Imogen Stanley
Imogen was awarded with a £1,000 scholarship for outstanding academic achievement.
She said: “I feel incredibly proud of myself as I never would have imagined myself being awarded a prize such as this,” said the 25-year-old, of Ombersley. “The award has also boosted my confidence in myself significantly; this has increased my self-belief, which will therefore ensure I practise to the best of my ability throughout my career.”
Imogen, who is in the third year of a Social Work degree, said she had ironically always found academic work challenging. She was diagnosed with dyslexia at the beginning of her course.
“Since my diagnosis, I have become more patient with myself,” she said. “I am more accepting of the fact that it takes me longer to write an assignment, and luckily the hard work has paid off so far! I have accepted that dyslexia is a part of me now; it does not define me, but without it, I wouldn’t be me. I guess this just goes to show that dyslexia does not mean you’re incapable, or that you cannot succeed in life, it just means you’re a little different, and I like being different!”
Imogen said a key reason that she chose to come to Worcester was her experience at interview. “He [the interviewer] was very patient with me and understanding of my dyslexia, so he was happy to rephrase any of the questions. We had a lovely chat, and I appreciated it so much that I already felt welcomed into the University. I definitely made the right choice.”
She said, though the degree had been tough, she had always had the support from her fellow students and from the university lecturers, particularly her personal academic tutor who had always responded to any worries or concerns. She added: “I have learned so much from studying at Worcester; not only about social work and how to work with people, but also about the complexities of the human race! These skills will stay with me forever. I have also learned a significant amount about myself; I understand myself so much more now, and I am more accepting of my flaws, I finally have a love for myself and my achievements.”