Four top students honoured by head of university

A YORKSHIRE university leader has awarded four scholarships to high-achieving students who may have otherwise struggled to access higher education and pursue their dream careers.

Umar Farooq, Aamna Bahadar, Abusufiyan Kalam and Mohammad Sohail Iqbal will all benefit from financial support to help them during their studies.

The first year BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance students have each been awarded a £1,250 scholarship by chancellor Sir Bob Murray CBE, who graduated from the university in 1972.

Now in their fifth year, the Sir Bob Murray Scholarships seek to support accounting and finance students who, like Sir Bob, are high-achievers from the North of England, the first in their family to attend university and have a household income of less than £25,000.

Sir Bob said: “I left school at 16 with just one O-level. It took me another 10 years of working fulltime and studying part-time to finally qualify as an accountant and graduate from this great university.

“I didn’t get the opportunity to progress straight to university and so I know it can be onerous for a lot of students and their families.

“I have always believed in the power of education to change lives and help people fulfil their true potential.

“I am extremely proud and honoured to be able to support these talented young people throughout their education at Leeds Beckett.”

Ms Bahadar said attending university would open “so many different doors” and provide a pathway into accounting, as well as helping her learn valuable life lessons, such as budgeting and planning.

She said: “As the first in my family to attend university, I hope that the faith Sir Bob has put in me will inspire my siblings to go to university as well.”

Fellow scholarship recipient Mr Farooq, who aims to one day run his own accountancy firm, added: “This scholarship will help me with budgeting in my first year at university and succeed in my studies.”