A University of Wolverhampton alumna and former Miss Brighton has secured a position presenting a BBC radio show.
Shivani Joshi, from Brighton, presented every Sunday in December for BBC’s Asian network. She graduated with a degree in Law in July 2022.
Shivani said: “I am excited to be starting a new role. It’s a new opportunity and a great way for me to meet new people and have the chance to network.
“I matched all the requirements that they were asking for because I knew I had a passion for my culture and I’m really proud of my heritage.
“I had to submit 10-minute demo about who I am, which was honestly such a hard question to answer at a time when I was still a final year law student. However, I took into consideration where I’ve come from, my mum’s teachings and what I’ve achieved from such a young age, and this made me realise that if I was selected, I could have a great future ahead of me in entertainment. I honestly did it as a joke and for the experience; I didn’t even know what a demo was, but I guess it worked out for the best.”
Shivani is a longstanding listener of BBC’s Asian Network, and she discovered the opportunity to become a presenter through a social media post by the network on Instagram in late 2021. She applied and secured the position late in 2022.
As a British Asian woman she experienced challenges within society growing up, but through her new career she is embracing the prospect to be a role model for communities and inspire others to strive for success.
She said: “I personally found it hard growing up and making friends that didn’t have the same culture or religion as me; I was kind of ashamed of being Asian, due to experiences I had since primary school. I never thought I would be on a platform representing such a large community and working amongst others, where we will all learn from each other.”
Shivani’s drive and ambition is clear, but so is her humble nature and the fondness she feels for the University. She said: “I loved my time at university! I honestly wouldn’t change any of it.
“I can’t thank the University enough as the support I got from staff was everything a student needs. There was never a time when my tutors hadn’t responded to me, and they always made lectures interactive – every module that I studied I enjoyed. And the support we were given during covid was amazing.
“One of my favourite facilities on campus must be the Starbucks (now Costa) in the courtyard. I remember the Head of Law would always know where I’d be. In fact, he would give us extra time on our break so that I could walk from one campus to another to get my coffee. That location holds so many memories for me, where me and my friends would chill, eat, drink, meet, or discuss how much work we had do.
“The friends that I’ve made at university are for life, they are like family to me. To this day, we have weekly FaceTime calls, as we can’t easily meet in person due to me living so far away.”
And despite having never heard of Wolverhampton before she arrived on campus, she is very glad that she came.
“I never wanted to move out of my hometown of Brighton, however, the University of Wolverhampton gave me an opportunity and I took it. I had never heard of Wolverhampton or been there and I took the risk – I can honestly say the risk was worth it!
After four years of hard work, settling into a new city, being away from home and making new friends, Shivani was proud to realise her goal as she graduated in July 2022, in front of family of friends; a particularly special occasion given the challenges of studying throughout the pandemic.
“Graduation was amazing, it was the time where my family met my friends and their families in person, not on video call, and it was great to see them all get along. Seeing all schools together, knowing that so many of us were all studying in the same building, and achieving such a big accomplishment made me very proud. It was a great four years at the University of Wolverhampton – thank you to all those who were a part of my journey!”
