Councillor Paul Holmes BSc Politics and International Relations, 2009

Cabinet Member for Children's Services and Learning

Not only did I receive a degree from an internationally recognised university, I also made some great friends.

Paul Holmes combined working for his BSc Politics and International Relations with being a real-life politician. In his second year of studies, in 2008, he was elected to represent Redbridge on Southampton City Council, then appropriately became cabinet member for Children's Services and Learning the following year. He has also chaired the local authority's planning committee.

Examining the theory of politics as well as serving as a councillor was a valuable experience. Paul says: "Studying at Southampton helped me greatly in managing to start a political career. My course focused a great deal on the British political system and voting processes. Being directly part of that system certainly related to my previous studies."

He now leads the political administration in Southampton on all matters relating to the city's 53,000 children: "I have legal responsibility for making sure that our facilities for children, delivered through schools, colleges and social services, are providing a quality service to our young people and their parents throughout Southampton."

Paul looks back on his studies with affection: "Not only did I receive a degree from an internationally recognised university, I also made some great friends. I would very much recommend studying at Southampton. It is a genuinely nice place with great facilities, friendly staff and great course mates. What more could you want? I'm still in touch with many of my fellow students. You make friends for life at university and we all still meet up occasionally."