Santander Universities recently partnered with UniDays to award a student or recent graduate of a UK university a £10,000 grant to support their studies or personal development. Over 25,000 individual entries were received, and the winner was named as Eloise Ames, who graduated from Loughborough University in July 2021 with a BA in English.
Eloise, who has recently secured graduate employment in Bristol, was made aware of the opportunity to enter the draw by having previously benefitted from programmes provided by Santander, through Santander Universities, at Loughborough.
Eloise said:
“I’m overwhelmed and it still feels like a dream, but this money means the absolute world to me. As an estranged student, I have had to rely on myself for my time at university which has been extremely stressful in terms of finances.
“I love learning and this money means I can now continue my education with a master’s degree without the worry of funding it. I’m so grateful and I can’t wait to put the money to good use. I feel very lucky to have won!”
Talking about her experience at Loughborough, she added:
“My four years at Loughborough have been phenomenal and I’m so proud to be a Loughborough graduate. I have left the Loughborough bubble with fantastic memories and will always be grateful to the English department, student services, and the rest of the university for providing me with support, guidance and ultimately - a degree!
“I have changed so much since being at university and I owe it to Loughborough for fostering this positive growth.”
Santander Universities is a longstanding and generous supporter of Loughborough University and currently provide £150,000 per year to support a range of key initiatives across education, entrepreneurship, and employability.
Matt Hutnell, Director at Santander Universities UK, commented:
“Santander Universities aims to provide inclusive and life-changing opportunities for students so we’re delighted to award this grant to Eloise to enable her to continue her education and embark on a master’s degree.”