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Leeds Beckett students awarded The Rushbond Art Scholarship
Leeds-based property Investors, Rushbond Plc, have once again donated scholarships to School of Art, Architecture and Design undergraduates. The Rushbond Arts Scholarship is awarded to aspiring and deserving Leeds Beckett University students to support their studies and artistic ventures, with a view to nurturing creative talent in the Leeds city region.
This year awards have been made to first year students Sarah Carroll, Rocio Emila Mena Moscoso, Hardev Singh and Gunars Strads and final year students Enya Verity, Greg Holmes, and Ben Widdup.
Twenty-one-year-old Greg, who is studying a BA (Hons) in Graphic Arts and Design, and hopes to become a full-time photographer after he graduates this summer, said the scholarship would make a huge difference to him. He commented: “The Rushbond Scholarship has given me the support I need to take my work further after University. The award will provide me with the resources I need to progress my career and take my creative talent into the commercial world – which is the best position I could ask to be in as a graduate.”
Fine Art undergraduate, Sarah, aged 22 and from Leeds, said: “It is a real honour to have been selected by Rushbond to receive this funding, and the support is going to have a really positive overall impact on my degree, the standard of my work and my University experience.”
Twenty-three-year-old BA (Hons) Fashion student, Rocio Emilia Mena Mososo, moved to the UK from Seville in Spain to pursue her dream of becoming a fashion designer. Having undertaken a BTech Extended Diploma in Fashion and Clothing in London, she enrolled on Leeds Beckett’s Fashion degree when it launched in September last year.
Rocio, who said she is inspired by the late designer Alexander Macqueen, explained: “After I graduate I hope to work as a fashion designer for a creative company. I am an artist as well as a designer and I’d very much like to be able to go forward in my career combining those two things. Fashion is my dream and I am so grateful for this Scholarship to help foster my ambitions.”
Jonathan Maud, Managing Director of Rushbond, said that he felt it was important to support and encourage Leeds-based artists studying in the early stages of their careers: “We at Rushbond are pleased to collaborate with Leeds Beckett University and provide scholarships to such deserving, hardworking and talented individuals,” he said. “Leeds continues to be a real hot bed of talent and opportunity, and we want the region’s skilled designers, architects and artists to be able to stay, progress and practice their art here in the city and the region. The future of the city is dependent upon supporting and harnessing such talent – we look forward to seeing where their careers take them and what they achieve in the future.”
Professor Susan Price, Vice Chancellor at Leeds Beckett University, added: “We are committed to providing the highest quality student experience and opportunities for all talented individuals and are delighted and very grateful that we continue work with Rushbond to once again create scholarships which matched the vision of the company. These scholarships make a significant difference to the students who receive them, helping to support their studies as well as boosting their confidence and belief in themselves. Congratulations to all seven undergraduates selected for this year’s Rushbond scholarships.”
Rushbond are an award-winning Leeds headquartered property investment and development company with an enviable reputation for delivering high quality and imaginative schemes. Their philosophy is to create distinctive buildings and places. In keeping with this innovative approach, Rushbond has been a strong supporter of the arts in the Yorkshire region for many years and they are now looking at other ways to encourage creativity through the arts in Leeds. The company’s public art commissions include the Steeped Vessels and the Sheaf Tree at Brewery Wharf, the Walter Jack sculpture at the BBC Leeds and the new Tim Etchells neon installation at the Algernon Firth Building in Leeds. The Rushbond Arts Scholarship seeks to reward talented, first year and final year, undergraduate students who are studying courses in Leeds Beckett University’s School of Art, Architecture & Design.
Photo: Centre from (L-R) Rushbond Real Estate Director, Mark Finch, Head of School for Art, Architecture & Design, Rebekka Kill and Rushbond Managing Director, Jonathan Maud.
Rushbond scholars from (L-R): Gunars Strads, Hardev Singh, Enya Verity, Ben Widdup, Sarah Carroll, Rocio Emilia Mena Mososo and Greg Holmes.