The Presidential Scholarship for Students of Black Heritage was established to improve access and opportunity for Black students at Imperial. The scholarship provides support for students from departments with an underrepresentation of Black students and is part of the College's £5 million commitment to scholarships for minority and underrepresented students from the UK. We are seeking philanthropic partners to match this funding and help us go even further to ensure access to an Imperial education.

It follows the Lara & Biodun Olanrewaju Scholarship in fostering the College’s commitment to providing financial support to outstanding students from all backgrounds, and helping remove barriers to studying at a world-leading institution. We realise that we are currently failing to attract and retain sufficient numbers of Black students, and are determined to resolve this. This initiative is part of a wider strategy to tackle racial inequality at Imperial.

Education to me is a master key that unlocks many doors in society that I would not have been privy to otherwise. Imperial is a pioneer in the fields of technology, science and engineering and I am so happy to have the opportunity to study here. 

 - Samuel Albert-Antwi, Lara & Biodun Olanrewaju Scholar

 

 

Impact of giving

The President's Scholarship for Students of Black Heritage has been a beacon of hope for Moyin as she embarks on her dream of tackling inequalities in medicine. 

I think I cried when I received my offer to study Medicine at Imperial - it was like a dream come true. I had fallen in love with the course because of the opportunities for early clinical exposure and I was so excited to study in an amazing city like London. However, due to the length of a medical degree, finances were something I was really worried about. 

Receiving the President's Scholarship for students of Black Heritage removed that barrier for me. 

It was an honour to be one of the first recipients of this award, and the support has made all the difference to my time at Imperial both financially and through the Activate Mentoring programme. It has allowed me to focus on fulfilling my potential at medical school and explore my extracurricular interests, like getting involved with Afro-Caribbean society and the Gospel Choir. It was here that I found my home away from home. I'm now on the committee for both these societies so I can help ensure future students have the same, if not a much better experience than I did. 

My experiences ay Imperial have greatly surpassed my expectations. I never expected to be in a clinical settings so soon, and my placement experiences have been my favourite part of my course so far. They gave me a perspective on life after graduation and taught me to be a more competent doctor. I am a firm believer that the NHS should reflect the society that it seeks to serve, and I hope that being in this field will allow me to be a better advocate for those who are unable to speak up themselves. 

Knowing that someone, somewhere believes in you enough to sponsor your dreams is a great source of encouragement during difficult times. I know it was for me. 

The President's Scholarship for Students of Black Heritage acts as a symbol of hope for a community that has often felt like they're not good enough to achieve their dreams. I believe that this award will help to improve the diversity of the student community at Imperial and allow more students to fulfil their potential and thrive, despite the barriers to education that are out of their control. 

To the donors who have supported me, I want to say thank you for this amazing opportunity. It's truly a privilege to be believed in and I hope that I can make you proud.

Make a gift towards The Presidential Scholarship for Students of Black Heritage today