In 2020, I faced the hardest decision of my life when a civil war broke out in my country. I had to leave everything behind. This started a tough journey across four countries, dealing with the harsh realities of being an illegal immigrant. I experienced homelessness, long travels on foot, and even crossed part of the English Channel by boat.
Henok Mekuria, University of Sheffield student and recipient of the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship, arrived in the UK at the age of 17 after fleeing a civil war in his home country aged 16.
Shortly after beginning his studies at the University of Sheffield, he was awarded the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship, a scheme established in 2013 by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, a major international law firm, with support from Doreen Lawrence, Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon OBE, which focuses on increasing the presence of Black men from less privileged backgrounds in big commercial law firms and other city businesses in London.
What excites me most about this scholarship is the training and mentorship tailored to it. These opportunities are designed to teach professional skills and provide an industry overview. These are very important to me as they open up opportunities and pave the way to pursue my aspirations of working in finance. Learning from and networking with industry experts offers a unique chance to accelerate my career in data science within the financial sector.
After being made aware of the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship by the Careers and Employability Service, Henok worked with an Employability Adviser to develop his application, which resulted in him being successfully awarded the prestigious scholarship. This gave him the opportunity to access a 15-month development programme that includes financial support, skills workshops, mentoring, networking, work shadowing, and other opportunities to help him succeed in London city firms.
I am very thankful to the Careers Service at the University of Sheffield for their active support from the start to the end in making my scholarship application successful. They gave me useful advice on how to present my background and experiences effectively. The careers advisers assisted me with the selection processes, especially with the Assessment Centre, by giving helpful advice and key points to demonstrate my best. Their ongoing encouragement and professional advice were key in making my application compelling and successful.