Hi, I'm Preston. When I started my first year at the University of Bath, I didn’t set out with the goal of completing the Bath Award.
Instead, I said yes to opportunities that sounded interesting.
Over the course of the year, I became a University Outreach Ambassador, volunteered within sport, qualified as a certified trampolining judge, took on representative and leadership responsibilities, attended professional development workshops, and successfully secured a summer internship. Alongside all of this, I was studying Physics with Theoretical Physics.
At first, these experiences felt disconnected, the Bath Award changed that.
Developing skills through the Bath Award
One of the biggest things the scheme taught me was how to recognise and articulate the skills I was developing through experiences that I might otherwise have dismissed as “just something I did.”
As an Outreach Ambassador, I developed communication skills by speaking with prospective students and representing the university. I learned how to adapt my communication style to different audiences and how to present information clearly and confidently.
As a certified trampolining judge, I developed professionalism, accountability and decision-making. Judging requires concentration, consistency and fairness under pressure. Every score you give has consequences, and there is a responsibility to remain objective and professional throughout.
Through volunteering and extracurricular involvement, I developed collaboration skills by working alongside people with different experiences, perspectives and goals. I learned how important reliability and communication are when working as part of a team.
Meanwhile, applying for internships and professional opportunities challenged me to become more resilient. Rejection is a normal part of professional development, and learning how to reflect on setbacks, improve, and keep moving forward is a skill in itself. Successfully securing a summer internship showed me that the experiences I had accumulated throughout the year had real value beyond academics.
What I learned by completing the award
Perhaps the most surprising lesson from the Bath Award was that professional development is not something that happens separately from university life. It happens when you volunteer, it happens when you take on responsibility, it happens when you step outside your comfort zone and try something new.
The workshops and training sessions provided by the programme were valuable, but the reflection process was what had the greatest impact on me. It encouraged me to look back at my experiences and ask not just “What did I do?” but “What did I learn?” and “How have I changed?”
Looking back now, I realise that the award was never about completing fifty hours or ticking boxes; It was about developing a greater awareness of my own growth.
My advice for other students
For students considering the Bath Award, my advice would be simple: don’t worry about having an impressive list of achievements before you begin. Start by getting involved in things that genuinely interest you. The opportunities, skills and experiences will follow.
Completing the Bath Award has given me a stronger understanding of my own strengths and areas for development, and I know the skills I have built through the programme will continue to support me throughout my degree and future career.
And perhaps most importantly, it has taught me how to recognise the value of experiences that I might previously have overlooked.
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