Launch of Winning Students 100: Scotland’s national sports scholarship programme

Fresh investment for Scotland’s national sports scholarship programme with launch of Winning Students 100

Following a new injection of funding from sportscotland and the Scottish Funding Council, Scotland’s national sports scholarship programme for talented student athletes has relaunched as Winning Students 100.

Helping student athletes balance their studies with high performance training and competition, the newly-branded Winning Students 100 provides athletes with grants of up to £3000 and works with respective colleges and universities to offer additional support such as academic flexibility.

Image: CEO of sportscotland, Forbes Dunlop; Cathy Gallagher Chair of Winning Students 100; Professor Sir Gerry McCormac, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Stirling; Eileen Schofield, Chief Operating Officer and University Secretary, University of Stirling; CEO of Scottish Funding Council, Sharon Drysdale, Megan Keith (athlete), Lewis Stewart (athlete), Louise Duncan (athlete), Ollie Carter (athlete)

With funding secured until 2028, it is expected 500 scholarships will be awarded over the period with the programme also introducing a hardship fund to offer additional support to eligible student athletes.

106 scholarships have been awarded for 2023/24 across 28 different sports and 21 universities and colleges. New scholars for the revamped programme including current Olympic champion, Hailey Duff (curling), Paralympic medallist, Lewis Stewart (cycling), Commonwealth gold medallist, Grace Reid (diving), Britain’s first ever Para Nordic World medallist, Scott Meenagh (biathlon) and U23 European 10,000m record holder, Megan Keith (athletics).

Keith, who won the U23 European Cross Country by a record margin before her record-breaking efforts at the Valencia 10K in January, is one of Scottish athletics’ leading prospects and a prime example of a world-class student athlete pursuing excellence in and out of the classroom.

Commenting on the impact of Winning Students 100 on her sporting and academic endeavours, the University of Edinburgh, Applied Sport Science student, said: “I really appreciate the generous support from Winning Students 100 for the upcoming year. In what is looking like an exciting year of competitions, the scholarship will help fund the travel required to train and compete to the best of my ability”

Established in 2008, the original Winning Students programme saw over 1,700 scholarships awarded during its first phase of funding with noteworthy alumni including Olympic medallists Laura Muir (athletics), Duncan Scott (swimming), Vicky Wright and Bruce Mouat (both curling).

As the newest funding partner, sportscotland’s involvement brings true cross-sector collaboration to the programme with Scotland’s sport and higher education bodies both committed to supporting a duel-career pathway for the country’s leading student athletes.

Forbes Dunlop, Chief Executive of sportscotland, said: “We are committed to helping young athletes achieve their goals. Being able to find the right balance between training, their studies and other commitments is critical to the wellbeing of student athletes. We’re delighted that this programme will help these athletes to do that.”

Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said: “Having funded the Winning Students programme from the start, we’re incredibly proud it has helped so many people to be successful college or university students alongside developing a career in sport. The achievements of previous Winning Students in life and in sport speak volumes for the benefits of the programme, and I wish the new scholars every success.”

Executive Director of Sport at the University of Stirling and Chair of the Winning Students 100 Advisory Board, Cathy Gallagher, commented: “The importance of this dual career programme for talented student athletes, cannot be understated.  The coming together of the Scottish Funding Council, sportscotland and the HE/FE sector forms a significant collaboration within which to create even more impact for the current and future cohort of students”.

Winning Students 100 is managed by University of Stirling, Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence, and supported by an advisory board and management group made up of professionals from across the tertiary education and sport sectors.

www.winningstudents-scotland.ac.uk

Ends

Media enquiries to David Lyon at david.lyon@stir.ac.uk or 07730 195 349.

About Winnings Students 100

Winning Students was established in 2008 as Scotland’s national sports scholarship programme supporting student athletes. The scholarships have been funded by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and managed by the University of Stirling, as Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence. An advisory board (WSAB), comprising representatives from key stakeholders, including SFC and sportscotland, provide guidance on the development of the programme.

