Graduations 2024: Student journalists who went head-to-head with Keir Starmer bag dream jobs

Published on 25, November, 2024

Two University of Sunderland graduates, who got the chance to interview Sir Keir Starmer just before he became Prime Minister, have gone on to bag their dream journalism jobs.

Adam Foster and Joshua Nichol, who studied MA Sports Journalism, were part of a group of students that sat down with the Labour leader to ask him questions from climate change to football.

They were given the opportunity to visit The Northern Echo newsroom in Darlington in April this year where they met Sir Keir, gaining valuable experience about the industry.

Little did Adam and Joshua know at the time; they were interviewing the UK’s next Prime Minister, as just three months later, Sir Keir replaced Rishi Sunak after a landslide Labour victory in the July 4, 2024, British general election.

Now, Adam and Joshua are celebrating reaching their own milestone – graduating from the University of Sunderland having landed jobs in the media.

Adam is a reporter for Chronicle Live, covering stories across the north-east, while Joshua is an AI assisted reporter for The Northern Echo, covering County Durham and Darlington.

Just one month into his new role, Adam helped cover Prince William’s visit to Birtley Community Pool in Gateshead in October this year.

More recently, he reviewed Bastille lead singer Dan Smith’s Candlelight performance at the Discovery Museum in Newcastle.

These are just two of the many opportunities Adam believes would not have been possible without the University of Sunderland.

Adam, from Liverpool, said: “If anyone is thinking of doing journalism, you should go to Sunderland because the opportunities you get are absolutely amazing.

“From interviewing Sir Keir Starmer to being in the press box when Gateshead won the FA Trophy at Wembley – these are things I didn’t think I would hear myself say at 23 years of age.

“To ask questions of the next Prime Minister was surreal. Without the course and the skills that I’ve learned, and being put forward by my lecturers, it’s something I would’ve never been able to do.

“It was the best decision I ever made, to come to Sunderland to do the Masters because of what I got out of the course, the friends I made – and the lecturers helped me every single step of the way.”

>

For Joshua, journalism has been his lifelong ambition, having previously worked in communications.

He applied for the job at The Northern Echo after meeting some of its staff at a University journalism networking evening in Sunderland. Joshua was offered the job and began his role in June this year while finishing his MA.

Joshua, 26, from County Durham, said: “The MA at Sunderland afforded us so many incredible opportunities, from interviewing the man who was about to become Prime Minister to covering Gateshead win a Wembley final, and even interviewing one of the greatest darts players in history, Michael van Gerwen.

“Whether it was little bits of feedback, coaching for job interviews, or literally getting us into Wembley, the University set us up for success by allowing us to get ahead of other early career journalists through experience.

“Anyone who may be in my position and looking to retrain should take heart in the fact that it was the best decision I have made in my adult life. I am now working in the field I have wanted to work in since I headed on a primary school trip to see newspapers being made.”

Adam and Joshua are among thousands of students graduating over four days at the Stadium of Light this week (Monday 25 November) as part of the University of Sunderland Winter Graduation Ceremonies.

Neil Farrington, Senior Lecturer is Sports Journalism at the University of Sunderland, said: "Adam and Joshua are fantastic examples of students who not only made the most of every chance they were given to gain out-of-classroom experience during their MA studies, but had the initiative to actively pursue other extracurricular opportunities to develop their skills and confidence as journalists.

"It's a great pleasure but no surprise to the staff who taught them to see both of them land jobs before even graduating from the MA programme." 

To find out more about studying MA Sports Journalism at the University of Sunderland, click here: https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/study/journalism-and-pr/postgraduate-journalism/