Making a film about the impact of Covid-19 and printing copies of Shakespeare’s sonnets on an antique press are just some of Lawrence Robertson’s fond memories of his student days at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU).
Now, as the university’s Civic and Community Engagement Officer, Lawrence - our Alumnus of the Month - can look back on a happy four years at DMU which gave him a springboard to his current career.
He has turned his interests into a creative role at the university that helped him to gain two degrees and realise his ambitions to work on creative and community projects.
Lawrence’s interest in film production propelled him, aged 24, to attain a Merit for his postgraduate diploma in International Film Production, after gaining an English Literature and Creative Writing BA (Hons), both from DMU.
An active involvement in the Students’ Union over his four years as a student, led him to be appointed straight out of university as Insight Co-ordinator with the union.
“My lucky choice of university has gone on to give me some great career opportunities,” he said. “I originally chose DMU as I liked the positive, progressive feel of the university and its newly-developed campus. I never thought when I came here that it would offer me a career like this.”
Taking part in a Freshers' Week event with other Demon Media members
Lawrence grew up in Loughborough and while DMU was fairly close, it was sufficiently distant for him to make the decision to move to Leicester and take student accommodation.
“Once there, I started getting involved with the Students’ Union and specifically Demon Media, the university’s award-winning student group - and I haven’t looked back,” he said.
While Covid-19 had an effect on his studies, it also acted as a catalyst on Lawrence’s course work.
“The pandemic affected my postgraduate coursework, but in a good way,” he said. “I was forced to rethink my film for my diploma, as I couldn’t interview or film people in person. So, I decided to make a film about people’s experiences of lockdown.
“I overcame the problem by recording lots of virtual, audio interviews, and filming scenes of the local countryside around Loughborough, to visually illustrate those recordings.
“The outcome was a short film, shaped by the times, which revealed how much people missed interacting with each other. I really enjoyed making the film, but it also made me realise how much I missed working with other people, which helped me to focus on my future career.
“I love making and producing films - and who knows what the future may bring. But my roles at DMU have been great in pushing me forward. Thanks also to the grounding I received during my studies, I’m now able to combine all my interests into my work.”
Lawrence pictured on campus on his undergraduate graduation day
In his new job, Lawrence has been busy, not just producing films but also working on podcasts, arranging functions and supporting charity events.
He said: “I look at what opportunities there are for the university to support local community organisations. There are often various ways in which we can help, whether that support be financial, creative, or as a facilitator to help build bridges.
“My role offers a lot of variety, from opportunities to support local events, such as the Leicester Comedy Festival, to getting involved with projects like The Big Sleep. This was run in partnership with the University of Leicester and I took part with a group of students to sleep outside overnight to raise funds in support of The Bridge, a local homelessness charity.
“It’s really satisfying to think that my work at DMU can make a difference, if only small one, to the community in Leicester.”
Looking back at his career progression, Lawrence added: “When it came to searching for a job after my graduation, I was very lucky to find a job within DMU’s Students’ Union’s Marketing and Communications team, trying to build a better picture of what students want and organising events, activities and productions in response.”
Among the many highlights of his time at DMU, he fondly remembers arranging an outdoor cinema event for students, with the screening of Shrek 2, last October. While still a student, he also published copies of Shakespeare’s sonnets on an antique printing press as a class experiment.
Lawrence’s diverse role now involves marketing and promotion, as well as social media and design. After a year and a half in his first DMU job, Lawrence jumped at the offer of his current position this January.
In between his busy life, Lawrence likes to relax by walking in the countryside and visiting historical places. As a student, he volunteered for conservation work at National Trust properties such as Calke Abbey in Derbyshire, where he took visitors on tours at weekends, giving young people information about the trust.
In addition, when he has some spare time, Lawrence has a rather eccentric hobby- he collects and restores vintage typewriters.
A final word of advice from Lawrence: “Keep your eyes open to all opportunities. And if possible, go out of your way to help colleagues around you. That way, most of the time, I find people will go out of their way you help you.”
Posted on Wednesday 26 April 2023