Two Women, One City, and the Program that Started it all...





Robin Ray



 

Today, we listened to two lovely guest speakers who each fell in love with London so much while on their British Studies Program, they decided to move here.

Joslyn Tinker and Robin Ray both studied abroad with the USM journalism program, and immediately knew that they had  to find ways to be in London permanently. Their approaches were vastly different, and their experiences after moving have been diverse.

Ray finished her BA, bought a one-way ticket and flew out without looking back. She obtained her Master's in Business Administration from Holt University -- an American university with a branch based in London --  and is currently completing her second master's degree from in digital advertising.

Tinker, on the other hand, finished her master's in the United States and lined up a job before "crossing the pond." While Robin is operating on a student visa that she obtained in 2009, Joselyn is counting down the days until her dual citizenship is approved.

Tinker is currently classified as a "highly skilled immigrant with indefinite leave to stay" after being here for eight years. In March, if all goes well, she will hold dual citizenship in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Tinker is currently working in public relations as a marketing director for Sapient Nitro. Ray is working for 3M.

Both made it very clear today that writing is a crucial element in their fields, and that one should stay very well-read. The feeling was mutual that their jobs are based more on "who your contacts are" with less focus on academics.

Both women also said British business is more calm, unemotional and filled with small talk. In sharp contrast, American business is loud, often highly emotional, and straight to the point. Neither felt the UK has a "glass ceiling" here and both have made advances in their fields. And both expressed how happy they were to be living here despite how different it is from the U.S. and neither seemed to have intentions of returning to the States any time soon.
                                                                                     --- By Jessica Holliday