Ipswich Town’s only professional female player swapped her football kit for a graduation gown on Monday when she graduated from the University of Suffolk.
Sophie Peskett has juggled studying for a degree with her flourishing professional football career with Ipswich and now has a BSc (Hons) degree in Sport and Exercise Science.
The 21-year-old is now looking forward to focussing on her football at Ipswich where she became the club’s first professional women’s player in the summer of 2021.
Choosing to study at the University of Suffolk, she said, worked perfectly with her football and she moved to Suffolk from home in Hertfordshire for her study and her football.
“Studying at Suffolk worked perfectly with my football at Ipswich Town and allowed me to move up to Ipswich for both of those things.
“Among my highlights at university, I would say, has been meeting various people of different ages and backgrounds that I would not have had the opportunity to become friends with if it hadn’t been for studying here.”
Sophie has said she is most proud of how she changed as a person from when she joined in her first year.
“University taught me to enjoy learning something new, and looking back to where I was when I first started at the university I have grown not only in my career and the knowledge that I have now, but I have also matured as a person.”
Graduation has meant a lot to Sophie who is the first one in her family to graduate with a university degree.
“When I first started, I didn’t believe that I was capable of completing something like this.
Three years have passed, and I have graduated with a first-class degree, which makes me really motivated and I now understand to always believe in myself.”
Sophie is currently in her fifth season as a midfielder at Ipswich Town, fulfilling her dream as a little girl of being a full-time footballer.
“Being given the opportunity to do it at this club means a lot to me after three years of studying and I think it has come at the perfect time.
“I would love to further my education by completing a masters in the future but for now I am looking to focus on my football career and keep developing in every way I can.”
Offering advice to any prospective students, Sophie says: “I would recommend anyone to study at the University of Suffolk as you will make friends for life and meet some great lecturers and speakers from all across the world.
“You also get excellent one to one guidance on anything you might need help with.”