In light of our recent scholarship launch, we understand that finding the motivation to apply can be challenging. However, let these stories of these talented professionals serve as inspiration for you to embark into the world of STEM and push yourself to achieve new heights.

Annie Easley – The Human Computer

At the time, Easley was looking for a job after relocating when she discovered an article about two sisters who were “human computers” at the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio. Two weeks later, after the reading the article, Easley began her career that spanned across 34 years, contributing to numerous programs as a computer scientist.

Easley’s career involved analysing problems and solving complexed mathematical calculations by hand, awarding her with the title of human computer. Easley would go on to break barriers for women and people of colour, inspiring them to pursue STEM opportunities.

Gitanjali Rao – American’s Top Youngest Scientist 2017

Inspired by the Flint Michigan water crisis, Rao invented a life-changing device that can detect lead in water at the age of 11. Rao’s dedication to her work earned her a place in the 2019 Forbes 30 under 30. In recent years, Rao has been taking part in the research of cell biology at the University of Colorado, using the latest genetic engineering to find a solution to prescription opioid addiction epidemic.

Rao is an active STEM ambassador, inspiring young people by promoting STEM-based activities in schools and the community. Rao continues to affect students globally by sharing her knowledge, tools, and encouragement.

Morris Mbetsa – Africa’s First Flying Taxi

Morris, a self-taught engineer, created an innovative solution to Africa’s traffic and poor road infrastructure issues. At the age of 28, Morris manufactured Africa’s first flying taxi. This drone transports passengers for around 25 minutes, and at speeds of up to 120km an hour. The young entrepreneur uses his talents to generate easy-to-use, inexpensive technological solutions that are accessible to his community.

At the young age of 6, Morris discovered his passion for technology, as he has stated on The Kenyan network K24, “Technology is my life. I never watched football while growing up. My room was full of electronics and wires.”

Ronjon Nag – Smartphone Pioneer

Shortly after becoming a newly graduate, Nag invented breakthrough technology for smart devices such as handwriting recognition, predictive text, application of speech recognition and touch screens for mobile devices. He later went on to become the founder of R42 institute, a US and UK-based company that invents and invests in AI and Biotech.

Nag has gone to work with big names such as Apple, BlackBerry, and Motorola after becoming a technological pioneer. As well as becoming a ground-breaking entrepreneur, Nag was also a professor in Genetics at the Stanford School of Medicine, committed to providing inclusive and accessible education.

Jocelyn Bell Burnell – Beyond the Stars

Whilst studying at the University of Glasgow, Burnell discovered pulsars, the cosmic sources of peculiar radio pulses. After graduating, she frequently worked in gamma ray, X-ray, infrared and millimetre wavelength astronomy. In 2015, Burnell was awarded a Royal Medal by the Royal Society and became the first female President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

After winning a breakthrough prize, Burnell donated all the proceedings to the institute of Physics to set up scholarships for graduates and those in under-represented communities to have access to study physics.

Are you Interested in a Career in STEM?

We hope these stories have truly inspired you and encourage you to achieve greatness. If you have any questions about our Scholarship scheme, you can contact our friendly Trust team.

This year’s scholarship applications are now open for applicants to embark on a new educational journey into the world of STEM. In partnership with Birmingham City University (BCU), each year Millennium Point Trust fund an undergraduate degree at the Faculty of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment facility.

Our scholarship programme has over 20 courses to choose from. Applications are now open, with a deadline of Friday 8th March 2024 at 5pm, allowing you plenty of time to complete your application.

Meet Safa Bibi, last year’s Scholarship winner

Safa Bibi from Small Health was studying Applied Science at South and City College, Birmingham and is now studying a degree in Computer Science at Birmingham City University as of September 2023. Safa’s passion for computer science and inspiration drawn from women in STEM encouraged her to apply for our scholarship program. With the support of Millennium Point Trust, Safa now studies the subject she is deeply passionate about.

Safa states, “Winning the scholarship has made me feel seen and heard by more than just my community of family and friends, so I feel like I can do more and achieve more. I hope that me winning the scholarship empowers other women and ethnic minorities to start applying for scholarships and these roles in STEM.”

Applying is easy and simple

The competition is open to you if you are 18 by, and looking to start an undergraduate degree in September 2024 and live within the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Read the application form carefully and start to answer each question. Think about why you want to study your chosen degree and what you want to do in the future. Also discuss any personal attributes and skills that could help you be the next winner of the Scholarship.

The application has two-stages, with the final stage being an assessment day in May. Finalists will be invited to participate in developmental workshops that will focus on supporting our personal development and professionalism in both interview and presentation skills.

We are here to help you every step of the way

We want everyone to have the best chance of success when applying for our scholarship scheme, so it is important to be confident when writing your application. That’s why we have created a helpful guide to aid throughout your application. Keep an eye out on our social media channels as well as our website for blogs, videos for additional resources to further assist you.

You can always contact our friendly Trust team for any other enquires you may have.

Apply today for a life-changing opportunity

Our applications are now open with the deadline on Friday 15th March 2024 at 5pm, so apply now and start your journey into the world of STEM.

Safa Bibi from Small Heath has won a fully funded degree at Birmingham City University (BCU) after being named the winner of this year’s life-changing Millennium Point Charitable Trust Scholarship.

