For Sarah Sharples CBE (née Nichols, Class of 1991), returning to Wimbledon High School as the Guest Speaker at this year’s Speech Day was a true full-circle moment.
Now Vice President and Dean of Science and Engineering at the University of Manchester, Sarah reflected on the experiences that shaped both her personal and professional journey, sharing five key lessons with students as they celebrated the end of the school year.
Looking back on her own time at Wimbledon High, Sarah spoke warmly about the school’s influence on her future success.
“I was very fortunate to go to a school in the 1980s that had a feminist ethos and prioritised science as a subject for girls. At the time, I don’t think I realised that this wasn’t the norm.”
One of the most memorable moments of the day came when Sarah was reunited with her former physics teacher – and Wimbledon High legend – Mr Yee, who came to hear her speak:
Thank you!
“Mr Yee made our lessons great fun and provided me with the foundations of physics knowledge for which I am now extremely grateful as I lead a place as extraordinary as The University of Manchester Faculty of Science and Engineering.
We don’t always get the chance to say thank you to teachers for the impact that they have on us, so thank you to Fionnuala Kennedy for the kind invitation and giving me that opportunity. But most importantly of all, THANK YOU to all those teachers out there who make a difference every day.”
Sarah has had a rich and varied career as one of the UK’s leading experts in human factors and ergonomics. This year, she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in recognition of her outstanding contributions to transportation, manufacturing research, and equality, diversity and inclusion.
Sarah’s inspiring speech (which you can read in full here) centred on her ‘Five Thoughts’ for the students as they embark on the next stage of their lives:
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Study what you love
Think about the things that you look forward to, the things you want to think about every day. The books that when you start reading them you don’t want to put them down. The pieces of work you choose to spend extra time on because you are enjoying it.
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You are not a superwoman:
Sometimes people at work referred to me as a superwoman. I was clearly creating the illusion of a swan, gliding along with lots of paddling under the water. But that isn’t helpful. It sets unrealistic expectations. I wasn’t a superwoman. I didn’t need to be a superwoman. I just needed to do the best I could, and that would be enough.
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Life is a long game:
If you can, give yourself a chance to make new choices. Most graduates today will have between 7-12 careers. Not jobs. Careers. Some of the careers that will end up being your passion don’t even exist yet. And some paths might be longer or more wiggly than others. Remember, don’t worry if the first plan doesn’t quite work out.
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Be inspired by others:
For example, Barbara Castle who, as the first woman to be Minister for Transport, was told, you’re only a woman and can’t even drive, what do you know? She introduced the seat belt and drink driving laws and saved tens of thousands of lives.
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Have fun:
If it ever feels too overwhelming, like you are never going to achieve your goals, then stop. Do something fun. Go to the gym. Chat to a friend. Do some gardening. Make something. Look at something beautiful. Dance to some music. Bake a cake. Sing.
Thank you, Sarah, for coming to be part of our Speech Day – your ‘Five Thoughts’ had a big impact on everyone present!