Meet the Team: Gill Wray (Senior Teaching Fellow and Level 5 Year Tutor)
In the first of our series of posts profiling the Journalism team at the University of Portsmouth, Gill Wray discusses her background and her excellent taste in television (JD: The West Wing is the greatest show ever created).
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Name: Gill Wray
Background / Education: Originally from Halifax, West Yorkshire, I attended Middlesex University where I majored in Performing Arts. When injury ended my dance career prematurely (I am a qualified dance teacher and I still teach privately), I did courses in business administration and became a court reporter and then an executive assistant to the Director of a nautical college before eventually becoming an officer in the merchant navy. During my merchant navy career in which I was lucky enough to visit every country in the world that has a coastline, I met lots of interesting people, including some very famous ones. When I left the sea, I did a degree in Human Resources Management at Southampton Solent University and worked as a Human Resources Manager before setting up my own HR Consultancy in 2003. I joined the University of Portsmouth in 2006.
What is your subject specialism? My subject specialism is shorthand and I am cross-trained in four different shorthand systems.
What units do you teach? I teach on both the Academic & Professional Skills Unit and the Current Affairs Unit at Level 4 and on the Government for Journalists Unit at Level 5. I am also the departmental lead for the LiFE (Learning from Experience) and LiFE+ units at Levels 5 and 6.
What is your favourite place in Portsmouth? My favourite place in Portsmouth is Gunwharf Quays — but please keep me away from the Michael Kors shop if you see me there!
What is your favourite book? My favourite books are the ‘Outlander’ series by Diana Gabaldon.
What is your favourite movie and TV show? My favourite movie series is Harry Potter. My favourite TV series is The West Wing.
What is your favourite album? My taste in music is a bit random. I like everything from Abba, to rock music, to light opera and musical theatre.
Cats or dogs? I love cats, but my own cat, Twinkle, is a tiny bit savage — the relationship is a work in progress!
