Providing support to pass with flying colours

Glass and Ceramics student Sean Barnes came to Sunderland University as an already established artist but wanted to improve and expand their work being surrounded by other creatives and to achieve a degree.

Sean was awarded the Sunderland Robson Art and Design scholarship during his first year and it became a lifeline during the cost of living crisis.  He said, “After having the Robson Art & Design Scholarship awarded, it helped to ease the burden of the current cost of living crisis. Being a mature student who commutes to university every day comes with additional costs associated with living off campus, mainly fuel costs. Having the scholarship award has also afforded me the opportunity the ability to attend university on the days I am off timetable, which improved my engagement in the course as I could spend additional time improving the skills I have been taught over my first year of studies. Attending university daily has benefited my first-year results. I passed with flying colours and achieved firsts in some modules”.

Sean also used the fund to purchase glass blowing and ceramic tools so make him fully equipped for his future as an artist as well as some health and safe equipment for his course.

Sean finished with, “The scholarship has had a significant impact on my first year of studies. It has eased the financial burden of pursuing higher education as a mature student and provided me with renewed purpose and determination to build a career in the Arts sector”.