Meet our 2022 graduates - Celyn Dizon

Over the next 2 weeks, the Class of 2022 will be celebrating hard work and resilience at their graduation ceremonies. We introduce just a handful of these grads who have made the most of their time at Portsmouth. 

Business School grad Celyn Perez-Dizon will take to the stage on Wednesday 20 July to celebrate her MA Digital Marketing degree. Celyn has successfully balanced work and study commitments to complete her goals. She has also secured a social media placement in the university marketing, advancement and communications team.

Celyn shared her story with us reflecting on her achievements and highlights:

Tell us about your journey to university

At the end of my A-Levels, I decided to defer my entry taking a gap year. I worked full-time for six months before spontaneously flying out to the Philippines and living with my grandmother for the rest of the year. 

London was a crowded city and I wanted to live away from home and be independent. My mum gave me the advice to go to Portsmouth for the experience and to have a feel of the city. It turned out to be the best advice and decision.

The BSc (Hons) Digital Media course was exactly what I wanted, it provided me with different career pathways. It kept my options open which was good as I was unsure about a career path. I wanted to stay within the digital sector and chose a Master's in Digital Marketing as it tied in with my undergraduate course.

What were some of the highlights of your time at Portsmouth?

One social highlight was joining the women’s football sports club at the university.  I also loved living by the seafront and having the freedom to walk there which was refreshing coming from London. It was great to meet a range of diverse and interesting people from different cultures.

When I joined the women’s football team, I never knew I would be meeting lifelong friends! I even had the opportunity to be social secretary in my second year where I was more involved in the society and made myself known to the upcoming freshers.

Describe your pride at completing your Master's and working at university

Working for the entire duration of my Master’s degree and managing to achieve a merit overall and distinction in my dissertation is my biggest achievement so far. I was then offered a marketing role at the university which offered a chance to prepare myself for the working world.

Tell us about your marketing role 

The Social Media Administrator role has helped me get a foot in the door within my course area.

It is an 18 month contract and I can attend events and be more engaged with the student community. The biggest skill I have learned to date is time management when it comes to social media as there are a lot of unforeseen circumstances. This has built my initiative in terms of responding to this and taking responsibility.

What are your next steps after graduation?

I am looking to find a career job in my field of study and aim to use both my undergraduate degree and Master’s degree. I am looking at London although Canada and Australia are also both appealing.