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High flyers awarded achievement scholarships at UEL

Friday 26 May 2006

Talented local students have become the first to benefit from new Achievement Scholarships, part of a range of valuable new scholarships and bursaries launched this summer by the University of East London (UEL).

The 200 Achievement Scholarships – worth £1000 each - are to be awarded annually by UEL to first-year students with prior academic achievement or accomplishment in one of three categories: sport, creativity or citizenship.

Every student eligible for the Government’s new full maintenance grant will also automatically receive a further £300 UEL Student Bursary, while UEL Progress Bursaries worth £500 will be given to all students who successfully complete their first semester and continue into their second.

Professor Michael Thorne, Vice-Chancellor of the University of East London, said: “The new scholarships and bursaries show how seriously we take student finance here at UEL. Though we’re currently investing in exciting new facilities at our Docklands and Stratford campuses, we never forget that it is our students who are the heart and soul of our university.”

Local residents who have already been awarded Achievement Scholarships, subject to results, and look forward to joining their degree programmes at UEL include:

Kayley Mulvihill (18), of Dagenham, has been awarded a UEL Achievement Scholarship in the Creative category. Kayley, a pupil at All Saints Catholic School and Technical College, became very interested in creative writing after joining a school Writers’ Club in Year 11. Inspired by her English teachers and a local poet, Kayley has since gone on to develop her writing skills and even start work on her first novel, Destiny Awaits.

Kayley, now set to begin a Combined Honours degree in English Literature and Creative and Professional Writing in September, said: “I was really, really pleased when I heard that I’d been awarded the scholarship. I worked hard on the application and now I’m really looking forward to developing my creative writing skills at UEL.”

Sara Pataquinho (18), of Seven Kings, Redbridge, has been awarded a UEL Achievement Scholarship in the Sports category. Sara, currently studying at Leyton Sixth-form College, has been involved with sports from a young age and was a member of her secondary school’s basketball, netball and football teams. After moving to college, she became more focussed on basketball and started working voluntarily as an assistant coach on Saturdays.

In August 2005, Sara also helped organise and run a sport/basketball activity day for the Waltham Forest community. She said: “I think that it’s a great opportunity to expand my horizons and help me in my career in the future. I’m really happy to get the scholarship because it will help me to finance university and get my coaching qualifications.”

Rosi Webb (18) has secured a UEL Achievement Scholarship in the Sports category. Rosi, a pupil at Aylard School, has been playing football for Tottenham Hotspur Ladies for the past five years. Starting out as a member of the youth team, she quickly moved up to the seniors and has been top goalscorer for the last two seasons. Since passing passed her FA Level 1 coaching course last summer, Rosi has been helping to coach her club’s youth teams, and she has also been involved in the “Show Racism the Red Card” campaign.

Rosi said: “It’s great to get this scholarship because it’ll definitely help me get through university and reduce my financial burden. It’s a wonderful opportunity, especially as UEL has such a good reputation in Sports and Exercise Science.”

For further information on UEL’s new range of scholarships and bursaries, and to find out more about the 300-plus programmes and combinations on offer at UEL, call 020 8223 3333 or visit www.uel.ac.uk

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For details and pictures contact Patrick Wilson: 020 8223 2061 or 07951 797 975

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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