The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust (SLCT) has announced the recipients of its 2019 bursary scheme, supported by the RIBA. The bursaries will help 19 students on their journeys to becoming qualified architects, in memory of aspiring architect Stephen Lawrence.
In November 2018, the RIBA and architect practice HTA hosted a fundraising gala dinner, which raised over £100,000 for the trust and significantly boosted the 2019 bursary scheme.
The ‘Afrofuturism’-themed dinner was one of a series of fundraising events hosted by the RIBA, to mark 20 years since the foundation of the trust and 25 years since Stephen Lawrence’s death.
The bursary scheme was created to support talented young people from around the UK, facing financial hardship, who would otherwise struggle with the costs of the long journey to qualify. Recipients have a mentor and join a support network of other bursary holders and alumni.
The recipients were selected by a panel including Stephen’s mother, Baroness Doreen Lawrence along with representatives from architecture practices that work with the Trust.
Chief Executive of the Trust, Sonia Watson, said:
“We are delighted to welcome so many talented young people onto our bursary scheme. We were incredibly impressed by the quality of the applicants and look forward to working with them and supporting them as they develop their careers.”
RIBA President, Alan Jones, said:
“The RIBA is proud to continue to support The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust and the great work they do, providing opportunities for young people on their way to becoming qualified architects. Congratulations to the 2019 bursary recipients, I look forward to hearing more about their journeys into this great profession.”
Remi Phillips-Hood, who is currently studying MA Architecture at the University of Manchester said:
”This bursary represents the positivity Stephen’s legacy has left for all of us, and I am inspired to take the leaps in his honour.”
Asher Bourne, who is now entering the final year of his MA, said:
“Without the bursaries the trust have given me, I would have had a more difficult university experience and a portfolio that would not reflect the true extent of my academic abilities but my financial hardship. The Trust’s Building Futures programme helped me secure an interview and part 1 placement at Foster + Partners and their networking events lead to a part time placement at PRP Architects which I was able to do whilst studying.”
The Stephen Lawrence bursary programme runs annually and is open to students from a BAME background with a place to study architecture at a UK university. Applications open in March each year - more information is available here.
