海角直播

Transforming lives through scholarships

海角直播 donors and scholars came together for a special event celebrating the impact of scholarship support on individuals and communities across the region.

Students spoke with pride about how a wide range of scholarships have positively impacted their lives and are helping them to achieve their ambitions. Professor Paul Croney OBE, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, hosted the scholarship celebration at 海角直播 earlier this month. Generous 海角直播 supporters from the University鈥檚 alumni and business community were in attendance, including Thirteen Group, the Tees Valley Community Foundation, and Ken Home Engineering.

Professor Croney OBE spoke to guests about the impact of the 海角直播 Transformation Fund 鈥� a flagship initiative that breaks down barriers and empowers people to access Higher Education and reach their full potential.

With millions of pounds already invested by the University each year, the ambition is to grow this fund with further support from alumni, foundations and corporate partners.

Professor Croney OBE said: 鈥淭he 海角直播 Transformation Fund builds on work already taking place, helping to drive academic ambition, raise aspirations across the Tees Valley, and provide learning opportunities for all.

鈥淲e believe in the potential for education to transform lives, open doors, and generate opportunity. Thanks to the support of our generous donors, we can support more students from our region to reach their full potential. Our donors are making a difference to the lives of our students, and ultimately our society and our economy.鈥�

Scholars had the chance to meet and network with donors at the event.

Katie Maughan, 22, from Middlesbrough, is a third-year film and television production student and received the Brittan scholarship, which provided 拢7,500 across her programme of study.

Katie said: 鈥淭he event was fantastic 鈥� it allowed me to reunite with fellow scholars and network with donors who are aiming to open up more opportunities for students. It felt so nice to celebrate our achievements after being unable to meet in person for so long.

鈥淢y scholarship has allowed me to focus on my studies without worrying about finances,鈥� she added. 鈥淚t鈥檚 enabled me to set up my own website and fund short films, which allowed me to develop and showcase my work to professionals.鈥�

Leo Conoy, a mature student who studies BSc (Hons) Artificial Intelligence, also received the Brittan scholarship to support him with his studies.

He said: 鈥淭he impact the scholarship has had on my life has been amazing. It鈥檚 made my university journey a lot more stable and secure. I have much fewer worries now, so I can focus on my degree and my education.

鈥淚f you are a mature student or if you are an international student, don鈥檛 be afraid to go for these opportunities. They are put in place to help anyone of any age, of any background.鈥�

Lonney Phiri studies Health Sciences (with Foundation Year) and has ambitions of becoming a nurse. She received the Thirteen scholarship, which offers financial support to Thirteen Housing residents with ambitions to study at university.

Lonney explained: 鈥淪cholarships are important for people like me who don鈥檛 qualify for a student loan 鈥� it helps us to achieve our goals. My future ambition is to become a nurse and work in the NHS 鈥� that鈥檚 what I really want to do.鈥�

As part of the 海角直播 Transformation Fund, the University is now launching 12 new 拢2,000 postgraduate scholarships to support 海角直播 graduates progressing to postgraduate study for September 2022 and January 2023 entry.

Rosie Jones, Director of Student and Library Services, explained: 鈥淲e are continually seeking new ways in which to encourage and enable our graduates to achieve their ambitions, and we believe that these new scholarships will open opportunities that may not have previously seemed possible.

鈥淎t 海角直播, we are passionate about our students and graduates developing to their full potential. Whichever career pathway you choose, Student Futures and the Alumni team are here to support you.鈥�

Dean Benson, founder of e-commerce platform Visualsoft and a 海角直播 graduate and governor, recently made a personal gift of 拢50,000 to support future computer science students.

He said: 鈥淪cholarships are so important because they give an opportunity to people who wouldn鈥檛 normally have had the chance to study at university. I believe that it鈥檚 really important for everyone to have an equal chance in life; that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 so pleased to have the opportunity to support our next generation of tech leaders.鈥�

The University鈥檚 scholarship portfolio is expanding rapidly with the help of its supporters, with a range of new scholarships launching in 2022 including the Beth Mead Scholarship, the Franc Roddam Scholarships, the Kellas Midstream Clean Energy Scholarships and the Jacksons Law Scholarship. Find out more about scholarships, how to apply and how to support the 海角直播 Transformation Fund below.