Roisin Smith

Roisin Smith is proof that if you don’t succeed at first, you can always try again. With over 30 years separating her initial time at Abertay and her upcoming graduation, Roisin’s story is one of resilience and determination.

She left school early, driven by a desire for independence and to move away from her hometown. Her sights were set on Dundee. She began studying at college, and after completing her studies, she enrolled at Dundee Institute of Technology—what Abertay was known as back then—focusing on Chemistry and Business.

Roisin chose to pause her education and welcomed her first child. Concerns about funding and balancing family responsibilities meant that for the next 25 years, she believed she had missed her chance for higher education, feeling she had “blown it.”

In that period, Roisin worked for 15 years at a bank to support her family but her desire to contribute meaningfully to society eventually led her into local politics. In 2017, she was elected as a Dundee City Councillor representing the Lochee Ward, focusing on issues related to children and families.

Her decision to return to education was inspired by her experiences as a councillor. A visit to Dundee and Angus College proved to be a pivotal moment, sparking her interest in resuming her studies. A significant influence was her colleague, Charlie Malone—a fellow councillor and Abertay lecturer—who provided encouragement, guidance, and support every step of the way.

Thanks to the generous support from the Carnegie Trust, which provided funding to help her return to studies, Roisin applied to and completed college before transferring to Abertay to study Counselling and Psychology—fulfilling a lifelong dream.

Returning to education after more than three decades was both challenging and rewarding. Roisin describes her time at Abertay as a “massive learning curve,” but she highlights that the university’s supportive lecturers played a crucial role in her success.

On her first day, she sat beside a fellow student who quickly became a close friend. The flexible, group-based nature of her counselling programme allowed her to collaborate and learn from her peers, enriching her experience further.

Her experience as a councillor, supporting citizens and working with children and families, has enriched her learning by allowing her to bring real-life examples into the classroom. Likewise, her studies have equipped her with new tools and knowledge to better serve and support the community.

Recently, Roisin started a part-time role with PKAVS, a charity supporting the wellbeing of people and communities throughout Perth & Kinross,  as a team leader, working with community groups and third-sector organizations to help them achieve their goals. This role brings together her love for community engagement, her political experience, and her academic background.

Looking ahead, she has been offered a place on a research methods course at Abertay and an opportunity to pursue a master’s degree in Counselling. She remains committed to making a positive difference in her community, embodying resilience and lifelong learning.

Interestingly, this year marks 30 years since the graduation she would have celebrated if she had continued her studies in the 1990s. That milestone could have been hers, too, but she took a longer route. Now, she feels she’s able to bring her experiences full circle, better equipped and more prepared to make a meaningful impact.