Meet the People Behind the Scenes! 🎓✨
This article is part of our UHI interview series, in which we spotlight the amazing staff who support students every day.
Think admissions is just paperwork? Think again! Helen is shaping student journeys at SAMS, from recruitment to graduation. She’s the unseen hand helping students find their way—even if they don’t realize it! 👀✨
When you think of UHI staff, you might imagine lecturers, researchers, and administrators working behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly. But there are also people like Helen McGuigan, whose role at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) is about more than just paperwork—it's about shaping student journeys, from application to graduation.
As a Student Registry Support Administrator, Helen plays a crucial part in student admissions, recruitment, and engagement. Whether she’s guiding applicants who don’t quite meet the entry requirements or running events to keep prospective students interested, Helen’s work directly impacts the students who walk through SAMS’ doors. And she’s always ready to “put out fires” and help wherever needed.
A Role That’s More Than Just Admissions
Helen describes her job as multifaceted: “I do admissions, I do student recruitment, and I help keep students engaged throughout their journey,” she explains. As SAMS is a smaller institution, she’s had the flexibility to evolve her role over time. What is one of the most rewarding aspects? Helping students find alternative pathways when they don’t initially meet the requirements.
“We don’t just say, ‘Try again next year,’” Helen says. “I look at their application, their school, the local colleges, and I try to devise paths for them to get to SAMS. And it works! Over the last couple of years, I’ve kept track of how this approach has impacted our student numbers.”
For Helen, student recruitment isn’t just about filling seats; it’s about giving students opportunities. “Some applicants just need a little extra science coursework,” she explains. “If an Open University course can get them where they need to be, I’ll help them figure that out.”
Why Student Recruitment Caught Her Eye
If Helen could switch jobs for a day, she’d choose student recruitment. “At SAMS, we do our own thing, and while we collaborate with UHI, I’m always curious about how other departments approach recruitment,” she says. “Plus, they get to travel—sometimes even abroad!”
Helen’s curiosity has driven her career moves. She previously worked with HISA (Highlands and Islands Students’ Association), but after COVID, she craved a change. “HISA was great, but I was the only person for miles,” she recalls. “SAMS offered an office environment, and the job was nearly identical to what I was doing, just with more collaboration. It was a natural transition.”
The Journey Into Education
Helen’s career in education spans over 25 years. She started in preschool education, balancing work with raising her children. Later, she pursued a degree in business management to complement her hands-on management experience.
“I was already managing budgets, hiring staff, and running operations, but I didn’t have the formal qualification,” she says. “So I went back to university while working.”
That decision led her to student representation at Argyll College, HISA, and SAMS. Even now, she works part-time in a primary school, working behind the scenes.
The Most Rewarding Part of the Job
The best part of Helen's job is being a team player and supporting students and staff. “You walk into work, and something’s going wrong, and you just say, ‘I’ll do that. It’s fine. Let’s fix it and move on,’” she says.
And while she’s not the one teaching science, she sees herself as playing a role in something bigger. “Our lecturers tell students, ‘We’re here to teach you how to save the planet.’ And I think, well, I might not be teaching science, but I’m helping those students get here and succeed. That’s my contribution.”
She’s particularly proud of the students she’s helped guide over the years. “One student is coming this year who I’ve been helping for four years,” she shares. “I’ve seen him through each stage, and now he’s finally coming to SAMS. And then, in a few years, we’ll see him graduate. That’s the most rewarding thing—to see students go from emailing me about their options to walking across that stage.”
The Invisible Work Behind Student Admissions
What is one thing Helen wishes students knew? How much of their journey she’s involved in—often before they even realise it. “For most of it, at first, I’m anonymous,” she explains. “They don’t know it’s me doing admissions because it comes from a generic admissions mailbox. They don’t know that I’m the one hitting the button for their SAAS or sending out key documents that shape their academic future.”
She recalls the first time she introduced herself at an induction event. “I said, ‘I’m the one that let you in. I sent you the SAAS forms. I helped you get here.’ And suddenly, they realised they’d been interacting with me all along.”
Helen also notes that other departments—even the scientists at SAMS—often don’t fully understand what she and her colleagues do. SAMS has implemented a weekly session where different departments share their achievements to address this. “Every Tuesday at break time, we showcase our work—whether it’s the education team’s recruitment successes or other milestones—to help everyone see the bigger picture.”
What People Should Know About SAMS
For those unfamiliar with SAMS, Helen highlights its unique approach. “Our students aren’t just being taught by lecturers who learned their subject 20 years ago. They’re being taught by active scientists who are working in their fields. That’s something really special.”
She laughs, recalling a local worker who misunderstood SAMS’ mission. “He thought we experimented on live fish! I had to explain that, no, if there’s ever a dissection, it’s a fish bought from the fishmonger.”
SAMS has been working hard to spread awareness, even hiring student ambassadors to create TikToks about the institution. “Most of us are too old for TikTok,” she jokes. “So we get the students to show the world what SAMS is really about.”
From robotics and seaweed academies to groundbreaking marine science research, there’s more to SAMS than meets the eye. “People don’t always realise just how much is going on here,” Helen says. “But we’re working to change that.”
A Final Word: The Importance of Connection
Helen’s role at SAMS extends beyond admissions and recruitment. She also works closely with HISA to keep students engaged and ensure they have a voice.
If there’s one thing she’s learned from her years in education, it’s the importance of building relationships. Whether helping applicants map out their future or ensuring students stay connected throughout their studies, Helen proves that university staff do more than just process paperwork—they shape futures.
So, the next time you wonder about the people working behind the scenes at UHI, think of Helen McGuigan, who’s been there from day one, ensuring students have the best possible start on their academic journey.