Our talented and industrious Old Maynardian, Alice, has been awarded a prestigious Undergraduate Scholarship by IMechE (Institute of Mechanical Engineers) to fund her university studies. We asked her about the rigorous application process and how it feels to have successfully made it through.
What led you to apply for the scholarship?
Mr Bowler encouraged me to look at scholarships for university and after looking at various different scholarships online, I found the IMechE one and just applied after finishing my final A-level exam, with only a few days before the deadline to submit applications!
What degree are you studying?
Aerospace Engineering (MEng)at the University of Bath, possibly with a industrial placement year.
What did the application process involve?
Initially I had to fill in a long form about myself and why I wanted the scholarship, plus invent and design a solution to help clear plastic from the ocean and write 500 words on my design, as well as a reference from from Mr Hibberd. I then was selected for interview after results day over Zoom.
What was so horrible about the interview?
I was quite nervous which made me talk (a lot) without many pauses and I spoke very fast from the first question (combined with being over Zoom as well which is always unnerving) so I thought I had possibly terrified the interviewer. I also kept talking about not-Engineering (like music and extra-curriculars) so I convinced myself afterwards that I wasn’t their ideal candidate.
Do you have to do anything extra at university under the scholarship?
I need to write a report at the end of each year about my studies and become an ‘Affiliate Member’ of IMechE which gives me access to all of their online resources as well as to their physical library at their London HQ. I also am attending an awards ceremony to accept the scholarship in December and meet all the other students that have also been awarded with the scholarship.
What ambitions do you have after your degree?
It would be absolutely incredible to work for the ESA or another space agency and send people to the moon or further, or possibly working in Formula One would also be a very cool option. I would also be excited to look at more climate-friendly aviation and fuels as it’s very much an issue that is immediate and would be an exciting front to work on.
How are you feeling about receiving the scholarship?
Very, very shocked after the interview and I could not believe it after receiving the letter that I had got it and had to check that it was my name on the letter a few times so I am incredibly ecstatic!!!
Is there anything that you would like to say to school about your time here and how well it prepared you for university, your application and life beyond the school gates?
I really couldn’t be more grateful for the grounding that I got at The Maynard. All of the teachers were always on hand to help and encouraged me to come and ask/email questions at all hours of the day which will definitely give me the confidence to do the same at university. I also think that The Maynard gave me the confidence to just try anything and go for anything no matter the outcome, I definitely wouldn’t have had the guts to apply a few years ago and would have just assumed I wouldn’t get it so wouldn’t have tried. Having done assemblies and musicals and putting myself out there, it definitely gave me the guts to apply for the scholarship and especially helped in the interview. I would like to say thank you to all the teachers for steering me in the right direction, giving me confidence to try new things, encouraging me to ask for help and guiding me to be a more ‘rounded’ human being over the past 11 years.
