Pathfinder Career Narratives 25: College Community & Engagement Manager

Pathfinder Career Narratives is an ongoing series tracking the career choices and experiences of doctoral graduates. You can see all of the posts in the series here. You can find all the Pathfinder resources and opportunities here. Today’s blog is written by Dr Kevin Leomo, Community and Engagement Manager at the College of Arts and Humanities, University of Glasgow. You can find Dr Leomo’s LinkedIn page here, and his personal website here.

Name:  Dr Kevin Leomo

Doctorate subject area, and year of completion: Music, 2023

Role and employer: College Community and Engagement Manager, College of Arts & Humanities, University of Glasgow

Approximate salary bracket of this type of role: £39-56,000 per annum

My PhD Journey ARS LONGA VITA BREVIS 

I’ve always known I wanted to do music. I completed all of my degrees at the University of Glasgow: MA (Hons) in Music, MMus in Composition, and a practice research PhD in composing experimental music. My research explored the concept of liminality, sonically and culturally.  

Undertaking a self-funded PhD composing music was definitely driven by my love for the art, as academia and the wider arts sector aren’t exactly known for their easy pathways to stable jobs. Throughout my PhD, I sought out as many opportunities as possible both within and outwith the university. Those working in the arts are accustomed to portfolio careers – pursuing a combination of performance, teaching, admin, and curatorial work, for example. I took this approach with my PhD, trying out as much as possible, while developing my creative practice research. This mindset drove me to seek out or create my own opportunities along the way. 

Undertaking work as a Graduate Teaching Assistant was a major part of my PhD experience. I taught on a number of courses in Music (a couple of which I had the chance to co-design with my supervisors), the Creative Arts & Industries undergraduate, Creative Industries and Cultural Policy MSc, as well as with Student Learning Development on a Peer Learning project. 

I also worked a number of part time roles across the university, including a Learning and Teaching Development Fund research internship in Music, an internship with (at the time) LEADS exploring GTA provision, and as a media intern at the ARCadia Festival. I completed the RLE Postgraduate Leadership course and co-developed an introductory course which I delivered for Researcher Development, gaining skills in training and facilitation. 

In 2021, I started working two days a week as the Project Coordinator for The Dear Green Bothy, and later picked up further work as the Cultural Activities Assistant for the School of Culture & Creative Arts, and as the Project Administrator for the RSE-funded Scottish Gut Project in the School of Modern Languages & Cultures. These roles gave me great behind-the-scenes insights into administration,  engagement, and research support. 

I was also elected as the Postgraduate Convenor for the College of Arts, a position I held for two years on the Students’ Representative Council, advocating for postgraduate conditions during the pandemic, as well as working on several Periodic Subject and Graduate School Reviews with senior members of staff. I got involved with the PhD Society’s GTA Committee and was a PhD Mentor. 

I travelled the world with my music and research, with some highlights being representing Scotland at Nordic Music Days in Iceland and connecting with the Wandelweiser community through an invitation to present at KLANGRAUM, profoundly changing the trajectory of my PhD practice. I also picked up accolades including ‘Best GTA’ during the 2021 SRC Student Teaching Awards, was shortlisted for the Scottish Section of the ISCM World New Music Days, and was awarded a Student Partnership Impact Award. 

Public Engagement 

I became more aware of public engagement during my PhD. It’s kind of already central to having a creative practice – organising events and gigs; taking your research outside of the academy. 

I was invited by Zara Gladman to contribute to Explorathon in 2019. This was a great experience, which led to other opportunities with Glasgow Science Festival, Curiosity Live at Glasgow Science Centre, and Being Human Festival, often working with my collective Sound Thought to represent the arts and music in som STEM-heavy public engagement festivals. I also created a podcast, Essential Blends, with my PhD peer and collaborator Adriana Minu, where we interview practitioners about their practice and career pathways. 

During one of my Annual Progress Reviews, my supervisor reminded me that “I wasn’t doing a PhD in events management”. However, I got there in the end and submitted my PhD thesis in May 2022. Following the completion of my PhD during the 2022/23 academic year, I held multiple contracts across the university in the hope for a permanent role. Thankfully things aligned for me; I started the newly-created role of College Community and Engagement Manager for the College of Arts & Humanities in June 2023. 

My Current Role 

I have quite a unique role, which suits my skill set really well. Engagement aligns with a lot of my own personal interests: research, arts and culture, events management, public and civic engagement, socially engaged practice, communications, and much more. I get to work with colleagues across the College and wider university on these various areas – it’s a privilege getting to collaborate with some amazing people on curation, funding bids, training, and wider strategic developments. This includes managing events programmes like The Dear Green Bothy and Thinking Culture, collaborating with arts organisations, and co-leading the Laboratory for Civic Arts Research training programme. 

It’s an exciting time as public engagement roles continue to be developed and further resourced across the university. More opportunities are arising to work together to advocate for the importance of our sector – from Hacking the ARC to planning away days – as well as developments like the new UofG Research Professional Staff Network. 

Reflections GIFTS AND CURSES 

I still sometimes experience FOMO in not pursuing research or learning and teaching roles. I also wonder whether I should I have left academia to focus on my creative practice and pursue a freelance career. And then some days, I feel some sort of survivor’s guilt for securing a permanent and full-time position at the institution I studied at. Am I doing enough? Am I doing too much? These questions are ongoing, but academics are pretty used to the mental gymnastics we have to undertake, considering the environment in which we work! 

Honestly, I didn’t want to move away from Glasgow to pursue precarious post-doc or fellowship positions (major respect to those who do).  I’m definitely happy to still be here, carving out my own path. 

I do really miss teaching! But again, I still get to work with students through creating internships and other opportunities like Civic Engagement Residencies with the Bothy Project. I also get to support students creating their own events and public engagement activity through numerous opportunities across the College, which is certainly rewarding. 

Since completing my PhD, I’ve also really enjoyed contributing to the wider University community. I’ve spoken about cultural understandings of death, had my work included in a McEwan concert, run a workshop on exorcising your sleep demons through sound and poetry, and created an immersive audio installation for Glasgow Botanic Gardens. 

Advice WANDER WISELY 

Develop your connections – the sector is not a meritocracy. Determination and perseverance are essential; something I learned through being a composer submitting hundreds of applications to competitions, courses, schemes (and jobs!) and learning to live with rejection. 

I also think getting a well-rounded view of academia is extremely useful. I’ve worked in positions involving events, admin, teaching, and been an undergraduate and postgraduate research student. Research support and MPA staff are often behind-the-scenes but are essential to how so much of the university operates. Get to know what’s involved in various job types – different perspectives are invaluable in whichever role you end up in. 

I can’t understate the importance of community. It’s important to find experienced mentors in more senior positions, but it’s also crucial to make connections with your peers. Find your people! 

Collaborate with people you’d never think to. Identify your supporters. Don’t gatekeep – make the path behind you easier than it was for you. Take a night off and go to the gig. Sleep in. Go to the international conference but skip a day and hunt for vegan food. Organise and get organised – join the union. Procrastinate from your PhD by taking on another project. Learn to say ‘no’ to new projects (I’m still working on this one…). 

Final Thoughts 

I’ll never not be a researcher or practitioner of experimental music (literally – I have some of my notational practice inked). I’m continuing to work on my various projects like leading Sound Thought and exploring the sonic ecologies of sleep with Dr Maria Sledmere on Project Somnolence. 

While I may have less time to devote to my practice than during the PhD process – when I do have time, I appreciate it that much more. And crucially, the skills I’ve picked up throughout the PhD helped get me to where I am today, and I get to further develop them in my current role. 

And I’m just getting started.