We have many students who have been awarded scholarships from contributions our alumni, friends and partners of the University have gifted. Below are just some of the student stories that your funding has supported. Without this vital funding these students wouldn’t have been able to experience and achieve their full potential, so thank you.
University of Hull’s Talented Athlete Programme
Matt Nelson – (Final Year – Sports Rehabilitation)
Back in December we reported on Matt Nelson, a triathlete who completes for Team GB and is currently studying Sport Rehabilitation at Hull. Winter was taken up with training and in March he represented the University at BUCS. Unfortunately he picked up an injury but luckily has managed to retain his 25-29 National Title. He is aiming for the World Championships in Nice later on this year, followed by the Triple Crown winter 2019/20. As with all our students that we report on in our Supporter Newsletter, we hope to be able to report on their summer successes in the December edition and wish them all the best with their training and competition.
Andy Morgan-Harrison – (2nd Year BSc Sport Rehabilitation)
Andy is an International Sprinter in the 100m and 200m. His main goal is to be selected for the 2024 Olympics which his coach says is realistic based on his current performances and the progression he is showing.
“The Talented Athlete Programme has benefitted me in many ways. From giving me access to outstanding facilities, to providing me with physiotherapists that I see on a regular basis which really helped when I was going through an injury in my second year at university. Now I have overcome that injury I intend on returning back to my previous form and win BUCS next year which I unfortunately had to miss this year due to injury.”
Introducing Emma Dakin (1st Year Sport Rehabilitation)
In her first year Emma competed at BUCS Indoor and Outdoor Championships placing 2nd in Shot (indoors) and 3rd in Shot (outdoors). After the outdoor BUCS championships she was invited to compete at the Loughborough International event exclusive to GB Juniors, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Loughborough Students and BU Teams. Competing with the best of the UK throwers she came 6th. She also won the Nottinghamshire County Championships in Shot and Discuss. When asked what her highest achievement to date was, she replied “I would say it was gaining an England kit to complete at the Schools International Athletics Board Competition, where I placed 2nd but also medalling at my last 3 English Schools Comps.” She hopes to make it to the likes of the Commonwealths, Worlds and potentially in the long term to the Olympic Games.
Emma said “This programme has benefitted me in several ways – it has allowed me to get more out of training – so I am able to buy kit, shoes, equipment to enable me to progress to that higher level. It has allowed me to spend more time in Loughborough with my coach whilst studying in Hull through fuel costs as well as session and membership costs. The team are great – whenever I have a problem or a question they are more than happy to help out. Before Christmas I struggled to get to training as I didn’t have a car at Uni so Oliver (a staff member) got a piece of land available outside his offices for me to throw the shot on which was inexpensive but really helpful for me to continue practising without needing to be at training.”
“I am absolutely thrilled to be on the talented athlete programme and am forever grateful for the funding I have received so far. It is a pleasure to represent the Uni at the level I do and to bring a different set of events to the programme as well.”
Introducing Sam Rees
Sam is a Rugby player and has played for England at the Youth Commonwealth Games before switching to represent Jamaica in 2018. He has also competed at the rugby sevens Wold Cup in San Francisco and won a bronze mental at the Caribbean and Central American games in 2018.
He says, “The Talented Athlete Programme has helped me recover from several injuries this season and allowed me to regain full fitness in time for the sevens season and its international tournaments. The physio sessions and gym membership have also allowed me to get stronger and get into the best possible condition to compete this summer. TAP has made a huge difference to my university sporting experience and has helped improve my game so I’d like to say thank you for all of the help I have received this year.”
We look forward to reporting back to you in December on how these students have progressed over the summer months.
Women in Engineering
Isabel Garnsey (Final Year – Biomedical Science)
From her first year here at Hull we have reported on Isabel Garnsey who received a Women in Engineering Scholarship and who is now in her final year of her Biomedical Engineering degree. By the time you read this Isabel will have graduated and have left the University. Here is Isabel’s final instalment.
“This year has been challenging, but the modules have covered some fascinating topics. It has been brilliant to learn more about the intricacies of joint replacements and the types of materials that are used in medical devices.
Amongst other things, I have been working on a project to set up a website that collects data from the UK public on resting heart rate and presents the data in a UK heart rate map. Resting heart rate has been proven to be an independent risk factor for heart and circulatory diseases, responsible for more than a quarter of deaths in the UK every year. The map is a resource designed to enable research into the variation of resting heart rate (and corresponding population health) with where a person lives in the UK, as well as studying the effects of lifestyle factors and various health interventions on the mean resting heart rate of an area.
I have learned loads during the project, not only in terms of computer coding and using GIS (geographical information systems), but also with report writing and presentation skills, and with the determination to carry on when you keep coming up against apparently insurmountable obstacles.
Having the bursary has been really helpful to me this year. It has given me breathing room by enabling me to work on my degree without having to get a part time job to fund myself. My project has consumed a lot more time than I expected, with numerous software issues requiring me to spend a lot of time learning how to use different programmes and searching for the tools I need.
Having the bursary also means I can take time off to pursue hobbies, and then return to my work feeling refreshed. I love drawing, and exploring the beautiful Wolds on my bike.
University of Hull Alumni Association 