Published: 27 February 2020
You’ll have seen Jean Howe a lot when you come to the University. She’s the smiling woman behind the reception desk. But do you know who she is?
“I’m a people person,” Jean says. “If you put me in a room with a computer I go crazy. I need to be around people and feel like I’m always on the go.”
Jean is one of the University of Sunderland in London’s Business Support Officers. Her job is essentially customer services. She welcomes staff, students and visitors, listens to their issues and helps them find their way around the building.
“We’re the first people you see when you come into the building.” She says, “It means I get to create good relationships with people. Last year, I went to Sunderland with the students on the Mobility Project. I got to know them and see their little community grow. It was something special.”
Before joining the University, Jean worked for the London Underground. “I was a line controller for 15 years. I was responsible for trains on the Bakerloo and Victoria lines, making sure any problems with the tracks were fixed as quickly as possible. It was a lot of responsibility.” After deciding to leave the Underground, she worked as a temp which led her to the University.
“I came here for just one day to work on reception while everyone was at an all-staff meeting. Five years later and I’m still here!” - Jean Howe, Receptionist
She gets in every day at 8:10 am, just in time to grab a coffee before the first students arrive at 8:30. The phone starts ringing almost straight away with people asking to be put through to different departments or lecturers. She needs to know where to send them, and how to help students who are worried about essay deadlines or missing passes.
“The best thing about working here is that I feel like I’m really involved in the life of the University. I like to think of myself as a key connection between the students and the other members of staff.”
For Jean, no two days are the same. One day, she could be helping a student panicking because they’ve lost their iPad, another she could be helping new students find their way to induction. “You can make what you like from this job. You could just sit there and do the basics, but it’s so much nicer to do that little bit more and see how happy it can make our students.
If you want to get in touch with Jean, or anyone at Reception, you can email them at jean.howe@sunderland.ac.uk. And make sure you say hi on your way to lectures!
