The past opens up the future for UWTSD Lampeter graduate
Graduating with a BA in Archaeology from the Ҵý marks a significant milestone for Julia Jones.
The first in her family to gain a degree, Julia is also the proud recipient of the E.R. Prichard Prize for Archaeology, an award that she is deeply honoured and grateful to have received.
She says: “As the first in my family to obtain a university degree, this achievement carries profound personal meaning. My parents, both of whom left school at the age of 14 to work full-time while raising three children, instilled in me a strong work ethic and deep sense of perseverance. My late father, who sadly passed away during my second year of study, would have been incredibly proud of this milestone”.
Julia chose to follow a higher education programme after experiencing a significant decline in her health, which necessitated a career break. With her children grown, she found herself at a crossroads and decided to enrol onto Foundation Year in Archaeology. This, she says, was both a leap into the unknown and a deliberate effort to broaden her horizons. “I was eager to develop new skills, deepen my appreciation for Egyptian culture, and explore intellectual and personal growth beyond the roles I had previously occupied. A key goal was to cultivate an academic mindset and enhance my digital literacy, while also discovering new dimensions of my identity beyond motherhood”.&Բ;
Gaining training in fieldwork, particularly the excavations led by lecturers Ros Coard and Quentin Drew, was a standout highlight of the degree where she participated in the excavation process from inception to completion provided her with invaluable first-hand experience. Surveying sites with a dumpy level, conducting rapid site assessments, excavating trenches, and uncovering flint tools dating back to the Neolithic and Mesolithic periods all contributed to a robust understanding of past human activity. She says: “I was fortunate to work alongside leading professionals in archaeology, anthropology, geoarchaeology, palynology and dendrochronology, which significantly enriched my learning”.
Her undergraduate dissertation provided her with a unique opportunity to undertake original research at Carmarthen Museum. She says: “I focused on cataloguing a collection of small Egyptian funerary figurines brought back by 18th-century archaeologist Ernest Harold Jones, who had historical ties to the Carmarthen area. This project allowed me to merge academic inquiry with curatorial research and further deepened my interest in Egyptology”.
Lecturer in Archaeology, Dr Ros Coard says: “Working with Julia has been an equally enriching experience for us as staff. Her constant questioning (and questions) has driven us to give more and to engage more with her and the student cohort. There is very little we have done, on excavation, in our laboratories, or in the lecture rooms without Julia asking why or what for. She is a student with a strong desire for learning, an equally strong intellectual curiosity but above all, a joy to have worked with. The award is very well-deserved”.
During her studies, Julia received a diagnosis of ADHD which was both unexpected and profoundly significant. “While this presented continuous challenges and moments of self-doubt, the experience ultimately strengthened my resilience”, she says. “With the extraordinary support of staff, particularly Melanie Long, I developed the strategies and confidence needed to overcome these barriers to succeed in my studies”.
I wholeheartedly recommend this course to anyone with a passion for discovery, history, and interdisciplinary learning. The curriculum is rich and diverse, encompassing museums, heritage, archaeology, and anthropology, with consistent guidance and feedback from dedicated lecturers.
Reflecting on her time at UWTSD, Julia describes the experience as transformative. “I’ve gained not only academic skills, but also personal confidence, assertiveness, and lifelong friendships,” she says. “Most importantly, I now feel equipped to pursue a fulfilling new career path.” She is currently seeking employment and is pleased to have secured her first job interview.
Julia concludes “ “The past has opened my future through UWTSD”
Further Information
Arwel Lloyd
Principal PR and Communications Officer
Corporate Communications and PR
Email: arwel.lloyd@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: 07384 467076