One of three Dean’s Awards, this honour celebrates graduates who show exceptional commitment, achievement and contribution to the Reaseheath community – qualities Emily has quietly embodied throughout her time at University Centre Reaseheath.

“I’ve always been fascinated by animals,” the 21-year-old from Banbury says. “My parents and grandparents regularly took me to visit zoos from a young age. If you asked any of my old teachers or classmates about me, the fact loved animals is probably what they would tell you first – and I’ve even got a photo of me leaving primary school dressed as a zookeeper for a careers day!”

Despite that lifelong interest, Emily wasn’t certain university was the right route. “I never liked the idea of going to university,” she admits. “But I knew a degree would boost my employability, so I started looking for courses with a more vocational focus. Having visited multiple universities, Reaseheath’s course and campus suited my needs perfectly, and it was the only one I instantly felt at home at.”

Having a working zoo on site sealed the deal. Emily began volunteering there most weekends, gaining two years of hands-on experience before being offered a job. It wasn’t just the animals that made Reaseheath feel like home, though, it was the people too.

“The academic staff were so personal and welcoming,” she says. “They always felt like people before lecturers, and that never changed throughout my degree.”

She soon realised that Reaseheath delivered on its promises. “When I was touring other universities, I used to wonder if they really did everything they advertised,” she says. “But Reaseheath genuinely goes above and beyond with the opportunities it offers.”

Alongside consistently high marks, Emily’s volunteering gave her daily motivation. “Being around animals in any capacity is relaxing for me,” she says. “Working alongside my studies actually helped me regulate stress and boosted my mood. I loved what I was doing, and gaining a degree felt like the best way to do it long-term.”

Emily’s final-year dissertation focused on visitor effects in binturongs, an often-overlooked species that has long fascinated her.

“Binturongs have been one of my favourite animals since I knew they existed,” she says. “Their appearance is so unlike any other species, and most zoo visitors have never seen one before, so getting to talk to people about them is always exciting.”

Her study involved observing the animals every two minutes and recording visitor numbers to explore possible relationships between the two. “I also considered the summer holidays and looked for differences between behaviour in that busier period compared with term time,” she explains.

The findings were encouraging. “Overall, the results were very positive – the binturongs spent less time out of sight when there were more visitors, and grooming behaviours increased significantly during the school holidays.”

Encouraged by her tutors, Emily went on to present her findings at the BIAZA Research Conference, something she once thought was beyond her reach. “When the dissertation module launched, conferences were mentioned, but I never thought I’d do one myself,” she says.