Alumni Studentship Winners 2011
The Alumni Postgraduate Studentship is an initiative funded by donations from Lancaster University alumni. Up to five £1000 awards are made each year. Here the recipients of the 2011 awards tell us how receiving the award helped them.
Eleri Jones
I was incredibly honoured to achieve this alumni studentship award. It came as a huge surprise and greatly heightened my confidence proceeding into postgraduate study. I am currently undertaking the MRes Environment and Development (overseas placement) masters degree here at Lancaster, having been encouraged by the enthusiasm of previous tuition at the institution.
The financial award has gone a long way in helping me complete my fieldwork; it has permitted me to stay in Kerala, India for 3 months, researching the livelihoods of marginalised pepper farmers. Not only has it helped in funding the course itself, it has also widened the research scope by hiring interpreters and covering travel expenses when I have needed to go further afield to meet key farmers.
By alleviating my financial worries this award has allowed me to carry on with extra-curricular activities at the university, playing hockey and squash; things which I may not have been able to do otherwise as that time would have inevitably been taken up by additional work.
Without the additional support that this award from the contributions of Lancaster Alumni my research this year would have not be possible. I thank everyone who donated and encourage others to do the same. It really has made, and can make all the difference.
Gemma Drinkall
I am a Masters student studying Bioethics and Medical Law focussing particularly on human enhancement and disability ethics. The Alumni studentship has given me great pride as only four students each year are awarded the scholarship. It has given me the additional financial support I needed to complete my studies.
I have been at Lancaster since 2008, studying first Philosophy and Politics and now my current degree scheme. I have enjoyed giving back to the university through schemes such as the open days and teaching children in the surrounding schools. I have also enjoyed the experience of attending my first conference at the Postgraduate Conference in Bioethics where I spoke on my recent research in human enhancement. I really appreciate the difference that this scholarship has made and I would recommend other students considering a Masters or PhD at Lancaster to apply.
Michelle McShane
I am currently in the first year of my MA in Social Work. Being one of so few students to receive the reward is such an honour, and more than anything it has been such a great help.
I applied for the studentship because I wanted to learn how to drive and continue to do volunteer work alongside my studies. I had always done a lot of extra-curricular work around Lancaster and beyond when I was studying for my undergraduate degree but money is tighter this time around so the studentship really helped to fill the gaps in my finances.
I have not yet passed my driving test but I am almost ready to book it now. I would not even be at this stage if it was not for the studentship. I wanted to learn to drive because it is almost always an essential requirement for jobs, and in social work that is no exception. I wanted to ensure that when I have finished studying at Lancaster I won’t be limited in my options when applying for jobs.
I also volunteer for Victim Support. It is community-based volunteering so I rely on public transport to get around. Although expenses are paid, this is not upfront so I have relied on the studentship to support me in funding the initial cost of bus tickets. It is important to me to be doing something extra-curricular, whether it is volunteer work, work experience or summer schools and competitions. If this sounds like you then I highly recommend you apply next year!
Nick O'Malley
First of all, I would like to say a big thank you to the Alumni for providing the studentship and the support it provided me for my Masters in the Psychology of Advertising. It allowed me to worry about money ever so slightly less for the academic year. It also enabled me to replace my laptop that had been so faithful to me over my three years as an undergraduate before it sadly passed away.
However one of the main benefits was the time created by the studentship. Having acquired an additional part-time job during my Masters year, the studentship did mean that I was able to work less than I otherwise would have had to, allowing me to focus more of my attentions towards my Masters course. During the year, I also set up and helped run a Grad Carter Shield Team, to a reasonably successful level, sitting in second, just twelve points behind leaders Fylde at the time of writing.
Rebecca Kirkpatrick
I am incredibly grateful for the studentship award and the enormous help it has been. I am studying for a Masters in Bioethics and Medical Law which I am really passionate about, but the decision to continue with studies to a Masters level would have much harder without the studentship. The financial burdens of continuing my university education were greatly relieved because of this award and the help to reach the next stage in my career will be ever appreciated. I felt honoured and incredibly proud that I had been chosen to receive the studentship and that my participation in the Lancaster University community had been recognised. I was so pleased that I had the chance to return to Lancaster for another year, and would encourage others to seize the same opportunities.