Hi – my name is Chiedza Maenzanise (she/her). I am currently studying towards a BSc in Cybersecurity and have been a Student Engagement Coordinator intern for eSTEeM for the past 6 months. This is a post about my experiences and journey.
But first a little about me. I was born abroad and moved to the UK over a decade ago. During a particularly challenging period in my life, studying with The Open University became a turning point and it gave me a sense of direction and purpose. Through my first TMA, I began to rebuild my confidence, especially after receiving positive feedback on my writing despite years of self-doubt. Continuing my studies, even in difficult circumstances, provided a sense of stability and reminded me of my resilience and potential. In hindsight, I recognise the importance of seeking support, but my journey has shown me how education can be a powerful tool for personal growth and transformation. As a single parent, it is important to show my children resilience, and The Open University has allowed me to foster that.
A year later, as I was looking through my Open University emails, I found an opportunity for a student internship as a student engagement coordinator for eSTEeM. I had never heard of eSTEeM but at that time I was looking to better myself and improve my employability skills. Hesitantly, I applied. I had been a member of the student representative panel where I would occasionally participate in surveys: their aim being to improve the learning process of students. This internship appealed to me as it was an opportunity to be involved in a meaningful way. The role promised to be flexible and would fit into my studies and family life, and would be a stepping stone in my career.
I thoroughly researched about eSTEeM in preparation for the interview, and learned eSTEeM is the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Centre for Scholarship and Innovation based at The Open University. Established in 2010, eSTEeM brings together STEM academics, academic-related staff and students to promote the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) in open and distance learning. Their portfolio of projects includes work on assessment, technologies for STEM learning and improved methods of student support. Many of the scholarship projects focus on how to enhance the student experience, with an increasing number investigating and evaluating innovative approaches to teaching and learning in STEM.
When the email arrived confirming I had been appointed to the internship, my immediate reaction was a rush of pure happiness swiftly followed by a familiar creeping fear of failure. Looking back, it made me realise why I had been modest when setting my initial goals. By keeping my expectations low, I was trying to protect myself. For a long time, I had let outside doubts dictate how much space I allowed myself to take up, but getting this position was the moment the script flipped. Navigating a part-time degree is a marathon. As I prepare to enter my fourth year of my university Journey, I am wrapping up this internship and realise that it has proved that those old doubts were entirely wrong – I am exactly where I belong.
In April, I had a unique opportunity to be a student ambassador and participate in the 15th annual eSTEeM Conference, themed Stepping Back and Stepping Up – 15 Years of eSTEeM. My role as student ambassador was to welcome attendees online, refer them to necessary resources if needed and assist with technical difficulties within my capabilities.
Photos by Henry Ransby – we have permission to publish these photographs.
Celebration of the 15th anniversary of eSTEeM – the management team and some of the former directors.
Through attending some of the presentations and later reviewing them, I found the discussions and interactions amongst academics quite heartwarming because they endeavoured to find out how best to help students achieve their outcomes, would put themselves in the position of students and view ideas from the students’ point of view. Many projects were in part aided by Associate Lecturers who have in-depth knowledge on how students would react in given situations. Students were also part of project teams providing wholesome representation. As these projects are meant to improve the overall performance of students, it was also interesting to find that project leaders were open to criticism and suggestions, which instils confidence that at the core of eSTEeM there is always room to improve student learning.
15th annual eSTEeM conference – presentations on various projects ranging from interactive oral presentation, teaching innovation talks and poster presentations.
Since embarking on this journey as an intern for Student Engagement, my work has primarily been focused on researching ways to encourage more students to engage with scholarship. Having researched projects that have directly impacted modules I have studied and will study, I know the benefits of having students participate in projects and surveys that directly shape our learning. Student voices and experiences matter in helping module teams to better understand how well we learn and consider different circumstances and pathways that have led us into distance learning.
This internship has been deeply meaningful to me; I found myself in a position where I could help design and coordinate initiatives to engage more students with eSTEeM. Over the last six months I have gained invaluable professional skills in research, conference coordination, communication and taking initiative.
Reflecting on my time at eSTEeM, I think the greatest value I gained has been learning how to use my own journey to empower others. This year’s conference theme “Stepping back and Stepping up” is exactly what this role has allowed me to do. It forced me to step back and realise how much resilience I possess but more importantly gave me the confidence to step up as a coordinator and advocate for our STEM community.
Beyond the practical skills, the defining highlight of this experience has been the incredible mentorship I received from the Directors of eSTEeM, Daphne Chang and Fiona Aiken, and the Senior Manager of eSTEeM, Diane Ford. Stepping into a role with senior leaders was initially intimidating; however, their guidance completely transformed my perspective. They didn’t just supervise my work, they truly listened to my ideas, treated me as a valued colleague, and trusted me with real responsibility. Their encouragement gave me the validation I needed, proving to me that I belonged in this professional space and that my voice has genuine weight.
I am deeply grateful for the patience, insights, and encouragement my mentors offered me.
