Queen’s University Belfast scholars off to US scholarship programme
A record number of Queen’s students have been selected to take part in the prestigious Study USA programme in 2023-24. They will spend the next academic year studying business or STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) related subjects in American colleges, across 18 States, helping to develop their career prospects when they return to Northern Ireland.
The British Council, which is the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations, manages Study USA on behalf of the Department for the Economy. Since its formation in 1994, the initiative has sent over 2200 students from Northern Ireland to universities and colleges across the USA.
Among them is Queen’s Broadcast Production graduate Daniella Timperley, who recently returned from studying on the programme in Arkansas.
She said: “I came back from Arkansas feeling so much more informed about business. I got the opportunity to take public speaking, communication classes, marketing classes, survey of management… it was really, really interesting and I feel like I can take that business knowledge with me in the future.
“I became a lot more confident in myself. I really enjoyed the independence that came along with being part of the Study USA programme. The whole experience was so eye-opening for me and the people I met really inspired me.”
Donna Beckington, Head of the Global Opportunities Team within Careers, Employability and Skills at Queen’s said: “The Global Opportunities Team at Queen’s works to support our students to join the Study USA programme. It provides an excellent opportunity for Queen’s students to enhance their employability while experiencing university life in the USA. We are delighted to see such a high number of students from Queen’s join the programme this year and wish them every success for their year in the USA. Our Study USA students have a unique opportunity to develop their knowledge of international business and a range of personal skills, which they can bring back to the Northern Ireland economy. We extend our thanks to the Department for the Economy, the British Council and the US partner organisations and colleges that generously host our students, for their continued commitment to the Study USA Programme.”
The students taking part in this year’s programme study a range of subjects including Law, Politics and Engineering.
Applications for Study USA for 2024-25 will open in September 2023.