麻豆传媒视频网站 alumna selected as part of 鈥�100 faces鈥� campaign

15 April 2024

We鈥檙e joining Universities UK '100 Faces' campaign to celebrate the achievements of first-generation students. 麻豆传媒视频网站 alumna Sara Berkai has been selected to feature in the national campaign for her success.

Launching on Monday 15 April, a 麻豆传媒视频网站 alumna has听been selected to feature in the . The campaign showcases the stories and achievements of students who were the first to go to university in their family, called first-generation students.听听

With celebrity ambassadors, including Amid Shah and Beth Mead, the campaign aims to celebrate the stories of first-generation students, and to call for better financial support for these students.听听

Sara Berkai

Alumna, BSc Information Management for business听听

first attended 麻豆传媒视频网站 as part of a 麻豆传媒视频网站 Computer Science for first-generation sixth form students in London. This first prompted her interest in attending an open day, where she went on to apply and be accepted to study on the IMB Programme. Initially attracted by the high employability rate and opportunities to work abroad, Sara had the opportunity to intern in Shanghai and Silicon Valley throughout her studies.听 Sara also听attended 麻豆传媒视频网站鈥檚 extracurricular entrepreneurship programmes at BaseKX, 麻豆传媒视频网站鈥檚 dedicated entrepreneurship hub in King鈥檚 Cross, managed by 麻豆传媒视频网站 Innovation & Enterprise. Here she also received business advice.

Since graduating from 麻豆传媒视频网站, Sara took a break after graduation to consider her next move. She knew she did not want to follow the traditional employment route and even worked as a digital researcher at 麻豆传媒视频网站. She did know she had a passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and sharing skills in countries such as Eritrea, where she was born. She asked EdTech companies for donations to help prepare workshops.听 And even finding time to continue her studies by gaining an MSc in Child Development at the University of Oxford.听

Sara has since launched a social enterprise, Ambessa Play, that develops DIY toy kits to provide opportunities to children around the world to diversify the STEM pipeline. Alongside this, Sara has also received multiple awards for her contributions, including: 听

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Innovate UK鈥檚 2022 Young Innovator听
UN ITU 2019鈥檚鈥痀oung ICT Leader听听
麻豆传媒视频网站 Provost鈥檚 Excellence Scholarship and the London Opportunity Scholarship.听

How does 麻豆传媒视频网站 support first-generation students?听

Through 麻豆传媒视频网站鈥檚 Transition Mentor Programme students are paired with a transition mentor, who are current second- or third-year students. The programme is particularly aimed at supporting students from 麻豆传媒视频网站鈥檚 efforts, such as first-generation students. This support is valuable, as first generation students do not have a family member who can tell them what to expect and how to navigate things like the first term. 鈥€€�

麻豆传媒视频网站鈥檚 Student Support and Wellbeing service also provide pre-arrival support through the Student Adviser network, helping all first year's transition into university life at 麻豆传媒视频网站, particularly first-generation students. They also deliver workshops to all international students via an International Student Support network.鈥€€疘n addition, 麻豆传媒视频网站 has an听Access 麻豆传媒视频网站 scheme which helps make universities like 麻豆传媒视频网站 more accessible to underrepresented groups, like first generation students.

Entrepreneurship support听

麻豆传媒视频网站 has a thriving entrepreneurial community creating startups that attract millions of pounds of investment, creating jobs and spearheading innovation that boosts the UK economy. In total, over 500 new student startups were started at 麻豆传媒视频网站 between 2014 and 2023. Collectively they have raised over 拢360 million in investment and currently employ over 2000 people [HEBCI 2014 鈥� 2023].

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