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Hat-trick for Laura

Published 13 November 2009

Student teacher Laura Keating is celebrating winning a hat-trick of £1,000 scholarships from the university. Laura is one of 210 students sharing more than £200,000 in scholarship money.

Laura, in the fourth year of her BA(Hons) primary education course in the School of Education at Falmer, Brighton, has won awards in each of the first three years of the scholarship programme, something no one else has achieved.

She said she initially felt embarrassed: “I thought that it should be someone else’s turn and I didn’t like to tell anyone at first.” But her friends and family were only too pleased for her and now, Laura said: “I feel very proud. “Scholarships are a lovely way to help students and they make a big difference. They made me feel that all the hard work I put in is appreciated.”

The scholarships were being presented at ceremonies at the university’s campuses in Moulsecoomb, Falmer, and Grand Parade, Brighton, and in Eastbourne and Hastings, starting at the Sallis Benney Theatre in Brighton tomorrow (12 Nov).

Two of this year’s scholarships were established with donations from Pan Macmillan, publishers of Peter James’ Brighton-based crime novels. These were the university’s first externally-funded scholarships which recognise academic excellence.

Lord Mogg of Queens Park, chairman of the university’s board of governors, said: “I hope the scholarships will help students continue their academic work and ease the financial pressure that so many students experience while in higher education.”