Graduate Success Roundup
News
Graduate success stories from across the last year
Thursday, 30 October, 2025From Emmy award winners to prominent sports journalists, Bath Spa University has celebrated its graduates’ triumphs this past year.
BSU prides itself on celebrating our graduates, and as the Graduate Outcomes Survey comes around again, we’re looking back at some of the best success stories from BSU alumni.
Carl Anka
Carl Anka Profile – Bath Spa University
Top sports journalist Carl Anka was celebrated this past year, with a feature profile back in March, explaining his journey from BSU graduate to an established Manchester United journalist.
Graduating from BSU in 2012 with a degree in Cultural Studies and Creative Writing, and receiving an Honorary Doctorate in 2023, Carl shared his story post-graduation, and the steps he took to get to where he is today. From writing about Game of Thrones for Future magazine, to covering Southampton Football Club during the Coronavirus pandemic, Carl’s career has taken many turns, before settling at the Athletic, covering one of footballs biggest clubs.
Carl is one of many graduates making incredible achievements and showing that getting to where you want in your career isn’t always linear.
Ellie Bowler
Ellie Bowler Emmy Winner – Bath Spa University
BSU celebrated an Emmy award winner for Outstanding Mixing and Sound Editing in 2024, with BA Film, Television and Digital Production graduate Ellie Bowler winning the award for her work on the Netflix documentary ‘Island of the Sea Wolves.’
Graduating from BSU in 2021, Ellie honed her craft and developed skills in audio recording and post-production audio, which gave her the foundation to thrive post-graduation.
Working for audio post-production facility, Wounded Buffalo Sound Studios initially as a runner after graduation, Ellie has worked her way up through the studio, from a foley editor to now being a junior sound editor. It was with Wounded Buffalo Sound Studios that Ellie won the prestigious Emmy award.
Ellie’s success post-graduation is sure to inspire those that follow in her footsteps, and an example of how BSU’s industry standard teaching can provide students better opportunities to succeed in the field of their chosen degree.
Luke Palmer and Clare Harlow
The release of the 2025 edition of Unpacked, highlighted the incredible work that BSU alumni had done after graduating, with two MA writers receiving recognition for their work.
Bath Spa University MA Creative Writing graduate, Luke Palmer, was shortlisted for the Yoto Carnegie Medal 2025.
Previously recognised for his work as a Branford Boase shortlisted novelist and poet, Luke was shortlisted for this second novel, Play, which attracted national regard for its thought-provoking exploration of manipulation, masculinity and male friendship.
MA Writing for Young People graduate Clare Harlow was shortlisted for the 2025 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, recognising the outstanding achievements of authors and illustrators in new children’s literature.
Luke and Clare have made outstanding achievements after leaving BSU – showcasing what’s possible as our graduate's step into their respective fields of writing.
These are just a few of the many graduates that have been celebrating success over the past year, with a huge range of stories to share, BSU is proud to have been a part of their journey to success.
The Graduate Outcomes Survey
Around 15 months after finishing a course, students will be invited to take part in the Graduate Outcomes Survey. Feedback from this helps BSU to understand how its graduates are doing and helps to improve support for future students. Learn more about the survey on the Graduate Outcomes Survey website.