When Sophie started at Bristol University, she faced unexpected hostility and prejudice due to her working-class background. Her peers, her background and her social class mattered more than her academic achievements in the eyes of the other students.
When Sophie started at Bristol University, she faced unexpected hostility and prejudice due to her working-class background. Her peers, her background and her social class mattered more than her academic achievements in the eyes of the other students.
In response, at age 19, she founded The 93% Club – a student society dedicated to making university a more inclusive space for state-educated students. It has since grown into a nationwide social mobility movement and a members club for state educated individuals at over 50 universities and has reached over 10,000 students in the last five years.
The activities of The 93% Club focus on improving employability and soft skills during students' time at university, giving them access to the UK's top employers, as well as helping them with developing their identity and finding a sense of belonging in otherwise unfamiliar spaces.
Despite the challenges she faced, Sophie is a leading figure in the social mobility space and has worked with countless companies, charities, public bodies and education institutions to advance the social mobility agenda and improve the poor state of social mobility in the UK.
In the last year, she has stepped away from the corporate lawyer world to dedicate her work to The93% Club full time. Sophie is the definition of upwards mobility herself.
