By: Communications
A star Norwich City Women Football Club player is set to begin a new chapter in her career off the pitch, as she starts life as a lecturer at the University of East Anglia (UEA).
Millie Daviss, who currently plays as a right-back with the Canaries, will be full-time teaching UEA students in areas such as academic identity and practice, professional development, and professional branding, as a lecturer in Student Futures and Academic and Professional Education for the University’s School of Education and Lifelong Learning this October.
Her new role follows on from her own student success at the University, having started her journey at UEA in 2017 with an undergraduate degree in Physical Education, followed by a master’s soon after, and now a PhD.
Having come to Norwich in 2017, her decision guided by both Norwich City and her studies at UEA, Millie is now keen to get stuck into teaching alongside her time on the pitch: “I decided to stay around at UEA to study, and now work here, due to having lots of different connections around Norwich. Obviously, that includes my football, but it’s also because of the campus and how exciting it is to be around here, as well as the beautiful city of Norwich.
“Overall, my experiences of managing both my football and studies at the same time have been really positive, and the University has been great at supporting me, such as by providing me with a scholarship programme through uea+sport. That really helped me through things such as additional nutrition-based workshops, and support with sleep and recovery.
“In my new lecturing role now, I’ll be alongside staff members I have worked with before, so I’m able to feel confident going into that role with them. There’s a good, open sense of teamwork here at the University, and I’m excited to work with people I’ve collaborated with previously.”
Millie will bring a wealth of experience to her new lecturing role. She previously led the Norwich City Women FC team to Norfolk FA County Cup victory in 2021 and 2023, and has won a number of awards during her footballing career, including the 2022/23 PFA Community Champion award for Norwich City for continuing to champion her passion off the pitch in the community.
Millie is one of a few students who have played for the club previously alongside their studies at UEA, including recent psychology graduate Rachel Lawrence, who moved from the Canaries to Liverpool Feds WFC last summer. When asked how her experiences on the pitch have shaped her as both a football player and an academic, she said: “The teamwork, confidence, and discipline I’ve developed through not just football, but various other sports, will be invaluable for my new role.
“I think it’s really important to have that good work-life balance. Being able to balance my football time alongside my academia has been challenging at times but it’s also taught me to develop my self-management, to ensure I'm able to prioritise things and train or study when I really need to. Football is my hobby, but academia is also my hobby – so they work well together.”
Image L-R: Millie Daviss playing football for Norwich City and in her Norwich City kit (credit: Norwich City Football Club)
Eager to step into her new teaching role, Millie is keen for students to get involved with sport during their time studying: “I would really encourage anyone who's thinking about playing football at university, or just enjoys the sport, to come and experience it here at UEA.
“Not only do you get to exercise, but you also get to have a community feel and sense of belonging. The support and benefits that you get from making lots of new teammates and experiencing great BUCS (British Universities & Colleges Sport) days is all such a fun experience and you gain so much from it.”
Last year, UEA announced the start of a new strategic relationship with Norwich City FC, which has opened up opportunities for students into potential employment and placements at the football club.
Speaking on the relationship between the club and the University, Millie notes its key connections: “Norwich City FC and UEA have really good links. It's really good for players like myself, especially female footballers at the moment, who get offered a scholarship programme as they’re really helpful.
“Thinking with my lecturer head on now: we have various students at the University that learn from experiences and opportunities at NCFC, including areas such as analysis, education, health and wellbeing. It's a really positive connection to have – it enables students to get out into the professional world and experience what a professional football club looks like.”
As part of Norwich City FC’s wider relationship with Brazilian club Coritiba FC, UEA will also facilitate a year-long post-graduate scholarship for a Brazilian student. The scholarship will include an option to complete an eight-week work placement at the football club.
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