Northumbria
University, Newcastle, is launching a new scholarship for talented young sport coaches
and officials to study at the University and enhance their personal development
and career opportunities.
Open to students
from any discipline, the Scholarship forms part of the University’s Higher
Education without Barriers campaign - a fund that provides support to make
participation and progression in higher education more achievable for
academically talented students, regardless of their social or economic
circumstances. One of the projects in the first year will- support women, who
are under-represented as coaches and officials. And to encourage help from business
sponsors and partner organisations, a launch event is being held on the 12th October at the University’s Sport Central - to provide additional information
on the Scholarship and the benefits it can bring to qualifying students.
The event
will bring together students, alumni, and partners to discuss the importance
of diversity in sport, the transferable skills between sport and business and
the important contribution women who are sport leaders can bring to the
workplace. It will be hosted by Northumbria alumnus Jon Dutton, Chief Executive
of the Rugby League World Cup, which kicks off in Newcastle on 15th October.
Panel members at the event will include:
Emma Collier, President, Northumbria Students’
Union
Dr Zoe Avner, Assistant Professor and
Lecturer, Sports Coaching, Northumbria University
Paul Blake, Northumbria alumnus/Managing
Director, Newcastle Eagles
Mark Gannon, Chief Executive, UK Coaching
Su Cumming, Head of Women's Football,
Newcastle United
Louise Sivewright, Talent Acquisition
Marketing Specialist, Enterprise Rent-a-Car
The new scholarship
programme for coaches and referees is an exciting development that forms part
of the University’s ambitions to engage as many students as possible in sport
and physical activity. Having diverse role models plays a key role in inspiring
people of all abilities and interests to keep mentally and physically active. The
scholarship, which is open to both undergraduate and postgraduate students, complements
the University’s long-standing programme of scholarships for student athletes and
builds upon Northumbria’s outstanding reputation in Sport. The University
offers extensive health, fitness, and sport participation programmes, has won
two national volunteering awards and was one of the first universities in the
UK to offer sport degrees over 40 years ago. It has also built an excellent
reputation for research and consultancy. Results from the Research Excellence
Framework (REF2021) show Northumbria University with the largest rise in
research power ranking of any UK university, with Sport and Exercise Sciences
research rated seventh, nationally, for impact.
Michael
Wood, Senior Lecturer in Sport Management at Northumbria, said: “The new scholarship
for female coaches and officials is all about opening doors and opportunities, especially
for students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. This project reflects
our drive to increase gender equality and diversity in sport. Significant
progress has been made in the sector in recent times, but there are still big
challenges to overcome.
“I would
like to thank to Jon Dutton for taking time out in advance of the Rugby League
World Cup to host this event, and to our business partners Sodexo and
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, who are the first financial supporters of the scheme.”
Simon
Knight, Managing Director for Sodexo Universities in the UK, added: “We are delighted
to be the first co-supporter of Northumbria’s Sport Scholarship programme,
which will enable students from under-represented groups to achieve their
ambitions as coaches and officials and encourage other students to pursue
healthy, active lives. We are keen to share our social values and commitments to
enable all students to thrive at university and in the next chapter of their
lives.”
Louise Sivewright, Talent Acquisition Marketing
Specialist at Enterprise, added, "Enterprise Rent-A-Car is proud to support this wonderful
initiative and provide students at Northumbria the opportunity to enhance their
university experience and education.”
A
fundraising and networking dinner to support and showcase all aspects of Sport
at Northumbria will be held at St James’ Park next year.
Click
here to
book a place at the launch on 12th October. For more information on
the Sport Scholarship programme, the launch event or next year’s dinner please contact
Sue Vout, Trust and Foundation Manager, at sue.vout@northumbria.ac.uk.
