Why Jack wants you to know about the Wallscourt Scholarships

Why Jack wants you to know about the Wallscourt Scholarships

Meet Jack, a final year BA(Hons) Criminology student.

Jack is pleased to have the opportunity to tell you his story; he’s keen for more people to know about what he received.

“The opportunity to have financial help when you’re struggling, help because of who you are as a person and what you have achieved through hardship, it’s an amazing thing” he says.

So here’s Jack's story - what he got out of winning the scholarship, why it matters, and how it might help others.

Getting to university

Jack attended Mangotsfield secondary school in Bristol and went on to college to study BTECs. He achieved the grades needed for university and chose to study at UWE Bristol.

But the prospect of making ends meet at university was daunting. Jack needed financial support in order to be able to focus on his studies. At the time of applying for the scholarship, Jack was being paid under the minimum wage in a cafe, a job which had seen him through college.

Jack reflects, “some students come from wealthy backgrounds with parents who can give them a stable financial life, whereas others have to work hard for what they have”.

He faced other challenges too. As the first in his family to attend university, Jack had to find his own way.

“The Scholarship really helped me get to my final year”, he says.

More than just financial support

When he discovered the Wallscourt Scholarships, Jack found more than just the financial support he’d been looking for.

Scholarships include opportunities to network with other scholars, the trustees of the charitable trust that funds them and senior staff at UWE Bristol. In the community of the scholarship, Jack says he found “something similar to family”. It’s helped him realise that others are interested in his story and that he can be an inspiration to others.

“This scholarship is important because it helps you feel proud of your achievements and gets you thinking about what you could achieve in the future. It gives you confidence - to be selected out of the whole academic year of students was an incredible feeling”, he explains.

Thanks to the scholarship, Jack’s had opportunities he thought he’d never have, including meeting The Lord Mayor of Bristol and The Assistant Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police and securing a mentorship with The Ministry of Justice.

The future

Jack starts every year with the motivation to keep learning new things in his field, with his sights firmly set on a successful career.

He wants to work in counterterrorism and hopes the knowledge and expertise he’s gaining on his course will enable him to get a job protecting people and saving lives.

About the scholarships

The Wallscourt Scholarships are available to young people who attended local secondary schools. They’re open to applicants from low-income backgrounds, and priority is given to underrepresented groups including disabled students, BAME (black and minority ethnic students), care leavers, student carers and estranged students.

The scholarships were established by the Wallscourt Foundation, an independent charitable trust which supports education and learning at UWE Bristol.

Could you or your organisation donate to a scholarship or a prize that would contribute to students’ lives?

We are always aiming to increase the number of talented students in financial need that we can support. Through generous donations from alumni and friends, we can achieve this.

Find out how you or your organisation can make a difference in students’ lives on scholarships and prizes. Get in touch by filling out the short form.

As Jack says, ”a scholarship is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for both the student and the donor”.