Water journey!
By: Communications
From studying Media Studies and completing an internship at UEA, to rubbing shoulders with celebrities as part of her work with the international charity, WaterAid, we caught up with Hana Bel Haj to find out her story.
What made you choose UEA?
I initially chose UEA as an option because it was one of the leading universities for Media Studies. When I visited, that then became one of many reasons why I chose UEA. I loved the green campus, the city, and the feel and look of the place and the people. I also loved the media facilities, like the TV studio and the editing suites. I believed I could get the best from UEA.
What was your motivation for studying Media Studies?
My main reason was how much I enjoyed studying it at A-level. It was the subject I was most interested in because of how diverse the range of work you study is. For-A levels I chose History, Psychology and Media and I felt like Media also encompassed the other two subjects. In media theory you get to look at why and how media can be used to change people’s perceptions on certain things, and looking back at the development of technology and creative media was something I found fascinating. I could also see how the future could be molded and influenced by different forms of media and how they are used, which I found really exciting and interesting.
What were some highlights from your studies?
I thoroughly enjoyed my course. I loved having the chance to be creative and develop my writing skills. I loved how varied it was and how I could choose the areas I wanted to focus on, I even did a politics module that looked at feminism in the media. The highlight of my course was the first term of third year doing a TV module – it was so fun to create a TV show, working in the control room and partially taking on the role of directing. Due to COVID, most of my first and second years were online, so I loved being able to do practical work and building friendships with my coursemates.
Were you involved with any of UEA’s Clubs and Societies?
I was part of the Ballroom and Latin dance club at UEA during my third year which I loved, and it was so lovely to meet new people and learn something new. I did it with a few friends and we even performed in UEA Strictly. I was also Social Secretary for the Arts, Media and American Studies (AMA) society, and loved using the Sports Park to do Zumba and play badminton with my housemates. I also worked as a Student Ambassador helping at events, which I really enjoyed.
What skills did you learn on your UEA Social Media internship? Has this helped you in your career?
When I did my Social Media internship it kick-started my career. I gained so many valuable skills and experiences, such as administrative skills, risk and crisis management, brief and strategy writing, content creation and editing, reporting and analytical skills. I learnt so much in those five months. It was a brilliant first role that allowed me to be creative but also learn foundational skills that have set me up for my career. I truly believe without the skills, support and positive experience I gained whilst doing my internship, I wouldn't have gotten the job that I love now.
Did anyone at UEA particularly inspire you?
Two individuals at UEA that inspired me, and continue to do so, are Chris Price who was a lecturer on my media course and Elizabeth Starling, who was my manager during my Social Media internship.
Chris has so much passion for media production and teaching, following his career at the BBC, and he inspired so many on my course to pursue a career in production. He genuinely cared about his students and made it such an enjoyable experience for us all; we had so much fun and for that reason we excelled in his module.
Elizabeth was an incredible manager and mentor – exactly what you would want, especially in your first job. She gave me room to develop and be creative and was brilliant to shadow in all scenarios. I learnt so many valuable lessons from having her as a manager, including how to deal with crisis communications, which was a vital skill to take forward into my career in the media industry. I will always look up to her, not only as a manager I aspire to be like one day, but also because she is passionate about her job, constantly coming up with new and innovative ideas while still aligning with UEA's brand values and identity.
How did your course influence or impact your career?
I am currently working as a Media and Celebrity Assistant at WaterAid. I always knew I wanted to work in the media industry, so my course was the stepping stone I wanted to lead me into my career. I have also always been fascinated by celebrities – while on my course I did a module called Celebrity which increased my fascination, how we put them on a pedestal and how they can be used as a force for good or bad. So, I definitely wanted to be on the side that made a positive difference, combining the work of celebrities and media for a positive impact.
What celebrities have you worked with in your job? Do you have any interesting stories to tell?
We have worked with a lot of celebrities at WaterAid. Since I joined, I have worked with our Ambassadors Tyler West, Ellie Simmonds, Amanda Mealing, and met long-time supporters David Morrissey, Sophie Tea, Sir Tony Robinson and Dame Zandra Rhodes.
I think my highlight was being at the Chelsea Flower Show and seeing so many people, from Nick Grimshaw to Indira Varma enjoying The WaterAid Garden. We even had HRH The Princess Royal pay a visit while we were there.
My job is extremely varied, which is why I love it, and something I never expected to be doing. It,was great fun filming with different celebrities and influencers to create a campaign video; I ended up deadlifting Dr Sara Otung as part of the skit – luckily, I had been practicing my form and she is a personal trainer, so all went to plan!