Chelsea McDonagh
Senior researcher and advocate
Physical and Sport Education, 2018
Senior researcher and Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller people rights advocate Chelsea McDonagh was the first person in her family to attend university. Coming from a Traveller background, Chelsea didn’t think going to university was something she could do. However, in 2015 Chelsea enrolled at St Mary’s. Two degrees later, she now works as a researcher at The Young Foundation, advocating for the rights and inclusion of Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller people.
“Going to university changed my life, but I hope it has also shown other Travellers who would like to go that they can.”
Paving the way
Chelsea studied Physical and Sport Education at St Mary’s University, graduating in 2018 with a First class degree. However, her journey to university wasn’t an easy one. Looking back on her teenage years, Chelsea shares that coming from a Traveller background meant that she didn’t think going to university was something she would be able to do. No one in her family had been to university, and her parents would be unable to support her with applications as they didn’t have that academic experience.
“I didn’t know any Travellers who had been to university, so it seemed almost out of the question.”
Despite these thoughts, there was also a part of her that knew she wanted to get a degree. With the support of her friends and teachers, Chelsea spent time overcoming her fears and got herself to a point where she felt ready to apply to university. In September 2015, Chelsea started at St Mary’s.
Reflecting on her decision to attend university, Chelsea says she feels proud of herself for overcoming her anxiety and navigating the process on her own. She says she chose St Mary’s for its campus feel and supportive environment, as she knew she wanted somewhere that was able to provide exceptional student support.
"The University as a whole really helped me to develop as an academic.”
"The support I received from my lecturers at St Mary’s was really important."
Chelsea loved her time at St Mary’s, fostering great relationships with her lecturers and getting involved in the social side of the University including the sport societies.
She shares that it was her lecturers that sparked her lifelong interest in academia and research, and that she still keeps in touch with some of them to this day.
After graduation, Chelsea took the skills she had learned from St Mary’s and her passion for academia to complete a Master’s in Education at King’s College London. She then worked in various policy and teaching jobs, before starting in her current role as a Senior Researcher at The Young Foundation.
For Chelsea, her main goal now is to make research more accessible to those that it affects. She also does a lot of campaigning on issues surrounding Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people, as well as mentoring university students from under-represented backgrounds.
Asking her about the impact that St Mary’s had on her life, Chelsea says that the support she received from the staff on the Physical and Sport Education course was pivotal to her success. Often going above and beyond and holding her accountable, she shares that it was them who pushed her to be the best that she could be.
“I loved my time at St Mary’s. I was able to have really great relationships with my lecturers."
