Kate Howells (1980)

I retired a few years ago after 39 years working in BBC Radio, about 20 years as a Producer of arts programmes and documentaries at BBC World Service, and more recently 11 years producing Charity Appeals on Radio 4.

For six months after leaving Merton I worked with the Director of the British American Drama Academy (BADA) to help set up an educational course in British theatre for American and international students in Oxford.

I trained as a Studio Manager in BBC radio from 1984 - it was an increasingly technical job which I found very difficult. It took me several years to progress to working as a producer. I could really have done with a mentor! Years later I was a mentor to a younger producer in BBC radio, and I have been involved in collaborating with young presenters in Ghana and South Africa as training in radio documentary making.

I think I could be helpful with support in thinking about careers in the media (or anywhere else) and what graduates might be doing now to prepare for it, advice on job application and interview technique, and just generally building someone's confidence to recognise their own strengths and the value of their experience, and to know what they want. I'm a good listener and ask lots of questions.