Bursary Holders
Simone Smith - statement
Firstly, I would like to congratulate Herbert Hughes Memorial Fund and its Trustees on celebrating its centenary year. I am so proud to be a part of something which continues to really help students like myself and further their experiences and education whilst they are at university. I am currently a final year student, and I was chosen as a bursary holder when I was finishing my First year, in 2014. Since then I have had some unforgettable experiences that would not have been possible without the Herbert Hughes Bursary. On my first year as a bursary holder, I travelled to Oviedo and Gijón in the north of Spain, an area of Spain which I have never been before. After one year of study at the University of Sheffield, I was keen to discover the true, unspoilt Spain. I would not have been able to do so without extra funding. On my year abroad I did a range of things, from travelling round the north of Spain, to enrolling on a Spanish language course, to having the opportunity to live and work with a family in Catalonia – none of this would have been possible without the Herbert Hughes Memorial Fund. The experiences that I have gained from the support given by the Herbert Hughes Memorial Fund have been applied to my studies in so many different ways; in literature, culture and learning the language itself. Languages are becoming more and more important in our constantly changing world, and it is fantastic to be part of a Fund that recognises this and continues to see potential for students of Spanish. Not only am I honoured and proud to be a bursary holder, but also, as a student, without Herbert Hughes it would not have been possible for me to study Spanish at The University of Sheffield.
Simone Smith, BA Modern Languages (Spanish, Portuguese, Italian) at the University of Sheffield.
Amongst the reasons to feel pride in my achievements during my academic career in the UK, I would certainly include the two awards received from the Herbert Hughes Fund; the Herbert Hughes bursary I was awarded in 2013, and the 2016 prize I won for the best overall performance in the Spanish in final year modules.
The Herbert Hughes bursary boosted my self-confidence and motivational skills, which helped me a lot during my academic path. For instance, the bursary enabled me to travel around Spain. In fact, in the following year, I was in Santander and in Barcelona under the Erasmus Scheme. During this time, I was able to visit almost the whole country, thanks to the Herbert Hughes bursary. Additionally, the award allowed me to consistently improve my Spanish language by taking private classes whilst at university.
Last but not least, I am very proud of being awarded for the best overall performance in the Spanish modules at Final Year. I strongly believe that everyone can be the best at something if they are deeply passionate about it, and that reflects my situation, now and in the past. I loved studying Spanish and being able to practice it around Spain, and this helped in oral and written exams.
I am very thankful to Herbert Hughes Memorial Fund because it not only enhanced my university life, but it has aided my self-confidence and my love for the Spanish language. I now work for Diageo, an important multinational within the alcohol beverages sector. Here, I am part of a group of graduates undertaking a three-year work experience in different countries.
Emanuele Marino, BA in International Business & Spanish at Sheffield Hallam University (2012-2016) [Emanuele is wearing a laurel wreath because it is a graduation custom in Italy]
Taya Dixon - statement
What it has meant for me to be a Herbert Hughes Bursary holder...
Receiving the Herbert Hughes Bursary in my second and third year as a University of Sheffield student has, without doubt, enabled me to make more of my undergraduate studies, and the experiences that come with being an undergraduate. The bursary has not only given me the means to pursue a number of trips within the Iberian Peninsula, but also the courage to begin planning a trip further afield to Brazil in the summer of 2017, with the knowledge of the Trustees’ belief in my potential.
In my second year at University, the bursary gave me the opportunity to maintain strong connections I had previously made with a family in Madrid whilst au-pairing over the summer, I was able to visit them over the Christmas holidays as well as during the Easter break whilst on the Hispanic Society's annual trip abroad. This provided me with more opportunities to practise my linguistic skills as well as preparing myself for the big move to Spain the following year. During the academic year, the bursary has meant that, instead of having to work part time to support myself, I have had the benefit of the extra time to not only spend on my studies, but also on activities such as the Hispanic Society Committee and other cultural interactions with Hispanic culture.
In my third year, I have dedicated the money to maintaining and improving my level of Portuguese whilst I am spending the majority of my year in Spain working full time. I completed a one month intensive Portuguese course in Lisbon in July 2016 and have recently begun a further 12 week Portuguese course here in Barcelona. I have also started my research for work/volunteer/study options in Brazil this summer.
I would like to take the Fund's centenary celebrations as an opportunity to thank them for their aid in the enhancement of my studies over the past 2 years, and in my final year still to come.
Saludos desde Barcelona,
Taya Dixon
BA in Hispanic Studies (Spanish and Portuguese) at the University of Sheffield
