Northumbria alumnus, Paul Winters, talks about his support of students via a bursary.

Bursary’s relieve hardship and provide enriching University experiences. Awarded to students based on their personal circumstances; or if they come from a low-income family, bursaries can help students who may face more barriers to attending full-time education, enabling them to access university. Bursary donor Paul Winters has supported a Northumbria Student since 2015 and spoke of his experience:

“I really enjoyed my time at Northumbria (Newcastle Polytechnic as it was then) and made lots of friends for life. It was all very different in the 1970s. My wife and I are both from working class backgrounds and were the first generation to benefit from the expansion of higher education in the 1960s. Tuition fees and maintenance grants were covered, so no big debts when graduating. We were so lucky compared to those in higher education today."

"I decided to set up a bursary to give someone a chance to do something that would have been more financially challenging otherwise. It’s been so pleasing to see the mature student, a single parent, I sponsored do so well, obtaining a First Class degree and go on to do a Master’s degree. I’m very proud of her."

"Donating to Northumbria is a personal choice, I’ve got to say I’m glad I did. I’ve enjoyed reconnecting with both the University and the city. I’ve visited Newcastle twice in the last couple of years as a result of deciding to sponsor the bursary, having not visited at all in the previous 30 years, this included giving a lecture to one of the University’s undergraduate classes. Knowing how much the bursary meant to the recipient based on her emails to me is very gratifying.”

A recent recipient of the Paul Winters bursary explains the value of the support she received:

“The financial support has been invaluable during my three years at Northumbria and has allowed me to fully immerse myself in my studies without having to worry about the financial strain. For example, I could afford the childcare I needed to attend lectures and events and have never had to worry about travel costs. I have been in the position to buy books I couldn’t source in the library and supplies for projects, as well as easily replace my laptop at a critical time of my second year. I cannot stress how much Paul’s truly generous bursary has supported my progression throughout.”