Our Scholarship competition provides start of new chapter for finalists

Our latest scholarship competition ended in style in mid-March with a fantastic live final following a record-breaking year for applications.

What’s the Scholarship?

Our Millennium Point Scholarship is an annual competition open to students across the West Midlands. It provides one lucky winner with a fully funded undergraduate degree and opportunities and support for up to five finalists.  

This year we received more applications than ever before from students across the region looking to take their first big steps in their careers and tackle the big issues facing the west midlands in the years to come. 

“All five finalists were incredible”  

 A live final event at Millennium Point, held in our 354-seat Auditorium, marked the culmination of this year’s competition, with five finalists each presenting on local issues such as affordable housing, cyber harassment, fake news and battling flooding. You can see a round-up of the event below: 

 Five business leaders from across Birmingham’s business community were selected to assess the finalists, giving feedback on their presentation style and content. 

 Winner Shennice Talburt, currently working as a paralegal, will now study Real Estate at Birmingham City University’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, with her degree paid for by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust. 

Shennice, from Birmingham, said: “I am so proud to have been selected as the winner of this year’s Millennium Point Scholarship. All five finalists were incredible, with great ideas and the drive and determination to carry them out.”

 “This is something I have kept quiet and focused on by myself, so it will be some surprise for my family when I tell them. I think the housing crisis is a major issue that needs creative thinking and I want to bring new ideas to the table and help the millions of people who are suffering as a result of this situation.” 

What happens next for our winner and finalists? 

 While the winner will enrol on an undergraduate course at Birmingham City University, the other four finalists will receive ongoing support towards their careers including coaching, mentoring and industry work experience provided through Millennium Point. 

 Abigail Vlahakis, CEO at Millennium Point, said: “The quality of our finalists has blown me away, they are all so inspiring. 

 “I would like to congratulate them all, but especially Shennice, whose ideas really shone a light on possible solutions to one of the biggest issues in the region.” 

“Exciting, valuable and impactful initiative”

Hanifah Shah, a judge in the final and Executive Dean of Birmingham City’s University’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, said: “The drive, determination and desire to change society for the better through the application of engineering and technology is incredibly strong in all five finalists. 

“We’re delighted that Shennice will be joining the Faculty of Computing Engineering and the Built Environment later this year with the Millennium Point Scholarship and look forward to working with the runners up as well.  

“Birmingham City University extends its thanks to all involved in this exciting, valuable and impactful initiative and event.” 

This project is one of several ways our organisation is supporting the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) in the region.  

More than £5 million in profits from the commercial activity of our multi-award-winning Birmingham venue and landmark public building, Millennium Point, is invested by our Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth and development of STEM initiatives in the West Midlands region. For more information, please see our charity page here. 

Millennium Point is a landmark public building and multi-award-winning events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Profits from our commercial activity are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in the West Midlands.