Asylum seeker and first recipient of ‘Sanctuary’ Scholarship graduates from UWTSD

A member of the first cohort of recipients to a new scholarship offered by University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) has graduated in Swansea this month.

Funmilayo (Funmi) Olaniyan was amongst the first to apply to UWTSD’s Sanctuary Scholarship, allowing those with asylum-seeker or refugee status to receive a tuition fee waiver and additional support for maintenance costs.

Funmi chose to use her scholarship to first study CertHE Law and Legal Practice at the University’s Swansea Business Campus. Upon completion she moved onto LLB Law and Legal Practice, a new course offered at the same UWTSD campus.

As a member of the very first cohort, Funmi became one of the first graduates of the new course and was awarded a 2:1, with her lecturers describing her as “an excellent student”.

Funmi says: “Words are not enough to express how I feel. I am overwhelmed, but I will try to find a few words to describe that. I feel so delighted, equipped, and fulfilled to graduate from a Law and Legal Practice degree at UWTSD. I wouldn’t have wished to have gone to any other University. It has been a journey of three years of dedicated, demanding, and impactful learning process. I had the opportunity to learn about the interesting England and Wales Law System.

I want to thank the University of Wales Trinity Saint David for this great opportunity. It was a dream come true. I have always looked forward to studying law because of my experience, to give back to the society that has given me so much, and also supporting people through the legal process. UWTSD gave me that opportunity through the Sanctuary Scholarship, and I would be eternally grateful for that. I also had the opportunity to meet incredible classmates. For my future goals and career aspirations, I look forward to securing a training contract with a Solicitor’s firm, while I also write my SQE, to qualify as a Solicitor.”

Professor Dylan Jones, Deputy Vice Chancellor of UWTSD and Chair of the University of Sanctuary Panel, says: “UWTSD is committed to promoting inclusivity and tackling social and economic inequalities by ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to benefit from education.

“Our Sanctuary Scholarship aims to encourage participation in our programmes and ensure that we create a culture of welcome for people seeking sanctuary within, and beyond, our campuses. We are so proud to see Funmi succeed and hope that her journey continues to even greater achievements in future.”

University of Wales Trinity Saint David is working towards achieving University of Sanctuary status, and has a campus in Swansea which is a City of Sanctuary.

Further Information

Ella Staden

Press and Media Officer    
Corporate Communications and PR    
Email: ella.staden@uwtsd.ac.uk     
Phone: 07384467078