University of Hull students have been awarded scholarships through a partnership between the University and global hospitality company, Compass Hospitality.
With a total value of £60,000, funded by Compass Hospitality, the Compass Business Studies Scholarships are worth more than £4000 to each student and will be complemented by paid work placements.
The scholarships are particularly tailored to support students who need financial assistance whilst rewarding those students who have achieved a high standard of academic performance.
The scholarships will provide recipients with a career path into the hospitality sector through the provision of paid placements with Compass Hospitality in the UK during their vacations and management training/career opportunities in the UK and abroad upon graduation. Students could also be offered graduate traineeships following their degree.
Professor Susan Lea, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Hull, said:
“Establishing ties with industry – whether at a global or regional level – has always been a focus for us at the University of Hull. These relationships with companies like Compass Hospitality bring remarkable opportunities for our students.
“These are challenging times for students everywhere and so the financial support and career-enhancing experiences which are part of these scholarships are particularly welcome.
“We are grateful to Compass Hospitality for their support for our students, which will help them to build employability skills and fulfil their potential.”
Matthew Welbourn, Executive Vice President of Compass Hospitality UK, said: “Compass Hospitality is proud to be a part of this tremendous opportunity being offered to a group of highly motivated students.
“We are very impressed by the calibre of students and the University itself. We hope that these students will be able to fulfil their career aspirations through this scholarship and placement programme.
“Compass Hospitality hopes to continue nurturing this unique and exciting relationship with the University of Hull in the years to come.”
Professor Lea and Matthew Welbourn were able to congratulate some of the students in person during a recent visit to campus. The students who were able to attend in person were: Yihan Xie, MSc Accounting and Finance, Rukevwe Akpowaye, MSc Financial Management, Billie Silvester, MSc Financial Management, and Edward Richmond, BSc Computer Science. (George Michael, MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management, has also been awarded a scholarship but was unable to attend in person).
Joining Professor Lea and Matthew Welbourn in congratulating the students were: Mark Nesbitt, VP Operations, Compass Hospitality UK; Nicola Worthington, Director of Sales, Compass Hospitality UK; Manpreet Kaur, Business Consultant, Compass Hospitality and Dr Ben Butler, Head of Development and Alumni, University of Hull. The University of Hull students who have been awarded the scholarships paid tribute to the opportunity provided by Compass Hospitality:
Rukevwe Akpowaye, MSc Financial Management, said: “The Compass Hospitality scholarship could not have come at a more perfect time. As an international student studying Financial Management at the University of Hull through blended learning – it has been quite challenging and interesting but this has made it phenomenal – even in this unprecedented time.
“I am enthusiastic about my time spent with the company, I believe it would be a rewarding experience, as I hope to get relevant work experience that would boost my career, and also build my network and increase my skill set.”
Yihan Xie, MSc Accounting and Finance: “The scholarship is very useful in many ways. It has helped ease the transition of starting an internship in a different city, and also lifted the financial strain of getting everything ready. Additionally, it's incredibly comforting to know that I do not need to worry about finances whilst trying to do a work placement. It was incredibly generous of the owner of Compass Hospitality to fund it – company culture starts at the top, and this generosity reflects Compass Hospitality’s values.
“The meeting on campus with the University’s Vice-Chancellor and the team from Compass was very nice. Everyone was very welcoming and the overall experience set high expectations for the upcoming internship.”
Edward Richmond, BSc Computer Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, said: “Being awarded the Compass scholarship through the partnership between Compass Hospitality and the University of Hull will enable me to demonstrate my knowledge as well as many other skills. Throughout the computer science degree pathway at Hull, I've been challenged across a diverse array of modules which can be applied to almost any industry in the world. Data Mining, for example, is a great example of academic knowledge which would be useful to any company.
“I'm grateful to both the University of Hull and Compass for their support and look forward to starting the internship in due course.”
George Michael, MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management’ said: “This placement will effectively provide me with crucial knowledge, skills, and personal attributes that will shape my future and enhance my capabilities, such as, improving communication skills, developing organisational and planning skills.
“My journey at the University of Hull has enabled me to fulfil my potential, improve my theoretical knowledge and expand my skills sets. The University has taught me the importance of self-motivation and determination, as my undergraduate and master’s degrees, have enabled me to become a mature and independent student.
“I am truly grateful and appreciate being a part of a supportive university, that encouraged me to push further to achieve my objectives and thrive on my improvements.”
Billie Silvester, MSc Financial Management, said: “I feel very lucky to have been given such an opportunity to learn and work within Compass. I’ve really enjoyed studying in Hull but it’s lovely to be able to come to a big city like Manchester and experience something new.”
The £60,000 scholarship fund will be spread over 3 years and will offer 15 scholarships.