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Sasha Copeland

Gateshead, UK

BA (Hons) Business and Marketing Management with Integrated Foundation Year


After starting an Etsy business during the pandemic, Sasha wanted to develop her knowledge and skills in business and marketing and chose the University of Sunderland to do so. She has since been awarded a first class in her first year and has been nominated for the Wear Businesswomen Awards.

I chose to study at Sunderland because it was a local university that provided me with the ability to do a foundation course to get back into studying after a few years of not being in education.

I wanted to come to university to broaden my knowledge and skills in business and marketing. Previously, I was working full-time in a call centre and didn't enjoy it after being moved to a sales position. During the Covid-19 pandemic, I started an Etsy business in my spare time. I thoroughly enjoyed it and wanted to know more about running and managing a business, specifically the marketing sides of things.

My favourite part of my course is being able to speak with my tutors and lecturers about their experiences working within marketing. 

My advice for prospective students who are looking to study at the University of Sunderland would be do it! It’s such a nice university to study at, with so much more to offer than it seems. The experience and opportunities you can gain are endless.

I have two current goals in mind for my career. I want to work in a marketing department and get the experience and knowledge from working amongst other marketers, and I specifically would like to go into a management role. But I also want to have my own business, possibly not the one I currently have on Etsy. But I'd also like to grow my own business from the bottom, implementing what I've learned during my degree about business.

I recently got a job as a Student Career and Skills Coach at the University and my studies have helped me a lot alongside this. One part of my job is about engaging students with our services, and I feel like I have the knowledge to put forward to be able to do this and integrate new things into the marketing. One of my modules from first year also specifically went into details about setting personal and professional goals, looking at CVs and working with other people which helps me put more into my role. 

If I could sum up my experience of studying at the University of Sunderland, it would be life changing".

Published 19 October 2023

Check out Sasha's Etsy business / desirabledarling 

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