Teslim Giwa
PhD Architecture
In my quest for a higher degree, I got offers from different schools rated as centres of excellence from all over the academic world, however when the offer from the University of Sheffield arrived. I knew that was where I wanted to be.
Part of my excitement about the university was fuelled by the fact that nobody told me about the University of Sheffield. I discovered its academic pedigree after a painstakingly done research on departmental rankings around the world. My department ranks second in research according to my findings and I get a sense of fulfilment anytime I walk towards the arts tower where my department is located, knowing that I made the right decision.
My supervisor is out of this world. He provides support like I can never imagine and my research cohort is such an adorable bunch of intellectuals. The study facilities and resources in the school of architecture are quite remarkable, making the department just the right environment for research. The faculties are also world class and there is always the humour line about "information overload" if you are in Architecture. The department is celebrating its centenary this year and I feel very proud to be part of this department.
As an Architect in this `romantic´ city, I never cease to marvel at the undulating landscape and the details of its Doric order architecture. Initially, I used to carry a sketchpad around but when I just wasn´t getting enough sketches, I had to resort to the digital camera. I must admit that be you a Cubist or a follower of the Avant garde, Sheffield is indeed any Architect´s dream.
For leisure, I love to go bowling at the Sheffield bowling alley. It´s a state of the art facility and quite different from the one I use back home. There are also cinemas around that show movies which students can view at a discount. There is also this little street café close to the university where I eat shawarma as we call it back home. Hardly does a day go by without me visiting this café.
Being a Muslim, I adore Sheffield so much because it has got Mosques even more than some cities back home. The community is quite friendly and there is lots of interfaith co operation. Before coming to Sheffield, I thought it was going to be a difficult task finding Islamic places of worship.
The camaraderie amongst the Nigerian students is great. One cannot be lonely around here. More often than not when I come across a hitherto unknown Nigerian student, just a nod of the head or a wink does all the introductions.
Prospective students will find Sheffield a perfect study niche. The school´s classic layout reflects its influences on the city and the larger world. I remember telling a colleague of mine that for Architects, there is no place to find your muse other than Sheffield. For researchers there are no doubts that Sheffield is an academic environment par excellence.
This is the second year of my profile page and in retrospect I feel good about it. Why? I have met a lot of currently enrolled students who were formerly prospective students – these are people I actually had conversations with before they came over to Sheffield, and they have expressed immense satisfaction over making the right choice of university.
Its always nice to have a chat with prospective students, as the conversations are usually a cross between the professional student chat and informal talk – It´s never a dull moment. But it is most fulfilling when one gets to help a person in need.
For prospective researchers, Research is quite intensive with lots of challenges but is most definetly fun, and like every thing else, gets more exceiting when results gradually begin to appear. This has been the case with me and most of the international students I have spoken with on this subject.
So to prospective students, I hope to make your acquaintance whenever you have an enquiry or even when you become a student here at the university. The student community is increasing, and I hope you will be a part of the University of Sheffield excellence story.
Web Diary
I am writing a web diary for you to read about my experiences in Sheffield. Please click on the link below to read it.