51-year-old grandmother of 5 graduates with first class honours. An inspiring story of overcoming barriers no matter what the odds
51-year-old grandmother of 5 graduates first class with first class honours.
An inspiring story of overcoming barriers no matter what the odds, in spite of Covid-19 and other challenges.
Despite dropping out of secondary school and being pregnant at 16 while in fourth form, the 51-year-old Jennifer Faith Limula-Nash, mother of two and grandmother of 5 has been on a quest for 35 years to complete her first under grad degree. This August, she graduates first class, in her Public Relations & Advertising BA class of 2020 alongside her peers who are at least 30 years younger. in spite of Covid-19 and other financial challenges especially during the last semester of Uni. Jennifer has been awarded first class honours.
Jennifer officially graduates on the 26th August 2020. Unbeknownst to her, Jennifer founded Ark & Brook a Thought Leadership Club which launched 2 weeks before lock-down, all while she was writing her Dissertation. She is a Global Visibility Coach, transforming emerging Thought Leaders into visible Experts. Known for amplifying women’s voices through an authentic storytelling such as the #WiredWomen YouTube series. She is also a Talk Show Host at Spotlight NetTv and Magazine Editor-in-Chief. A Philantropreneur and Publicist at heart, she is a hands-on media relation training coach, presenting clients as Thought Leaders by helping them earn industry recognition and media coverage
In 2017, aged 48, Jennifer challenged herself to an experiment of experiential learning by entering into a 3-year program at University of Westminster. The Challenge: To embed herself among college students, see how long it would take them to figure out her real age, explore if they would discriminate against her – all while she experience college life and complete it without quitting no matter how tough things got and against all odds.
As a woman of colour raised in a patriarchal society, by modest and conservative civil service parents, and founder of the HML Foundation, a charity established to advocate for education for all in Zambia, Jennifer says; ‘I knew that I had to stop making excuses and starting practicing what I preached. The only thing that could’ve stopped her was going to be the cost of higher education. But after learning that Student Finance England offered study loans to anyone under the age of 60, qualified and willing to study full time in the UK; Jennifer knew this was her only chance, to not only challenge herself, but also the status quo. As she puts it, whereas, on one hand, risk aversion could make you too paralyzed to try anything, on the other hand being a reckless risk taker could mean a nosedive and gambling with other people's lives - therefore had to take a calculated risk by ensuring I either continued to work, or else run my side hustle to earn extra income.
Even though this was not an ideal situation for us financially, having been a victim of ageism and racism at work since I moved to England in 2010; I knew that I had to up-skill myself to a level where I could feel confident enough to challenge the status quo. Knowing very well that having a higher education does not change who you are, but it changes the perception of who you think you are, I knew this could open doors that were otherwise shut before.
This journey has left me with more than a first-class degree award and graduate attributes. It has also empowered me to amplify my own voice and those of others that are often marginalized by society as they do not fit into the pre-conceived stereotype of academia or thought leadership calibre. I would also strongly submit from my own personal experience, my views to universities and other organisations that 'Ageism is a form of discrimination that no one talks about, and yet it’s as systemic and disabling as any other form of discrimination, therefore I would suggest, Higher Education institutions deliberately address this issue from the grassroots level as part of the diversity and inclusivity narrative.
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Note to the editor
Boiler Plate:
Jennifer Faith Nash officially graduates on the 26th August 2020. Unbeknownst to her, Jennifer founded Ark & Brook a Thought Leadership Club which launched 2 weeks before lock-down, all while she was writing her Dissertation.
She is a Global Visibility Coach, transforming emerging Thought Leaders into visible Experts. Known for amplifying women’s voices through an authentic storytelling such as the #WiredWomen YouTube series. She is also a Talk Show Host at Spotlight NetTv and Magazine Editor-in-Chief.
A Philantropreneur and Publicist at heart, she is a hands-on media relation training coach, presenting clients as Thought Leaders by helping them earn industry recognition and media coverage
In 2015, Jennifer co-founded Keystone Group an integrated PR and Communications virtual agency. Am a Thought Leadership coach steeped in doing global good as Socially Responsible Individuals. Using PR tools to engage, drive and retain personal growth by helping leaders transform their leadership. Identify the strategies that will allow the people in their organisation to earn industry and media recognition and becoming their best self, be more visible and gain competitive advantage.
Using my storytelling, visionary leadership and entrepreneurial skills to assist business owners, leaders, and executives who don’t have someone to help them think through their leadership development strategy, holding them accountable to their objectives, media personas and growth proposition.
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6694599166745706496/
All other personal Social Media handles: @iamjennash
Insta / Twitter: @spotlightzine
Photos of Jennifer: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17z7R0tfU0VRyeWx8BKQQWLhSgTe2dlw3?usp=sharing
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About Ark & Brook:
Ark and Brook an authentic, independent, locally expert, globally connected, impartial Thought Leadership Club bringing together over 100 years integrated communication expertise with specialties in Public Relations
As a membership body we publish the Spotlight Magazine and Host Ignite events Website: http://www.arkandbrook.com
Twitter: @ArkandBrook
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Spotlight NetTv: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDf3-AtMPcPHSz6xIs9xdJQ