A Worcester woman has graduated from the University of Worcester for a third time, after receiving her PhD at Worcester Cathedral.
Dr Katy Wareham Morris first joined the University in 2003 as an undergraduate studying English & Literary Studies and Media & Cultural Studies, before completing her Master’s degree in 2012.
More than 20 years after arriving at Worcester through Clearing, she has now completed her doctorate while balancing a career in higher education, raising a family and overcoming serious illness.
After completing her Master’s degree in 2012, Katy took her first steps into higher education as a part-time lecturer at the University, balancing the role with a full-time job teaching A-levels at a sixth form college.
She has since progressed to become Head of Department for English, Media and Culture, working alongside the people who once taught and mentored her.
“Nobody in my family had a degree,” said Katy. “I needed to work alongside my Master’s degree so I did a PGCE which meant I could teach in a sixth form college to fund my way through my education and be self-sufficient.”
In 2017, Katy began her PhD, and made a significant career decision to pursue her ambition.
“After having children I had to decide how I would take the next steps in my career in higher education, so I decided to quit my day job teaching at the sixth form college I was working at and start working on a less permanent basis at the University while doing my PhD.”
A year into her studies she secured a full-time permanent role at the University.
“It was a challenge to complete the PhD while working full time, being a full-time mum, and it became especially challenging when I became a Head of Department.”
The challenge became even greater when Katy was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.
“Towards the end of 2018 I lost four stone in six weeks,” she said. “I had to have some very aggressive treatments which didn’t work and I was hospitalised, but I couldn’t have the major surgery I needed until 2021 because of the pandemic.”
“To this day I’m so grateful for the support of my family and my colleagues for everything they did for me during this time.”
Despite the challenges, Katy says she never considered studying anywhere else.
“The fact that I didn’t want to look anywhere else speaks for itself,” she said. “From the moment I called the Clearing hotline on results day, I felt seen and supported, and that was very important to me.”
“Everyone was so supportive and there was such a diverse student cohort. Everyone had come from different educational backgrounds and had different experiences. It was such a good mix of people for me to be around, and the tutors were really supportive as well.”
That experience has shaped the way she approaches her role today.
Now passionate about outreach work, Katy regularly visits schools across the Black Country to encourage young people from backgrounds similar to her own to consider higher education.
“I’m very passionate about outreach,” she said. “Before students arrive here, we like to make a personal and meaningful connection with them, especially if a student is, like me, the first in their family to go to university and might not have people around them who can answer questions about university life.”
“I go into schools in the Black Country to connect with learners and let them know that there are people at universities who believe in them and who want them to succeed. I’m always very open about my background and where I come from.”
Katy says one of the most rewarding parts of her role is seeing students grow in confidence during their time at university.
“Many arrive apologising for having ideas, or they’ve got imposter syndrome, or they’re scared to share their opinion, but by the time they graduate the transformation is just amazing,” she said.
“When I speak to students at Worcester, I love to find out what they want to achieve from their time with us and how we can work together to make it happen.”
Graduation ceremonies have always been special for Katy, but this year was different.
“It’s always a special day,” she said. “Students introduce me to their parents and that is a huge honour because you hear how much of an impact you’ve had on their journey.”
“But this time I’ll be sitting among them throughout the ceremony, which will be a real full-circle moment in my life.”
“It has taken 20 years to realise my dream. It doesn’t happen overnight and it doesn’t always happen in the way you expect it to, but if it’s something you really want, you can get there.”