The annual Scholarship Celebration evening was held earlier this month, and many students, alumni, friends and staff gathered to celebrate and connect with one another in the Great Hall of the Wills Memorial Building.
Our philanthropically funded scholarship programmes strive to make education accessible to all, regardless of background or income, currently funding over 450 students across all academic levels. The Scholarship Celebration evening serves as a testament to these exceptional students and extends gratitude to the donors whose generosity makes these scholarships possible.
Two students, Ryan and Rose, shared their experiences as scholarship recipients as well as how they are utilising available opportunities throughout their time at Bristol. Ryan is a first-year PhD History student who is a part of the Hong Kong History Centre Scholarship. Ryan touched on what his scholarship means to him:
The significance of this four-year fully funded programme extends far beyond the financial support it provides. Not only does it ease the financial burden of tuition fees and daily expenses, but it also enables me to pursue my research with a peace of mind.
Ryan is partaking in oral history training in order to improve his research on the early colonial history of Hong Kong:
This scholarship has opened doors to unique opportunities that enable me to acquire invaluable skills for my academic pursuits in the future. For instance, I can afford to participate in oral history training organised by the official Oral History Society in London. As my research requires oral history interviews, this opportunity for experiences could enhance the quality of my research and enrich my academic journey through standardised trainings.
Second-year politics and international relations student, Rose, is a recipient of the Futures Scholarship. Rose expressed her gratitude, recognising the importance of Bristol scholarships and the solidarity it brings:
The experience of being able to form friendships and find comfort in sharing similar feelings has been pinnacle in disbanding the imposter syndrome that can come with entering a Russel Group university as a working-class student. I believe that this intrinsic aspect of being a scholar is something the programme team astutely understands.
Rose spoke openly about how she is not taking her time at Bristol for granted. She has explored many opportunities presented to her through her scholarship and continues to do so. For example, as a proud member of the 93% club, a society supporting state school students, Rose gained a place through their Civil Service programme and has attended networking events, workshops, and conferences, through which she has achieved a place on the 12-month Patchwork Foundation Masterclass Programme. Alongside this, Rose has also utilised the Bristol Mentors programme:
Through this programme I was paired with a mentor that specialises in my field. Working with my mentor, I have learnt a wealth of information about a career in politics, which has been so important in allowing me to understand a sector that can a lot of times feel unclear and out of reach. This mentorship has guided me in assessing my skill sets and gave me a lot of understanding about a career in public affairs.
Reflecting on her achievements, Rose acknowledged her appreciation of the scholarship, and gave thanks to the donors for their valuable contributions:
I hope I have been able to give donors a glimpse into how worthwhile and valued your contributions are, and for fellow scholars- how much you can get out of this scholarship when you take full advantage of it.
If you’d like to find out more about our scholarship and PhD programmes and hear more student stories, you can read more on our impact pages.