Winning Students is a unique and pioneering initiative. Indeed, it is a global first. Since its inception, the programme has provided support to 632 athletes (1700+ scholarship awards) enabling them to combine pursuit of an academic qualification in the Scottish HE and FE sector, alongside a quest for sporting honours at the highest international level.

Winning Students 100 Objectives:

1. Support student athletes along their sports performance pathway

2. Enhance the levels of success of talented student athletes internationally

3. Increase partnership working between the sport and education sectors

4. Ensure the education sector provides flexible support to its student athletes

List of Winning Students 100 supported athletes 2023/24:

Forename

Surname

Sport

Institution Name

Adam

Hall

Alpine Skiing

University of Dundee

Megan

Keith

Athletics

University of Edinburgh

Alyson

Bell

Athletics

University of Edinburgh

Sarah

Calvert

Athletics

University of Edinburgh

Natasha

Phillips

Athletics

University of Dundee

Rebecca

Matheson

Athletics

Robert Gordon University

Adam

Pringle

Badminton

University of Strathclyde

Jack

Macgregor

Badminton

University of the West of Scotland

Rachel

Sugden

Badminton

University of Strathclyde

Abbie

Brooks

Badminton

The Open University in Scotland

Finlay

Jack

Badminton

University of Glasgow

Lauren

Middleton

Badminton

University of the Highlands and Islands

Scott

Meenagh

Biathlon

University of Stirling

Tyler

Mclelland

Boccia

Fife College

Vittoria

Pezzaioli

Canoeing

University of Strathclyde

Isla

Bethune

Canoeing

University of Edinburgh

Alexander Blair

Haswell

Curling

University of Strathclyde

James

Craik

Curling

University of Stirling

Robyn

Munro

Curling

University of Strathclyde

Laura

Watt

Curling

University of the Highlands and Islands

Holly

Wilkie-Milne

Curling

University of Stirling

Fay

Henderson

Curling

University of Glasgow

Amy

Mitchell

Curling

University of Stirling

Hailey

Duff

Curling

The Open University in Scotland

Lauren

Bell

Cycling

Edinburgh Napier University

Eilidh

Shaw

Cycling

University of Glasgow

Struan

Shaw

Cycling

City of Glasgow College

Lewis

Stewart

Cycling

University of Strathclyde

Cameron

Reid

Cycling

University of Stirling

Grace

Reid

Diving

University of Edinburgh

Danny

Mabbott

Diving

University of Edinburgh

Angus

Menmuir

Diving

University of Edinburgh

Clara

Kerr

Diving

University of Edinburgh

Jaimie

Cook

Fencing

Edinburgh College

Ellen

Buckley

Fencing

University of Edinburgh

Isaac

McKerr

Fencing

University of Edinburgh

Luke

Digby

Figure Skating

The Open University in Scotland

Christie

Shannon

Figure Skating

Glasgow School of Art

Olivia

Burke

Freestyle Skiing

University of Aberdeen

Chris

McCormick

Freestyle Skiing

The Open University in Scotland

Zoe

Winthrop

Freestyle Skiing

University of Aberdeen

Ross

Laird

Golf

University of Stirling

Ruby

Watt

Golf

North East College Scotland

Alexander

Farmer

Golf

University of Stirling

Lucy

Jamieson

Golf

University of St Andrews

Crystelle

Lake

Gymnastics

University of Stirling

Jessica

Ross

Hockey

University of Strathclyde

Bronwyn

Shields

Hockey

University of Stirling

Sophie

Hinds

Hockey

University of Edinburgh

Keir

Robb

Hockey

University of Edinburgh

Lunjika

Nyirenda

Hockey

University of Edinburgh

Calum

