Kayleigh

Receiving a travel award gave me an opportunity I would never have been able to have – not for a long time anyway. It changed a huge part of my life.”

Third-year Multimedia Journalism student Kayleigh is living the life her younger self could only dream of.

She’s studying a degree she loves, working in a job she’s proud of, and last year she received the Sir Alex Ferguson Travel Award which allowed her to travel halfway across the world for a four-week cultural immersion programme in Hanoi, Vietnam.

But getting to this point wasn’t straight-forward. Kayleigh is the first in her family to attend university, grew up in one of the most deprived towns in Scotland, and spent her childhood in the care system.

“Statistically on paper, it would look like I wouldn't really be able to go that far in life. I think it's maybe important to highlight this, maybe for some hope to other care leavers and those who do come from less affluent backgrounds.

“As a kid, I never had much confidence in myself – I was never really given much reason to. My dad was always very supportive, but I never had the confidence.

“I actually wasn't sure at first that university was even for me. I had a first experience at university when I was younger and I was put off coming back to university because of mental health difficulties.

“But then I discovered a passion for writing and being creative and I love using my creative abilities. The Multimedia Journalism course at GCU just sounded brilliant and I knew that it was for me – and since coming here I've just loved it.

“It’s clear GCU wants to give the best chances to people from all walks of life. They gave me a chance I wouldn't have had from other universities.”

When the opportunity arose to apply for the Sir Alex Ferguson Travel Award, Kayleigh saw it as more than just a dream trip, but rather an opportunity to push herself out of her comfort zone.

“It was an exciting but nerve-wracking journey to take. I was worried something might happen in terms of my mental health, but I knew it was something I had to do, and if I didn’t, I would regret it.

“I think it’s so important that things like travel awards and funding is available for students because it allows them to go out into the world, experience new cultures, understand different religions, try different foods.

“It pushes them out with their boundaries, and that is so important, especially for a developing student.”

The award covered the £1,000 programme fee which was a huge help financially when it came to funding the life-changing trip.

“If I didn’t receive the award, I wouldn’t have been able to go, so it was a huge relief to get it because it paid my programme fee.

“It allowed me to literally travel halfway across the world to experience a whole new culture. Vietnam was so different to Glasgow, so I just wanted to throw myself out into a new environment and just see how I liked it.

“This was my first-solo trip, so I’d never done anything like this before, so this was a huge leap for me.

“One of the biggest things I did take away was just being happy within myself – just having a strong sense of self and feeling like I had a purpose.”

Now back on Scottish soil, Kayleigh looks back on her trip with a true sense of gratuity for the experience she had, and the people who helped her get there.

“The child that I used to be would be in awe of the person that I’ve become and what I’ve achieved – being in my third year at university, having been to Vietnam, working within a journalistic field. It’s honestly a dream come true.