being welcoming, kind and caring, her Students have recognised Claire for truly living the values of our University and Union. Thank you Claire, for making us Proud to be Staffs.
Claire Barlow's Story
"It's not really a specific story or one instance it's more about who she is as a person. We had Claire for one module in our first semester and the impact she had on our class in that short space of time was huge. Even now people miss her and wish they had her more often, months after her module had finished. She is incredibly warm and caring and makes lectures and seminars a pleasure to attend. It's never boring and she makes an effort to interact with the class and catch up on how we are doing. If we see her outside of lectures she is always happy and pleased to see us and enquiring about our welfare. If you need a listening ear i believe she would always be there to help if she could or if she couldn't, find someone who could. She is a beacon of light in an otherwise stressful time of exams and assessments and i think the university would be a much poorer place without her. When i think back to the first time i met her it was when i came for my interview for my course to see if i would be offered a place. I was incredibly nervous as getting into university meant so much to me at the time. I think she could tell how nervous i was and made a great effort to help me feel welcome and lessen my worry over the interview. It felt more like a chat with a friend even though i had only just met her. She made me feel very safe and welcome and i don't think it would have been such a positive experience without her. In short she is incredibly inspiring and supportive and makes you the better for meeting her. I couldn't think of anyone more deserving of an award. She very much makes you Proud to be Staffs."