Mature Student Earns £1,000 Scholarship After Career Change

A Bridgnorth student hopes a £1,000 university scholarship will help show future employers what she is capable of after graduation.

Bethany Genard, 29, is in the final year of her Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations degree at the University of Worcester and received the Academic Scholarship for excellence in her studies.

“It’s recognition of the hard work, dedication and commitment I have put in towards my studies,” she said. “It brings me a sense of achievement and motivates me to continue with my progress going into my final year.”

She added: “I’m really grateful to the University of Worcester for providing me with this opportunity.”

Bethany returned to education as a mature student after spending a decade in the workplace. She said the move from full-time employment back into study brought both personal and financial challenges.

“Despite this, I feel I have adapted well to the challenges that come with making such a big career change,” she said. “I hope to work within the marketing, public relations, business management or events sector within the motorsport industry.”

Bethany is studying at the University of Worcester, recently named University of the Year for Graduate Jobs 2027 by the Daily Mail University Guide.

Now in her final year, Bethany has been reflecting on her time at Worcester. “The best part has been realising that I am capable of achieving more than I initially thought possible. Through my experiences with lecturers and fellow students, I feel more motivated than ever, and one step closer to my career aspirations and goals for when I graduate.”

“This scholarship will benefit me in many ways,” she added. “Not just financially, but also as a tool for me to market myself to potential employers once I graduate. The financial contribution will go towards my savings which I will put towards a deposit on a house next year.”

The University of Worcester is this year shortlisted for the Outstanding Support for Students in the Times Higher Education Awards for the efforts of staff to raise money for student scholarships and hardship funds.

Professor David Green CBE, DL, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University, said: “Every year, thanks to the generosity of alumni, philanthropists and friends of the University, we are able to award academic scholarships to students who perform outstandingly well – typically gaining straight As across their studies. Achieving such excellent results consistently requires dedication, ability and sheer hard work.”

“All of us at the University are very proud of all our scholarship winners who come from across the range of our courses and from many backgrounds,” he added. “Every year this includes scholarship winners who are students who did not particularly excel at school but find that the intellectual and professional challenge of university combined with the expert education provided at Worcester brings out the very best in them.”