Alexander is an Economics, Statistics and Mathematics student at Queen Mary. He is a mature student and lives in East London. Alexander is a recipient of an alumni-funded scholarship and told us how the award made a difference to his university experience.
"I’m originally from Russia and I moved to London alone in 2017 in search of asylum. Since moving to London I’ve been thinking about my future and how to become a useful member of society so I decided to apply to go university.
"I chose to study at Queen Mary because it’s a Russell Group university and has a great location! I really like the East End community and it really feels like home here. It’s a strange time to be studying because teaching is online and you can’t see your lecturers or peers in person. But I am enjoying my course and I’m glad to be accepted to study here.
"I work part-time as a Barista at a Deli Bar to support myself financially. Due to the pandemic, my hours at work have been considerably less and I’ve been stressed out about losing my job. The past year has been very difficult for me because of my financial situation, refugee status and the pandemic. I was also worried about my university entrance exam because studying at university means so much to me. I’m very grateful to be a recipient of an Alumni-funded scholarship. I feel less stressed and excited for the future. The funding has enabled me to buy books and course resources. I’m thankful that I can now focus on my studies without worrying about finances.
"Queen Mary opens so many opportunities for student’s future. Since I’ve started last September I’ve had emails about career opportunities, placements and internships. This year I want to focus on my studies but hope to secure internships in the next two years of my degree. After I graduate, I hope to do Masters at Queen Mary to build my skills further. My long term goal is to use my skills, knowledge and work experience to start my own business in the future.
"Thank you, I really appreciate your kindness. Your gift has been extremely helpful for me in so many ways. You have inspired me to give back to Queen Mary in the future and help others like myself."