The Student Success Endowment: Paige

My name is Paige, and I'm in my third year of BA Graphic Design at NTU. In my final year I want to focus on illustration as a discipline, and I plan to continue to experiment with different techniques and methods in order to find my style as an illustrator. The Student Success Endowment funding has been so helpful to me for my studies. A large part of it has gone towards trying new mediums and materials for my portfolio, as the cost of art supplies can really add up.

While I've really enjoyed all of my projects this year, a standout was a children's book I wrote and illustrated myself. I am incredibly proud of this project as it’s something I would have loved to have read as a child. It focuses on making anxiety an approachable subject for young people, which is personal to me as it’s something I struggle with every day.  After graduating I would love to start work in the publishing industry, preferably with children's books, though I am open to whatever comes my way. This brief has also made me consider being a children's author in the future, which is something I hadn’t considered before.

I chose to study at NTU as I wanted to stay close to home, due to the fact that I suffer from anxiety. The SSE has lifted a huge weight off of my shoulders, allowing me to commit my focus wholly to my studies. As a single-income family, I really appreciate the chance to take any financial pressure off my parents in this way. The bursary has partly gone towards the cost of travel as a student commuting to university from home. I take the tram and bus to campus every day, and am also taking driving lessons, all of which can really add up. Driving will not only help hugely as a commuting student, but also stand me in good stead for once I graduate and get my first job in my preferred industry.

Crafting continues to be a hobby of mine alongside my studies, I find the process of making things very therapeutic. This is something that really helps me cope with my anxiety. I hugely appreciate the opportunities this has given me, as I wouldn't have been able to fund these new projects without it. I've been able to really explore textiles, which is something I've been wanting to do for a while.

If you're considering donating to the Student Success Endowment, I would say that you would be making a huge difference and giving so much more than financial support, you'd be giving people like me hope and the belief in ourselves to pursue our passions.