Page 68 - Eclipse - Autumn/Winter 2023

 

 

 

 

 

Page 68 - Eclipse - Autumn/Winter 2023
P. 68

 Scholarships – A legacy of achievement


        Nadja Hale, Head of Fundraising


               he  is able to offer a
               number of scholarships to high-
               performing students who might
        Totherwise struggle financially
        with higher education. The majority of
        these scholarships were created by
        people who left the  donations in
        their wills – people whose animals were
        treated here, were educated here or
        just wanted to give someone else an
        opportunity that had not been available
        to them.
        The legacy these generous members
        of the community leave is a cohort of
        scientists and veterinary professionals
        who are advancing science and
        saving lives daily when, without their   Molly Ann Charnley,  Rufus   other expenses that were associated
        scholarships, they may not have been   of Ruskinmere Science Scholar    with studying. But since getting the
        able to attain their qualifications. We are   (Biological Sciences), said: “The   scholarship, I’ve moved out of home and
        so grateful to those who help to fund   scholarship made coming to the    onto campus. I’m also now not obligated
        scholarships to ensure that we are able   possible. The idea that a stranger helped   to work at all, really, because most of the
        to support the brightest people and   me achieve my goal of graduating from   costs are covered by the scholarship.
        those with great promise in their dreams   university is a strange concept, and as   So this is a huge relief for me, but it’s
        of becoming part of the veterinary and   clichéd as it sounds, it demonstrates the   also put me in a position where I can
        scientific community.               kindness that exists in this world! I hope   look at other placements that I wouldn’t

        Rachel Cumberland, International    that I can return                                     have considered
        BVetMed Scholar, said: “Flat out, this   this kindness in   “To anyone thinking of        before, not even
        scholarship has been life-changing.   the future and do                                   placements that
        There’s no other way to say it. There   something similar for  leaving a gift in their    are close to home
        is such an unfortunate socioeconomic   another stranger, as   will to potentially fund a   – placements that
        barrier to higher education, and it can   sometimes we all just                           are elsewhere in
        make professions such as veterinary   need a little help!”  scholarship – just know       the UK. And this
        medicine exclusionary and seemingly   Raheem                                              will definitely help
        unattainable for so many different people.            the difference it can               me in the future,
                                            Coombs,                                            because I get to
        “I had experienced a lot of financial   Linkou Scholar   make is immeasurable.”           shadow staff who
        hardships. I experienced homelessness   (BVetMed), said:                                  are in fields that
        for the first time and had to make   “Prior to being                    I wouldn’t have considered before, and I
        some difficult decisions in order to just   awarded the scholarship, I was living   can see how that would be beneficial to
        find a place to live. So after getting   at home and working as many shifts as   me when picking a career path in
        this scholarship, that not only made it   I could get because it would help me   the future.”
        possible for me to come to veterinary   to subsidise travelling costs and all the
        school in general, but it’s also going to
        have a ripple effect throughout the rest
        of my life. Now I’ll have the opportunity
        to be a little bit more flexible and have
        a little bit more freedom with the career
        path that I want to choose – and not
        have the constraint of having to pay back
        student loans.
        “It’s incredible to think about the
        differences from where I was a year ago,
        kind of living out of my car, to where I am
        now. And a large part of that has been   Amber                           Holly
        from the scholarship.”


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