Peltz scholars tell how extra support has been “a lifesaver” during Birkbeck studies

Here, we speak with three current Peltz scholars who explain how receiving the funding boost has helped them access new opportunities as they look ahead to the next steps in their career.

Introducing:

Marielle Birks, studying an MA in Victorian Studies

Rosie Tricks, who is studying MFA Theatre Directing

Anne Williams, who is also studying MFA Theatre Directing

Why did you choose to study at Birkbeck?

Marielle: "I came to Birkbeck as I had wanted to return to study for a long time. When I finally found myself in a position to do so, I knew a study in culture and history, focusing on nineteenth-century studies, was the direction I wanted to take. Birkbeck made a huge impression as a welcoming institution, inviting applications from mature students, with a history of supporting working people and enabling study.”

Rosie: "I wanted to study at Birkbeck because the Theatre Directing course offers an opportunity to be placed at a theatre for nine months – the kind of training opportunity that is very hard to come by in our current theatre climate."

Anne: "Access to directing can be difficult in theatre if you don’t already have contacts and finances backing you and, as someone who doesn’t come from a theatrical family, it felt impossible to break in. But when the opportunity arose to enrol on the Directing MFA at Birkbeck I knew I was in the right place. The placement is why the course is so successful with real experience and contacts that regularly lead to future work."

What has your experience on your course been like so far?

Marielle: "The supportive environment that Birkbeck provides is like no other I have experienced in my academic career. It has just been an absolute joy to study here."

Rosie: "So far, my time on the course has been the biggest period of professional growth I have experienced. My placement at the Orange Tree Theatre, in Richmond, has given me the chance to explore my aspirations. I have assisted on two shows and am taking on a new project that researches audience’s experiences with theatre and how it interacts with their lives."

Anne: "I have learnt so much and can feel myself being more analytical and articulate in my work. I’m so inspired by the opportunity Birkbeck provides to learn from so many talented and accomplished artists. I’m excited to follow in the footsteps of our alumni."

What has it meant for you to receive the Peltz scholarship and how has it helped you during your time at Birkbeck?

Marielle: "Receiving this scholarship was significant to me, as I had been funding my studies myself, and it removed some of the growing pressure. This support also made me feel valued. I am enormously grateful to the Peltz Scholarship for supporting my studies and I feel inspired for my ongoing endeavours. I would like to say a huge thank you to the generous donors who have so kindly supported me."

Rosie: "The Peltz scholarship has lifted some of the financial weight from the fees that I pay for the course, and meant I am able to dedicate more time to the incredible opportunity this placement represents. I had been apprehensive about my ability to make ends meet, so benefitting from this scholarship has completely transformed this situation."

Anne: "The scholarship has enabled me to fully focus on my placements without any financial worries, ensuring that I am benefitting from the opportunities my range of placements have afforded me. It has been a lifesaver."

What do you hope to achieve after graduating from Birkbeck?

Marielle: "The move to study has been part of a step towards a change of career for me. The prospect of writing both fiction and non-fiction are the goals to which I am working with a view to extending and continuing my education through to PhD. I look forward to my next steps, which the Peltz Scholarship has helped make possible."

Rosie: "I am interested in work that speaks directly to audience’s lives, explores how culture shapes our perception and investigates how we exist within a changing sense of community."

Anne: "My end goal is to become an artistic director and run a venue. This will give me the opportunity to create the theatre that I think is important, to build a community and give other theatre students like me, who maybe don’t have as much access to the industry as others, a chance."