Viola Madau (23) from Glasgow graduated from Forth Valley College with a BA Digital Media (Hons) and fell in love with the course and the Stirling Campus.
She said: “I chose Forth Valley College because it offered an integrated degree with the University of Stirling. I fell in love with the course and how it developed throughout the years. This gave me the possibility to gain strong practical skills in college and more academic skills in university. The Stirling FVC campus is also great, which was definitely a bonus!
“I feel I was very lucky to have been a freshman in FVC. The friendly environment both with my lecturers and my classmates was something not many students got to experience in first year. The facilities provided to us for our modules were up to professional standards and up to date. The lecturers were all incredible and I’m still in touch with most of them. They are always available for academic or professional advice even after graduating from college.
“From what I’ve heard talking with other university students, me and my classmates first year experience at college was much smoother than theirs. College allows you to study with smaller groups of people, which allows you to get to know more people and better. My lectures’ environment was also more informal, which gave me a chance to be comfortable asking for any clarification or advice.
“The fact that the course was structured to give me a taste of a broad variety of skills, really helped me to quickly realise what things I enjoyed the most within my skills in the field of creative industries. Our lecturers were also very experienced professionals who gave us insights and advice on their jobs. It’s a great place to start your academic journey without intimidation.
“I would absolutely recommend the College to anyone. University is great to expand your academic knowledge, but college will definitely put you a step ahead in terms of practical experience. The best bit for me was definitely making great friends and being able to have so much practice mentored by professionals.”
Summing up her experience in three words Viola, said: “Friendly, practical experience, mentoring.”