New scholarship to accelerate black students in STEM

Imperial College London has announced a ‘groundbreaking’ scholarship for Black students in STEM, thanks to a generous donation from three Imperial alumni. 

The Lara & Biodun Olanrewaju Scholarship, awarded for the first time this year, supports black undergraduate students of exceptional academic merit entering either the Department of Mechanical Engineering or the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. The scholarship award was announcement at Imperial’s Black History Month celebration.

The scholarship, which covers tuition fees as well as a maintenance grant, was created thanks to a £60,000 (US$76,779) donation from brothers Tunde Olanrewaju (who graduated in Electrical and Electronic Engineering in 2002), Jide Olanrewaju (graduating in Mechanical Engineering in 2002) and Yemi Olanrewaju (graduating in Mechanical Engineering in 2005). 

The Olanrewaju brothers also committed an additional £50,000 (US$63,983) donation recently to spur the establishment of an endowed fund for future scholarships. 

POWERFUL TESTAMENT

Samuel Albert-Antwi, the first recipient of the scholarship, has just started his studies in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. “I don’t come from a family who has a lot of money, and that means I could be at a disadvantage compared to my peers. This scholarship has alleviated financial pressures and allowed me to enter university fully focused on my studies with a new confidence,”  said Albert-Antwi.

 “Education to me is a master key that unlocks many doors in society that I would not have been privy to otherwise. Imperial is a pioneer in the fields of technology, science and engineering and I am so happy to have the opportunity to study here,” he added.

Commenting on the scholarship fund, Jamal Iqbal, Head of Development for the Faculty of Engineering at Imperial’s Advancement Division, stated: “Samuel is a remarkable student and a truly deserving recipient of this scholarship, which is a powerful testament to the impact of philanthropy. 

“The generosity and foresight of the Olanrewaju Family has allowed us to establish an unprecedented scholarship that will accelerate the participation of black students in technology. We hope that their fellow alumni, colleagues and friends will join us as we build more momentum for this important effort.”