Meet Susan Smith, Professor and Deputy Director (Student Experience)​ at UCL School of Management. Susan’s role is pivotal in ensuring every student’s journey, from applicant to alumni, is supported and enriched. Passionate about inclusivity, she has spearheaded initiatives like the hardship fund and the Year 12 widening participation summer school, opening doors for underrepresented groups.

As a respected professor of Accounting, Susan addresses gender disparities in the field, advocating for equality. Her guiding principle? Maya Angelou’s timeless wisdom on the importance of making others feel valued. Join us in celebrating Susan’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment.

What is your role and what does it involve?

My role is Deputy Director (Student Experience). That means I am responsible for the student experience n the School, which covers everything from when an applicant is thinking about applying to UCL School of Management to graduation when student become alumni. I work closely with colleagues in professional services, programme directors and other academics.

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?

It’s still early days for me at UCL as I’ve only been here a year. One of the first initiatives I set up alongside Michelle Tinsley, the School Tutor was a hardship fund. This was in response to the cost of living crisis and the fact that some students are faced with sudden and unforeseen financial constraints that may prevent them continuing their studies.

Are there any ongoing projects or future initiatives you’re excited about in your role?

It is important that we work with talented young people from underrepresented groups who may not otherwise apply to study at UCL. At the moment I’m excited about the School’s first Y12 widening participation summer school that will take place in July this year. This is an excellent opportunity for local young people considering applying to University to experience the UCL environment. We’re thrilled to have secured work experience in the subsequent week with Canary Wharf Group and hope to be able to announce other work experience partners very soon. We are currently considering how we can scale this initiative and also how we can work with younger age groups.

As a professor of accounting, have you seen any gender disparities/challenges within the field? what steps can be taken to address them?

Whilst around 50% of those studying for professional accountancy qualifications are female this hasn’t yet translated into equal representation at the partnership level. I think a big contributor is the culture in professional services firms as well as the opportunities for qualified accountants in industry. There is a lot of work taking place both in terms of academic research and practical initiatives across the profession to understand and address these and other representational challenges.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Be kind to others and follow your dreams.

Finally, what message would you like to convey to our community about the importance of our community about the importance of fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment?

This quote from Maya Angelou particularly resonates with me ‘I’ve learned people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel’.