'Formula 1 scholarship gave me opportunity of university experience free from financial worries'
A Jesus student - one of first to receive a Formula 1 Engineering Scholarship for underrepresented groups - has spoken of the benefits, as Forumla 1 announced it is to extend the scheme.
Forumla 1 is to contiunue its funding for the Formula 1 Engineering Scholarship programme for underrepresented groups until 2025, set up to increase diversity within the sport.
The Formula 1 Engineering Scholarships were launched last year, following a donation of US$1 million (around 拢725,000) from the Non-Executive Chairman of Formula 1, Chase Carey, to primarily finance engineering-focused scholarships for underrepresented students at leading universities. The initiative forms part of Formula 1鈥檚 #WeRaceAsOne, which launched in 2019 as part of its diversity and inclusion strategy to increase participation from underrepresented groups.
The scholarship covers tuition fees and maintenance costs as well as providing the opportunity to undertake a work experience placement with a Formula 1 team.
Jesuan Jesse Panda was among the first cohort of F1 scholars to begin their undergraduate and postgraduate engineering degrees at leading universities in the UK and Italy last year.
Speaking about the impact of the scholarship, Jesse said: "This scholarship has given me the opportunity to have a university experience free from financial burdens and worries. I鈥檓 truly grateful for this and hope that, in the future, I鈥檒l be able to play my part in helping to extend similar opportunities to others from backgrounds such as mine.鈥
Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said: "We are committed to increasing diversity and opportunity within this incredible sport and I am pleased to confirm that we will be expanding our programme for scholars until 2025, providing a fantastic opportunity for some incredibly talented students to begin their journeys with Formula 1."
"We want to continue to ensure that talent from underrepresented groups has meaningful opportunities, with the first 10 scholars already beginning their studies following Chase鈥檚 incredible donation to fund the scholars in their first year. We want to continue and build on the foundations of the programme in the years ahead."
This story is based on on the University of Cambridge website.
