The Student Success Endowment: Paige

My name is Paige, and I've just started my final year of BA Graphic Design at NTU. The SSE funding has been so helpful to me for my studies. A large part of it has gone towards trying new mediums and materials, as the cost of art supplies can really add up. I hugely appreciate the opportunities this Bursary 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-for my first project this year I managed to complete a fully tactile bound book. Although it's not perfect, I really enjoyed the process of making it and I definitely learned a lot. 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.

In the coming 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. My current brief is to write and illustrate a children's book, and I've really been enjoying the process so far. This brief has made me consider being a children's author in the future, which is something I hadn’t considered before. This brief is a competition, the winner receiving a publishing deal, and I think that would just be an incredible achievement. After graduating I would love to start work in the publishing industry, preferably in children's books, though I am open to whatever comes my way.

I plan to use the funding this year partially towards driving lessons, as my test is coming up in less than a month. I’d then really like to put the money towards my first car, which 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.

To the people who have donated to the Student Success Endowment, your kindness and generosity truly mean a huge amount to people like me as it gives us the freedom and space to create without financial pressure. I feel so incredibly lucky and blessed to receive this bursary, so thank you. 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.