A former Burnley College student has earned a place at one of world’s leading research universities. Chloe Bond, 25, from Colne, has been accepted onto the five-year Joint PhD in English and Education at the University of Michigan, a globally recognised centre of academic excellence.
Chloe’s academic journey began at Colne Primet Academy where she excelled in her GCSEs, before going on to study A Levels in English Language and Literature, History, Dance and Drama & Theatre Studies – achieving outstanding results of A*AAA.
During her time as a student, she also took on significant leadership roles as both a Student Ambassador and Student Governor.
Chloe always knew she wanted to attend university, but never thought the University of Cambridge would be within her reach. She shared:
“I found a university course that was similar to what I was doing at college, and then I noticed it was at Cambridge. I knew how competitive it would be and never thought I could go to Cambridge.”
Captivated by the city and everything it had to offer, she set her sights on studying at one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious universities. Driven by that ambition, she dedicated herself to earning the grades she needed to secure her place. She said:
“My tutors were super supportive. I would be knocking on the staffroom door asking them to mark mock exams all the time – they never said no to helping me and making sure I got the grades I needed.”
Chloe then started her next chapter: studying for a BA (Hons) in Education (with a specialism in English, Drama and the Arts). Attending the University of Cambridge was a huge milestone and personal achievement, particularly because Chloe was the first person in her family to pursue higher education.
Considering her next steps, Chloe knew she wasn’t done with education and looked into her options for earning a master’s degree.
She returned to speak with her English tutor from Burnley College, Jennifer Brown, who introduced her to the idea of studying abroad:
“Burnley College gave me the confidence to think ‘why not?’
“My tutors were constantly there to guide me – even as an alumna – and I felt like there were no limits to what I could achieve.”
Chloe was accepted into the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, to study for a Master of Arts in Children’s Literature. Her thesis used Taylor Swift’s music to explore monstrous femininity. Her dedication to her writing and research earned her an outstanding A+, the MACL Top Graduate Award and the Judith Saltman Prize – one of the university’s top honours.
When her time in Canada came to an end, Chloe returned to the UK where she decided to give back to the college that has always been there for her.
She began a year-long internship with the Marketing Team at Burnley College in 2025.
She said the last year has given her great experience and insight into the further education sector:
“This role has genuinely been so rewarding.
“I think I had a very naïve view of what marketing was before I started this internship – I didn’t know how interconnected it is to everything that goes on.
“It has been fantastic to give back in my own way.”
Shortly after starting her role, Chloe was invited to be guest speaker at the college’s annual Awards for Excellence.
She proudly shared her educational journey, reflected on her time at Burnley College and inspired the next generation of learners.
Now her internship is almost complete, she is looking ahead to the next five years at the University of Michigan. Her time there will see her embrace a unique blend of teaching, learning and research. During her PhD, she hopes to publish more of her work, with the goal of seeing her doctoral dissertation eventually released as a book.
Chloe shared that her ultimate dream is to have an office where she can be surrounded by lots of books, while also becoming a professor at a leading university:
“My dreams have never been too big for Burnley College.
“I’ve always been encouraged to follow my passions.”
Chloe’s journey from Burnley to Cambridge, Vancouver and now Michigan demonstrates the limitless potential that can be unlocked through dedication, ambition and access to the right support.
Find out how Burnley College can support and nurture your ambitions at www.burnley.ac.uk.