Douglas

Hockey

University of Edinburgh

Oliver

Short

Judo

University of Edinburgh

Josie

Steele

Judo

University of Stirling

Sunny

Doig

Judo

Heriot-Watt University

James

Gray

Judo

Heriot-Watt University

Jacob

Callaghan

Judo

Heriot-Watt University

Kirsten

Taylor

Judo

University of the Highlands and Islands

Kara

Lees

Lawn Bowls

University of Stirling

Cerys

Cairns

Netball

University of the Highlands and Islands

Rachel

Conway

Netball

University of Glasgow

Cerys

Finn

Netball

University of Strathclyde

Zara

Flett

Netball

Orkney College UHI

Joshua

Matthews

Rowing

University of Edinburgh

Laura

McKenzie

Rowing

University of Glasgow

Hannah

Supple

Rowing

University of Edinburgh

Maisie

Aspinall

Rowing

University of Aberdeen

Alexander

Patton

Rowing

University of Edinburgh

Grace

Dawson

Rowing

University of Edinburgh

Isla

MacCallum

Rowing

University of Edinburgh

Josephine

Briggs

Rowing

University of Edinburgh

James

Deardon

Rowing

University of Edinburgh

Freddy

Foxwell

Rowing

University of Edinburgh

Oliver

Holmes

Rowing

University of Edinburgh

Shona

Campbell

Rugby Sevens

University of Edinburgh

Finlay

Callaghan

Rugby Sevens

University of Strathclyde

Lucy

Evans

Shooting

University of Edinburgh

Isobel

Mactaggart

Shooting

University of Stirling

Andrew

Goodall

Sport Climbing

Heriot-Watt University

Andrew

Glen

Squash

Heriot-Watt University

Katie

Shanahan

Swimming

University of Stirling

Faye

Rogers

Swimming

University of Aberdeen

Toni

Shaw

Swimming

University of Aberdeen

Samuel

Downie

Swimming

Edinburgh College

Keanna

MacInnes

Swimming

Forth Valley College

Holly

McGill

Swimming

University of Stirling

Archie

Goodburn

Swimming

University of Edinburgh

Evan

Jones

Swimming

University of Stirling

Evie

Davis

Swimming

University of Stirling

Thomas

Carswell

Swimming

University of Edinburgh

Lucy

Grieve

Swimming

University of Stirling

George

Smith

Swimming

University of Stirling

Abby

Kane

Swimming

University of Stirling

Jack

Milne

Swimming

North East College Scotland

Ciara

Schlosshan

Swimming

University of Edinburgh

Rory

Dickson

Swimming

University of Stirling

Jamie

Ferguson

Swimming

University of Aberdeen

Andrew

Bertoli

Swimming

University of Stirling

Michaella

Glenister

Swimming

University of Stirling

Zach

Speakman

Swimming

University of Stirling

Erin

Shaw

Taekwondo (WT)

University of Glasgow

Isla

Hedley

Triathlon

University of Edinburgh

Struan

Bennet

Triathlon

University of Stirling

Amelia

Peters

Water Polo

University of St Andrews

Finlay

Erskine

Wheelchair Basketball

West Lothian College

Josh

Manson

Wheelchair Basketball

University of Aberdeen

 

List of Winning student awardees Continuing from 2022-23

Lorna

McClymont

Golf

University of Stirling

Gavin

Roberts

Swimming

Glasgow Clyde

Ollie

Carter

Swimming

University of Stirling

Kara

Hanlon

Swimming

University of Edinburgh

Niamh

Hunter

Orienteering

University of Edinburgh

Julie

MacPherson

Badminton

The Open University in Scotland

Eilidh

Campbell

Orienteering

University of Edinburgh

Laura

Milne

Canoeing

University of Strathclyde

Charlie

Guest

Snowboarding

University of Aberdeen

Sophia

Green

Triathlon

University of Stirling

Lisa

Aitken

Squash

Heriot Watt University

https://www.winningstudents-scotland.ac.uk/

@WinningStudents