Fifteen students from The University of Edinburgh selected for award-winning Lloyds Scholars programme
The innovative social mobility programme from Lloyds Banking Group provides new students with financial support and employability skills in partnership with The University of Edinburgh
An additional fifteen students from The University of Edinburgh have just started their student life with the support of a unique programme from Lloyds Banking Group, bringing the total number of students at the University supported by the programme to 45.
The Lloyds Scholars programme offers talented young people from lower income households the opportunity to gain employability skills and experience alongside their degrees, in partnership with eight leading UK universities, including The University of Edinburgh. The programme offers students a complete package of financial support, paid internships and a business mentor while, in return, students must volunteer for at least 100 hours per year whilst participating on the programme.
Successful University of Edinburgh undergraduates this year include:
| Name | Home town | Subject studying |
| Wajid Khan | Brierfield | Philosophy |
| Lucas Gregory | Carrickfergus | Finance |
| Abbie Crawford | Belfast | Geography |
| Michael Stephenson | Durham | Geography |
| Greg McGinnigle | Livingston | Genetics |
| Jillian Fraser | Edinburgh | English |
| Jenna Reid | Berkhamsted | Biological Sciences (Neuroscience) |
| Harry Scott | Esher | History |
| Michelle Marufu | Leeds | Biology |
| Georgia Sampson | Warrington | Politics |
| Deborah Orisakiya | Romford | History and Politics |
| Nichol Yesuthasan | Stanmore | History |
| Saif Beejay | London | Geological sciences |
| Alexander Jones | Poole | Economics |
further 30 students from The University of Edinburgh are already taking part in the programme.
Helping Britain Prosper
Lloyds Scholars sits right at the heart of the Group’s Helping Britain Prosper Plan. One of the commitments made as part of the Plan is to support 720 undergraduates from low income families through the Lloyds Scholars programme by 2017.
Lloyds Scholars launched in June 2011 and, so far, 360 students have been supported and 25 have graduated from the programme. Sixty-eight percent of those graduates have joined the Lloyds Banking Group Graduate Programme, as part of its regular, highly competitive annual graduate intake. Others have gone on to post-graduate study, while several have successfully embarked on alternative career paths.
Richard Cooper, Head of Education and Employability at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “We are so excited to welcome this year’s new Scholars to our programme. We look forward to nurturing their talents throughout their degrees and helping them to develop both academically and professionally.”
“As Lloyds Scholars they will receive individual mentors, as well as internships that aim to expose them to a vast array of disciplines across our bank. They will also each roll up their sleeves and undertake 100 hours of community volunteering every year of their Scholarship. This helps them connect with their communities in a uniquely compelling way and ensures that our goal of helping Britain prosper will be at the heart of all we do for the very long term.”
Professor Sir Timothy O’Shea, Principal of The University of Edinburgh said “We are proud to support Lloyds Scholars and over the years have seen the programme have a significant impact on the personal development of the students involved. We are delighted to welcome a further cohort of Scholars to The University of Edinburgh and look forward to following their progress throughout the course of their studies.”
To find out more about Lloyds Scholars, visit www.lloyds-scholars.com.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
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