When making a choice about your career, you should always follow your dreams. Never follow money, and if money is your dream, then you are lost. This was the advice from Chevening scholar, and winner of the Queen’s Young Leader Award, Teocah Dove, 26, yesterday to students attending the UK Higher Education and Skills Fair at the Raddison Hotel, in Port-of-Spain.
The annual fair featured representatives from 30 universities from the UK who provide information on undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the UK. “The income will come, don’t worry about that. You will always find finances follow what makes you happy,” Dove said. Dove’s goal was to inform the students about going to school in the UK and the many benefits. She said aside for being in a culturally diverse group of students and having tremendous student support from the university, the best thing about a UK education is the critical skills a student will learn.
“A UK education encourages critical thinking. You are not asked to regurgitate information, but explain how you able to manipulate knowledge,” she said. Dove advised the prospective university students not to chose schools that have “great reputations,” like Cambridge or Oxford, but to choose schools that offer diverse programmes and a holistic university life. That way the students can find healthy ways to cope with stressful situations.
“If you centre your life around academics, you will have no release. Extra hobbies are ways to distress. Look at what interests you in the school, look at the activities, your academic life should be fun,” she said. Dove encouraged the students to actively become involved in volunteer work. She said volunteerism not only looks good on resumes, but teaches important skills and provides many opportunities.
“Most people have a Bachelor’s degree and many also have a Master’s degree. What sets them apart is your contribution to society. Get involved and add to your resume. “In the real world academics is not going to carry you. Volunteer experience adds to it,” Dove said. She said she has been volunteering since 2004. Her volunteer work has taken her around the world to more than 10 different countries to attend conferences and present papers.
On June 27, Dove will be awarded the Queen’s Young Leader Award because of her many contributions to society.