CHANGING LIVES FOREVER

Almost 700 students. Holding hands, they could form a chain from one end of the campus’s famous Lasdun Teaching Wall to the other, and back again.

An impressive number. Yet this is how many students our philanthropists have brought to UEA across the life of The Difference Campaign, in subjects that encompass the full range of courses at the University. Thank you to everyone who has helped fund UEA scholarships and changed lives.

We know that scholarships will continue to be of vital importance at the University. In an unequal world, scholarships help the brightest and best earn their opportunities based on merit, not background.

Scholarships not only help students overcome financial barriers that could prevent them from accessing higher education in the first place, but allow students to explore the full breadth of their potential whilst they are at UEA. The support they receive can give our students confidence in their abilities and talents. Many tell us they benefit greatly from having the time and resources to expand their world through societies, sports and friendships.

Our scholars will also go on to influence other lives through their work. Some even decide to fund their own scholarships, creating a ripple effect through generations. A gift to scholarships is one that could make an impact for many, many years to come.

Here, we look back at the achievements of some of the scholarship students who came to UEA in 2013 when The Difference Campaign began.

Thank you from this year’s

JACOB FRESHWATER (NBS13)

BSc (Hons) Accounting and Management

Mark V Williams Undergraduate Scholarship

Jacob is now the founder and managing director of Fresh Motors in Norfolk, an award-winning used car and commercial dealership established in 2015.

He said, “At UEA, I met and was surrounded with some truly remarkable individuals, with whom I hope to remain lifelong friends. The University will always have a special place in my heart.

“I feel honoured to have been able to represent Mark Williams as the recipient of my scholarship. When I first arrived at UEA, I felt like a humble sapling but I left having grown and flourished. Thank you, Mark, for allowing me this privilege.”

JAY ALDOUS (MED13)

MBBS MClinEd Clinical Education

Preparing for Medicine Scholarship

After foundation doctor training at West Suffolk Hospital, Jay started speciality training as a junior anaesthetist.

He said, “My graduation and journey through medical school are experiences I’ll never forget. I never thought I’d have so many letters after my name at the age of 24!

“David Tibble, who funded my scholarship, gave me the confidence to follow my dreams. Although medicine has been a challenging course to study, there is no doubt in my mind it was the right choice for me. One that may not have been a choice without David’s help. He has inspired me with his generosity, and I hope I too can one day support future generations of disadvantaged students.”

ANEALLA SAFDAR (LDC13)

MA Creative Writing (Prose Fiction)

Seth Donaldson Memorial Bursary

Anealla is now Europe Editor at the international news network Al Jazeera.

She said, “As I began my Master’s, I was able to meet Seth’s mother in Norwich. I thanked her and her friends for choosing to remember him with this incredibly generous gesture, which in my case made my degree possible. “That was the start of a supportive journey. At each step I felt encouraged by the new community of writers I was part of, professors and even the celebrated authors who regularly visited the faculty.”

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