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From BTEC to First-Class Honours: Tosin's Queen Mary Journey

Read Tosin's story, a recent graduate with a First Class Honours in BSc Marketing and Management from Queen Mary University of London.

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Tosin Oluwanifemi Olajide

Coming to university from a BTEC background can feel daunting. I knew I had the potential to succeed, but I also worried about how different higher education might be. Choosing Queen Mary University of London turned out to be the best decision I could have made - it gave me the support, opportunities, and confidence to thrive. 

One of the most defining experiences of my time here was working on the Step Ahead+ programme to help students from vocational backgrounds like mine transition into university life. What started as a chance to help others soon became the foundation of my entire approach at Queen Mary. As a student mentor and intern, I worked with staff and peers to design and deliver sessions on academic writing, presentations, time management, and careers preparation, alongside informal social events to help new students feel at home. 

Through this experience, I didn’t just see others grow - I was also able to develop my own skills. I learned how to listen, design sessions that met real needs and build confidence in others. I carried this mindset into every role I took on at Queen Mary - whether as a student ambassador welcoming prospective students at open days, a course representative advocating for my peers, or as a social media marketing intern reaching thousands of students with creative campaigns. 

Along the way, I was humbled to be recognised: nominated (as one of the youngest teams) for the Academic Excellence Award, winning the Student Enhanced Engagement & Development (SEED) Award, and even being part of the programme team represented by the first students to present at the Chartered Association of Business Schools conference.

Today, I am overjoyed to say that I graduated from Queen Mary with a First-Class BSc in Marketing and Management. This milestone is more than a degree. It represents perseverance, community, and the belief that vocational students can not only succeed but excel at a Russell Group university. 

I am deeply grateful to God, my family, friends, mentors, and the Queen Mary community for guiding and supporting me throughout this journey. The employability skills I gained here including - leadership, teamwork, communication, content creation and data analysis - have all prepared me to step into the professional world with confidence.  

Tosin Oluwanifemi Olajide, BSc Marketing and Management Graduate
Queen Mary University of London

 

For information on how you can apply to the BSc Marketing and Management programme visit our undergraduate page. 

 

 

 

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