Scholarship Profile – Katie Sumner
There were a number of reasons why Sheffield seemed the perfect place for me to study. Probably the main attraction was the great reputation of both the University and the city itself, both of which I had been told had brilliant social activities and was a great place to live and study. I know a number of people who have attended the University in the past and have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of life in Sheffield. There was also the fact that the University is only a couple of hours from my home which seemed far enough away without it being too far to travel home the odd weekend. After visiting the biology department, meeting some of the staff and seeing the newly built accommodation, I had no doubts that Sheffield was the perfect place for me to study in the future.
The scholarship means so much to me and I still can´t quite believe that I have been chosen to receive one. The extra money means that I will no longer have to rely on my mum as much for clothes, books etc which I know will make it a lot easier for her. As well as this, I will now be able to learn to drive which is something I have wanted to do for a while, as I think it will be very valuable and necessary for the future. I also plan to use some of the scholarship to take my tennis coaching qualification as again I think this will be very valuable.
The scholarship will have a massive effect on the whole of my experience in Sheffield. Sheffield is an amazing city to live in and the University is brilliant, the scholarship means that I will now be able to join in with more of the University´s social events and clubs, something that I am really looking forward to. Basically, the scholarship means that I can now take part in every opportunity that the University has to offer that I previously missed out on because of money.
Overall, I am really enjoying every aspect of my course. Even the parts which I am finding quite challenging and thought that I would not enjoy so much, such as the biomedical modules, I am finding really interesting and I am extremely glad that I chose this subject. I find the modules and areas that focus on animals the most interesting and rewarding, especially the module that I have done on the behaviour of humans and other animals and I think this is an area that I would really like to focus on in the future. I am also really enjoying practical classes at Sheffield as we have covered so many different areas, from biological drawing which I really enjoy to molecular techniques, all of which have been really interesting.
Donations are extremely important to the University because for some people they can actually make the difference between going to university and getting a degree or not being able to, something which makes a massive difference to the entire future of that individual. As well as this, many clubs/societies depend on donations and it is very important that these activities are on offer at the University because without them, people miss out on the chance to meet new people and develop skills but also to do something that they really enjoy. Being given a scholarship means that there are so many more opportunities to develop new skills and take part in experiences which will make such a difference to my future, something which I am very grateful for.
The help that you give makes a huge difference to the people who are lucky enough to receive donations and can even mean the difference between attending university or not being able to at all, something which massively affects a person´s future. Not only this but knowing that there is help when coming to university can encourage more people to consider the option of attending university who previously would not have. The donation has made a really big difference to the whole of my life at Sheffield and has made me more determined than ever to prove myself and work hard to develop valuable life skills and get a good degree. Thank you.