'Getting a bursary has meant I can really prove my commitment to Birkbeck'
For Siya Papneja, a BSc Biomedicine with Foundation Year student, receiving a bursary has given her the motivation to prove her commitment to Birkbeck.
The 20-year-old came to the university through clearing after deciding against her other offers and said she was particularly drawn to Birkbeck due to its reputation for research excellence.
She said: “My main motivation to study at Birkbeck was due to its reputation for research and the highly-educated lecturers, which fostered my key interests, especially in academia.
“Birkbeck also gives you the chance to work and learn the world while you are studying so that you can become a more well-rounded individual.”
It was thanks to receiving the Foundation Year Success Bursary that Siya was able to pursue and commit to her studies at Birkbeck, which she described as “a great help”.
Siya said: “I am not from a privileged background and it was difficult for me to concentrate at school. My home life was difficult at times and that affected my studies and mental health, so to get this bursary means I can really prove my commitment to Birkbeck.
“It has given me a way to pay for my textbooks and travel to university. It has given me independence and I don’t have to worry about getting to lectures. I can really devote my time to Birkbeck.”
Having completed her foundation year and now in her first year of her BSc, Siya has been particularly impressed by the community spirit found at Birkbeck.
She said: “The lecturers here really make time for you. They give you time after class to go over things. There’s a real friendliness.
“There is a real mix of people on my course and my seminars are really interactive with lots of discussions.”
Having recognised the transformational impact of receiving a bursary, Siya has since decided to give back to the university and gather support for other students by working as a telephone fundraiser.
She said: “It has given me the chance to help other students by getting more help for the university – I wanted to give back.
“Becks, the regular giving officer in the Development and Alumni team, was great at keeping us motivated.
“It’s an enlightening experience listening to alumni talk about their experiences and their stories. A lot of them had a really positive and transformational time at Birkbeck.
“It was great to tell alumni that Birkbeck helped me because of people like them.”
For Siya, her experiences at Birkbeck so far have given her the desire to study here in the future in the field of biomedical engineering.
“I would love to come back to Birkbeck to do my PhD a bit later in life,” she said.
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