News

Raising aspirations in Hastings

Published 14 March 2012

Ten students who have overcome huge obstacles to pursue their studies have been chosen as the first recipients of a new award set up by a group of donors led by a University of Brighton alumna.

The students include a woman who was homeless just three years ago and is now studying for a degree in broadcast media. She and the nine others were presented with a Hastings and Rother Aspiration Award at a ceremony at the university's Hastings campus last week.

Students and donors at the Aspiration Awards

The aim of the awards is to support and encourage students from the Hastings and Rother area who face significant challenges in their day-to-day lives. The donors behind the new awards are led by Annette and Bill Shelford. Annette graduated in 2010 with a degree in English literature and media studies from the Hastings campus. Since graduating, Annette has been heavily involved in promoting the Hastings campus and its widening participation agenda through fundraising and alumni engagement activities.

Through Annette's efforts and working with the university's Development and Alumni Office, almost £25,000 has been donated to support this initiative. The first 10 students to receive this award each received £500. To mark the launch of this awards scheme, the student recipients were invited to attend a prize-giving ceremony to publically recognise their achievements and also to have the opportunity to meet some of the donors who have generously contributed.

Samantha Lee, a current business foundation student said: "Although I have part-time work, it is a struggle to be able to pay for childcare and my other costs – my award has made a big difference. After I have finished my foundation course, I plan to study law and business at the university. I have always been interested in law and hope I will be able to develop a career in this area."

Alexandria Tuckwell, a current broadcast media student, shared her thoughts about the awards scheme. She said: "I know how important this award has been to me and so I imagine it must be the same for the other recipients. In 2009, I was homeless and today I am studying for a degree, as well as volunteering as a course representative to support students with disabilities. I never thought it would be possible for me to be here and have a chance for a future that I simply didn't have before now."

Karen Stunt, a current applied social science student, found the Hastings campus very welcoming. She explained: "I am a mother of three children – with my oldest son a student at Brighton himself – and as I had no formal qualifications, higher education was not on the cards. I then heard about the Hastings campus and the opportunities on offer. I am thoroughly enjoying my course and find the atmosphere here extremely inclusive, regardless of students’ ages or backgrounds. The award allowed me to buy a new laptop and printer which have made things a lot easier for me in my studies."

Following the formality of the prize giving, the student recipients had the chance to speak with some of the donors to share their experiences of life as a student in Hastings and to answer the many questions the donors had about their courses and activities. It was clear that our guests were hugely impressed by the hard work all of the students had put in order to embark upon their studies at the Hastings campus – in some cases, significant sacrifices have also had to be made.

The awards, which took place on Friday 9 March, will be made each year with the next recipients to be identified in the first term of next academic year. To find out more about these awards, please contact development@brighton.ac.uk.