“It was a second chance for me”
15 July 2026
A mother of three from Cwmfelinfach will graduate with a Master of Arts in History this week, calling her time at Cardiff University “transformative.”
Lisa Mapley started her journey to higher education with the University’s Pathway Programme - designed for adults returning to education who want to move towards studying at degree level.
The 52 year old who has lived with long-term illness and mental health challenges believes that the Cardiff University Pathway Programme has changed the course of her life.
“After leaving school, I was expected to earn money, so I went straight into work. I had my own business for a long time, but then I fell ill and things changed. I lost my mother, and my mental health was so low.
“I knew I was capable of higher education, but there was no assistance for people like me back then.
“By luck, my neighbour happened to mention the Pathway Programme,” said Lisa.
First enrolling on the Exploring the Past Pathway in 2019, Lisa had the opportunity to achieve a lifelong ambition for higher education, putting her goals of studying history in her reach.
“When I first started the Pathway, I was so scared and nervous walking into my first class.”
But it wasn’t long before the Pathway started to build my confidence. Through feedback and support from the teaching staff, I quickly started to understand things and realised I was a quick learner.
Completing the Pathway laid the groundwork for Lisa to progress into a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient and Medieval History. She continued on to complete a postgraduate degree, graduating with her Master’s on Tuesday, 14 July 2026.
“During my first year, I was suffering from Long COVID and doing my work from my hospital bed during that time when visitors weren’t allowed. If it wasn’t for my degree during that time, I don’t know whether I would have kept going.”
It gave me a sense of purpose and told me that I was capable.
Lisa credits her fellow students and the University’s staff members as inspirations throughout her studies.
“Everyone was so accommodating, supporting me with my physical disabilities. I remember how my friends on the course would even help me get to the lecture theatres and seminar rooms.
“They made me like myself. They made me realise my disability was not a problem now because the world has changed, and you can be who you want to be without worrying about what others are thinking. Nobody treated me any differently.
“The encouragement I had from my personal tutor, Dr Paul Webster, alone was transformative for my self-belief,” Lisa continued.
Lisa’s children have also pursued higher education. Whilst her second son serves in the army, her daughter has recently completed her own history degree, and her oldest son has been awarded funding for a PhD.
Now, a PhD is on the horizon for Lisa.
“I’m just waiting for the right time for the health to settle down before starting my PhD. In the meantime, I’ve been continuing with different Pathway courses at the University because education just fills a void for me.”
If you're struggling with your mental health, find something that fills that void. Your brain can work in terrible ways, but if you can fill that with something you actually enjoy, it can suppress the thoughts. So that is where education and learning altered everything for me.
“It gives you the confidence and the belief that you are somebody, that you matter,” Lisa added.
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