Karen Kelly: BA Hons Community Management

Karen Kelly

BA Hons Community Management, 1997

“I am currently raising my three pre-schoolers as a stay-at-home mum. I have also trained as a child minder.”

After leaving university Karen stayed in Luton for a year working for Lloyds TSB, before moving to Abbey National in Milton Keynes. Karen then moved to Arrow Supply in Bedford before getting married to Andy in 2000. The couple then moved to Northampton where Karen worked for Travis Perkins Head Office until shortly after her first son was born.

Karen now has three children; Toby, four and a half; Elijah, two and a half; and Simeon, eighteen months. “Raising children is hard work, as was studying for my degree, but I have thoroughly enjoyed doing both!” said Karen. “I hope to return to work and use my degree once the children have grown up. I’d also really like to continue studying.”

After Karen had completed her degree course, she was offered a postgraduate course in Waste Management, but declined. Karen now wishes she had stayed on at Luton to take her postgraduate course after seeing the state of the ‘street cleansing’ in Northampton!

Karen’s fondest memories of Luton were the two May Balls she attended. She also stays in touch with many of the friends she made at the University.

“To sum it up, I had a great time at Luton”, says Karen. “The course was really interesting and the lecturers were incredibly helpful.”

Interview held; July 2006