Westminster has awarded grants totalling £40,000 to two Real Estate students who make up the first cohort of Landsec Scholars at the University.
Landsec are one of the largest publicly-listed real estate companies in Europe, with a portfolio of retail, leisure, workspace and residential hubs. Earlier this year, Landsec established Landsec Futures, a £20m fund that aims to deliver around £200m of social value by 2030, supporting at least 30,000 people from underrepresented socio-economic backgrounds towards long-term employment. The scholars are the first in their families to go to university and come from a widening participation background. Along with the funding, each scholar will be matched with an employee from Landsec who will mentor them during their year(s) of study.
The two Landsec Scholars at Westminster are a Real Estate BSc Honours student who has received a £30,000 grant, £10,000 per annum for three years, and Grace Boateng, a postgraduate Scholar studying Real Estate Development MSc, who has been awarded a £10,000 scholarship.
Originally starting out in retail, the undergraduate student was determined to get into Real Estate due to its stability and the opportunities it offers. With a fascination in smart homes, she hopes to gain experience within a brokerage or development company to push her out of her comfort zone and give her a challenge that will help put her ahead in a competitive environment.
About the scholarship she said: “This scholarship is extremely valuable to me and will open up many opportunities that I may not have been able to access for different reasons. I am looking forward to meeting with my mentor, which is another great benefit of having this scholarship. Landsec’s support has taken a lot of burdens off of me. In the future I’d like to complete a Master’s degree, become an expert in this field, and eventually go on to start my own business.
“I’d like to say that I am extremely enthusiastic and excited to start my new chapter as an undergraduate student and scholar at Westminster.”
Westminster’s postgraduate Scholar, Grace, has been interested in Real Estate since she was a child. During her first semester she has already gained insight into asset management and property development, which has helped her learn more about property asset and investment management, the area she hopes to get into after she completes her studies.
Grace said: “I am exceedingly grateful and honoured to have been chosen as a recipient of the Landsec PG Scholarship. I would like to express my gratitude for the generous funding of this award. It is a huge financial assistance to me, particularly during these difficult times. The scholarship will help me to focus on my Master’s as my main priority, as the financial burden for my studies has been eased that much more.”
Emily McEleny, Senior Sustainability Manager at Landsec, said: “At Landsec, we believe greater representation in the real estate industry is essential to the future of the places we create. Our Landsec Futures bursary programme is designed to create opportunities for university students studying placemaking courses around the UK, by investing in their careers within the industry. We congratulate Monica and Grace on being awarded our first Landsec scholarships at the University of Westminster and we’re excited to see where your future careers take you.”
Brett Fegan, Prospect Research and Donor Relations Manager, added: “We all know that the money enables these students to be able to undertake additional opportunities that otherwise would not have been accessible due to working hours, but we also understand that we need to promote and actively encourage their participation. Landsec’s commitment to mentoring is one such element that will drastically help their development, and we hope to be able to offer multiple internal University activities for them to further increase their confidence and employability.”
Find out more about scholarships available at Westminster.
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