Scholarship helps nursing student Marta succeed

A student at the University of Northampton (UON) is on her way to realising a dream she thought impossible to achieve thanks to scholarship support.

Marta Wijata was working as a Healthcare Assistant in children’s hospital departments at a local hospital, at the same time nurturing an ambition to become a nurse.

But she had a number of obstacles to tackle, as she explains: “I’d recently gone through a difficult divorce which knocked my self-esteem and meant I was a single mum to three children. I was working long hours in a job I loved but I really wanted to take my career to the next level and become a nurse.

“I looked at a few universities and I really liked what I saw at UON so I was determined to study here, even though I lived outside of Northamptonshire. So, I had an extra hurdle to jump!

“I knew I would have to keep working but something had to give, so when I found out about the Mature Student Scholarship, I thought it would be a tremendous help. Many people applied and only ten received it, so I was delighted and surprised to be one of them.

“The extra financial support has allowed me to not worry about money and to focus on my studies and my clinical placements. I can also spend more time with my children as I have that bit more time; it has really improved our home lives.

“The course is also going very well. I enjoy it a lot and it is gratifying to make a positive difference in people’s lives while they are in hospital. To be honest, it is even better than I imagined.”