With our newest cohort of students a few weeks into their first term of teaching, staff, students and recent graduates came together to phone first-year students and make sure they were enjoying their DMU experience so far.
For some, coming to university can be a big adjustment. It may be the first time they have lived away from home, while others may be juggling their studies with caring responsibilities or returning to education for the first time in a long time.
Rebecca was among those sharing their experiences of DMU with first-year students
No one knows the university experience quite like our current students and recent graduates. That's why, every year, a handful of them team up with the student support team to call every first-year student and ask how they are settling in.
During the week beginning Monday 26 October, the team spoke to more than 1,300 new DMU students – 40 per cent of all first-years – to gather feedback on five core statements:
- I feel I belong at university.
- I made the right decision in choosing to study at university.
- I feel supported by this university.
- I see myself as part of the university community.
- I feel satisfied with my course so far.
Across the five questions, the university achieved a very strong average rating of 4.26 out of five, while nearly a quarter of the students spoken to were referred to one of our support services.
Oladipupo Hilton, who recently graduated with a Master's in Data Analytics, returned to campus to be part of the team making the calls.
He said: "Being a part of the first-year outreach enabled me to reach first-year students and get them the right support, while also giving many of them a sense of belonging. As an ex-student, I was glad to be able to help create a deeper connection between my alma mater and the new students."
Oladipupo Hilton came back to DMU to take part
Final-year Cosmetic Science student Rebecca Puntorieri joined DMU through Clearing and said she enjoyed helping students understand what support the university has available.
She said: "It's been lovely to talk to first-year students and hear about how well some of them have been doing, but it's been equally as nice helping those who had any queries. I think this campaign is an amazing idea for students to speak up about any issues they've been having, whether course-related or not, and I'm glad I got the chance to highlight the support services available."
Reach-out calls are just one of the ways DMU helps students settle into university life. This week (Monday 2 to Friday 6 November) marks Your DMU Community Week, a bespoke collection of events curated to help students make friends and try new activities.
There are four Community Weeks running across Blocks One to Four, each with a distinct theme. This week's theme centres on belonging and has included sporting championships, blind dates with books, a video game hub, sunrise walks and ghost tours, alongside support and careers workshops.
Clare Squires, Belonging Manager at DMU, said: “The reach-out calls are a really valuable part of our approach to student belonging. They provide an opportunity to make an early, personal connection with every first-year student, helping them feel seen, welcomed and supported.
“The week also gives us the chance to identify those who may be finding the transition to university challenging. It’s about creating the conditions in which belonging can develop from the very start of a student's university journey.”
Alasdair Blair, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor Education, said: "Starting university can be a major life change, so it was encouraging to see students reaching out to one another, sharing experiences and helping ensure that everyone feels part of the DMU community from the very beginning of their journey."
Posted on Wednesday 11 November 2026