Accepted into Durham University for my Masters

The entrance of Durham Castle, photographed by Billy Wilson, 2019. 

I found out I’d been accepted in June, after having just applied in late May. I was catching up on some computer work while on business in Costa Rica when I got the email.

After reading it, I admittedly turned on some music, danced around the room and jumped on the bed!

I will be in Durham’s MSc Marketing program starting September 2024. The 12-month program will further me in my goal of establishing a career in destination marketing (for example: Visit Britain). I also hope to someday teach tourism development at a college level. My ultimate dream is to be elected to the World Heritage Committee to help select and evaluate UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Here are a few of the reasons I applied to Durham University:

• For my American readers, Durham University is part of the Russell Group, which is the strongest tier of universities in the UK — similar to the Ivy League in the U.S. This school has a wonderful academic reputation. I truly cannot believe I got accepted!

• Out of the Russell Group universities, Durham was one of the few that offered a specific module, or class, in tourism marketing.

• Because I am a history nerd, Durham holds a lot of appeal to me: it’s the third-oldest university in England, and its city centre (surrounded by a moat!) is home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Durham Castle and Durham Cathedral).

• I love living in England. I also love how easy it is to travel throughout Europe. One of my goals in life is to travel to 100+ countries across the seven continents, and England is an ideal home-base for reaching this goal.

I will complete my studies in September 2025, and hope you will follow me along in this new chapter. Cheers!