This year’s Scholarship Reception welcomed over 200 guests, made up of scholars, donors and staff, to celebrate scholars’ success in Bath’s Guildhall on 8 February 2019.

The event provided an opportunity to welcome new scholars into the community and introduce them to donors over drinks and canapés.

Guests arrived to the sound of the saxophone, played by Santander Arts Scholar, Bas Lodewijks, followed by a guitar solo from Andrés Lopez Moreno, a Nick Berry Arts Scholar.

Professor Peter Lambert, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Learning, praised the performances in his opening speech, revealing that this year has seen the highest number of arts scholarships awarded to date. These 18 scholarships span music, dance, photography, theatre and film, and enables creative students to develop their arts interests alongside their studies. He congratulated the scholars:

Each and every one of you represents what makes Bath so special. You should be so proud to be in receipt of a scholarship – competition for these is fierce!

He went on to acknowledge Bath’s prestigious sports scholarships, which have supported Olympians and World Champions, before addressing the Gold Scholars in the room.

The Gold Scholarship Programme is now in its second year, providing 98 students from disadvantaged backgrounds the skills to excel at Bath and beyond. Scholars undertake training to develop key skills, volunteer on campus and in the local community, and network with experienced Alumni Mentors – some of whom were in attendance on the evening.

PhD student Kathrin Lauber then took to the stage. After graduating from our Department of Psychology, Kathrin was given the opportunity to continue her studies at Bath thanks to a generous gift from alumnus Roger Whorrod OBE and his wife Sue. Kathrin shared some words of wisdom with the students:

I like to think that scholarships like these enable us to think slightly beyond good grades for ourselves and actually allow us to focus on tackling real world problems. You’ve all been given an amazing opportunity and you deserve it – so don’t lose sight of the bigger picture and use it well.

Next, the guests heard from Students’ Union President, Eve Alcock, who encouraged the scholars to take advantage of the “bizarre, eclectic and extensive range of opportunities and activities provided by the SU". She said:

To me, higher education is about so much more than a degree. University is a portfolio of opportunities that you wouldn’t get anywhere else – and it’s at your fingertips.

See more photos from this year’s Scholarship Reception.

Read the Impact Report for more projects supported by alumni and friends of the University.

To find out more about scholarships, please contact Stephanie Lear, Head of Principal Gifts.