Lady Marie Dawson-Malcolm, alumna, LLM International Human Rights and Development, scholarship recipient
Like many of our students, Lady-Marie Dawson-Malcolm had such a positive experience studying with us at undergraduate level that she returned for her postgraduate study tooLady-Marie had excelled during her undergraduate education with us. An active member of the LSBU Law Society, she won the Ede and Ravenscroft Prize for Academic Excellence in 2010 and was always keen to become as involved as possible in the development of her education. She was the LLB course representative in her second and third years, and was part of the law degree validation committee in her third year.
Positive experience
With such a positive experience at LSBU behind her already, Lady-Marie was keen to continue her studies with us. "My ultimate aim is to work for an NGO, focusing on empowering disabled people in Sub-Saharan Africa," she explains." I want to help them recognise their ability to achieve a better quality of life for themselves through active participation in decision-making processes and practical work-based undertaking."
Wealth of experience
"Studying at LSBU will help me to achieve this because the lecturers have a wealth of experience in this kind of field," she continues. "The vast network if international students, coupled with the international visiting speakers, is another huge advantage – I think that it can be the stepping-stone to the career I am looking for. Other advantages of studying at LSBU are the partnerships with various professional bodies and the facilities and support that are on offer to students."
Perfect match
Having decided to undertake her LLM at LSBU, our LLM International Human Rights and Development was the perfect match for Lady-Marie's career aims. "Once I successfully complete the course, I will be able to work in a variety of areas, from government policy advisor to working for an NGO," she says. "The content of the course was a big factor in my decision; it had to cover the right areas of law to help me in my career – and it does!"
Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship
Lady-Marie then turned her attention to funding her studies. She secured an educational grant from the Royal British Legion, but was still left with a considerable shortfall in funding her fees, so Lady-Marie applied for a Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship and was delighted to discover she had been successful.
Significant difference
"The scholarship made a significant difference to me," says Lady-Marie. "It meant I could study without the added pressure of financial concerns, enabling me to focus on my studies and gain practical experience through voluntary work, instead of forcing me to take paid work that may not have been beneficial to my studies."
Fulfilling an ambition
The scholarship has allowed Lady-Marie to fulfil what she describes as her 'life-long dream' to undertake postgraduate study, and has enabled her to look to the future with great hope. " I can now look forward to fulfilling my ambition of championing the rights of those who are less able to have their voice heard," she explains. "The globalised world has recognised the rights of every individual on the planet through the instruments of International law and the scholarship has enabled me to gain the knowledge needed to implement these rights. As a recipient of this scholarship, it demonstrates to me that someone believes in the value of my education and my drive to be an advocate for the marginalised in our world."
Find out more about postgraduate scholarships.