The Student Success Endowment: Zahra

I am a self-taught artist, so I have gotten used to figuring out things for myself but there have always been barriers to what I was able to learn on my own, whether due to the resources I had access to online being lacklustre or the lack of in-person guidance and feedback. Because of that and the level of skill expected of those expected from those entering the industry I eventually decided to apply to NTU's animation course.

The course has allowed me to learn new skills, such as 3D animation which in the past I had been unable to learn on my own due to technical issues I didn't know how to navigate. But with the aid of my lecturers, with someone there to help me solve the specific issues I was having in real time rather than scouring web forums and hoping that someone else had not only encountered the same issue but documented the solution, I have become proficient in the field of 3D animation in ways I had not thought myself able to prior to the course.

I'd be interested in pursuing a career in 3D after I graduate, especially experimental and hybrid work, since I've spent so much of my time in the course exploring the ways one replicate 2D styles in 3D, something I hadn't even thought to explore prior to going to university.

Another thing I've gained from my time at NTU is the opportunity to meet people who have worked in the animation industry or who plan to work in this field. The networking opportunities that the course provides have been invaluable, with the standout example being the opportunity to go to the Manchester Animation Festival which I attended as a visitor as part of my course in my first and second year.

When the opportunity to volunteer at the festival came up during my third year, I was hesitant, as volunteers are expected to handle the cost of accommodation and travel themselves and I am on a tight budget. However, having qualified for the bursary provided by The Student Success Endowment (SSE) for the previous two years, I knew that I'd have the funding this year as well, so I took the opportunity and I am glad I did. I was able to meet people from all throughout the industry and get to learn more about its ins and outs from in-person conversation. This resulted in me making a number of connections that may be useful in the future, especially as I will be graduating soon. 

I would like to thank those who have donated to support the SSE. Your generosity has given me opportunities to network and gain industry insights that I would not have had access to otherwise.

This resulted in me making a number of connections that may be useful in the future, especially as I will be graduating soon. This event was something that I would not have been able to do if not for the SSE funding.