Safa was studying Applied Science at South and City College, Birmingham and will now study for a degree in Computer Science at BCU from September. She developed an interest in the computing world in secondary school and was further inspired by speeches from women in STEM. Thanks to the support from Millennium Point, Safa has the opportunity to study a subject she is deeply passionate about. She hopes to be an inspiration to others to follow their passion regardless of their religion or race.

Promoting STEM education in the West Midlands

Each year, the Millennium Point Charitable Trust funds tuition fees for an undergraduate degree in partnership with Birmingham City University at their Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment. The faculty covers over 20 different courses across computing, digital technology, engineering, and the built environment.

This makes Safa the ninth winner of the renowned scholarship following a rigorous assessment process. The Millennium Point Trust Scholarship has already funded eight inspiring young people from the region through their degrees, including last year’s winner Hatem Kesseir from Yardley who is also studying Computer Science at BCU.

To choose the winners, the judging panel consisted of Abbie Vlahakis (CEO of Millennium Point), Hanifa Shah (Pro-Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean of Birmingham City University), Asima Adnan (previous winner of the scholarship), and Mike Ridler (ElevationX).

Finalists didn’t leave empty handed, with Abigail Guest, Henrikas Varanauskas, Ryjhorn Weekes, and winner Safa Bibi receiving a laptop to further help them in their studies.

‘Safa embodies everything we want to achieve at Millennium Point’

Safa said, “Winning the scholarship has made me feel seen and heard by more than just my community of family and friends, so I feel like I can do more and achieve more. I hope that me winning the scholarship empowers other women and ethnic minorities to start applying for scholarships and these roles in STEM.”

Abbie Vlahakis, CEO of Millennium Point and head judge, added, “Safa embodies everything we want to achieve at Millennium Point. We want more young people to be inspired to go into STEM, and we could see from Safa that she immediately wanted to change the world. She wanted to change people’s views and get more young people to follow in her footsteps. To see her so overwhelmed with happiness made us elated.

STEM is incredibly important, not only to our region but to the UK economy. We are currently in a digital age where STEM skills are required across every sector, and so we are keen to get more young people into these roles so they can go on and have truly rewarding careers.”

The scholarship competition is one of the flagship initiatives of the Millennium Point Charitable Trust. Last year, £4.3m in commercial profits from the landmark Millennium Point public building and multi-award-winning venue in the Eastside of Birmingham city centre was invested into projects, events, and initiatives which support the growth of STEM education and industry in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.

Apply for the 2024 Scholarship

Each year, the Millennium Point Charitable Trust jointly funds an undergraduate degree in partnership with Birmingham City University at their Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, which covers over 20 different courses across computing, digital technology, engineering and the built environment. We’re helping people across the region unlock their future in STEM.

Millennium Point’s 2024 Scholarship application is now open. For more information on how to apply or get involved in the Scholarship program please visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship.

Millennium Point wins Most Versatile Venue (Up to 1,000 theatre style) at the Conference & Events 2023 awards. This is the first national award to be won by Millennium Point and we’re absolutely ecstatic of what we have achieved.

On Friday 30th June the awards were held in the stunning Old Billingsgate building in London. The day consisted of an array of venues and events being recognised for their excellence in the industry.

Nominated alongside outstanding venues

Organisations nominated for most versatile venue (up to 1,000 theatre style) were –

It was an honour to be nominated amongst other amazing venues around the UK.

From hosting COVID vaccination centres to international sports teams, major art installations to charity events, we are proud of what’s been achieved

Over the past couple of years we have reinvested into our building to expand our venue spaces that align with our client demands. Driven by our passionate and highly skilled team we continue with out of the box ideas that make events truly stand out.

The versatility of our venue and flexibility of our team and services means that a client can host a breakfast talk in the morning, a conference in the afternoon and a formal dinner in the evening all in one place.

In the last 12 months alone, we have hosted the likes of Gaia by Luke Jerram, Kenya House during the Commonwealth Games, IFS Connect and VSFighting to name a few.

We have also launched our own MP Presents events to utilise our 354-seater Auditorium screen when not in use by our clients and to show off the capabilities of one of the biggest screens in Birmingham.

Rebecca Delmore, Commercial Director said ‘We are thrilled to have won the Most Versatile Venue Award. This award reflects all of the hard work the team have put into adapting our building to serve a wider variety of events. We strive to provide the best experience for our clients and it is fantastic to be recognised for this.’

Comments from the judges at the Conference & Events Awards 2023 included statements such as ‘Impressive, versatile space’ & ‘Exceptional flexibility and strong client feedback makes this entry very strong’.

Keep up to date with Millennium Point

With the rest of 2023 to go, we’re excited to see what happens next! Keep up to date with the latest through our blogs and what’s on.

Scholarship funds are a great way to help support students throughout their university journey by offering financial help. 

If you’re interested in creating your own scholarship fund, then look no further as we delve into how to create a scholarship in these 4 simple steps.

What is a scholarship fund? 

Scholarship funds are a charitable grant that helps students cover the costs of their education. Those who receive scholarships tend to use them to cover the costs of textbooks and tuition fees. 

Step 1: How are you going to fund your scholarship?

One of the first steps you’ll need to take when creating a scholarship fund is deciding how much money you want to contribute and whether you will solely fund it or if you want to accept donations. 

If you create a scholarship fund on your own, it’s likely that you’ll incur extra costs on top of paying the scholarship money to the winner. 

Other costs could include:

If you decide to go down the route of accepting funding from donors then using an online platform is an easy way to get people to donate. Having an online platform will help create an authoritative and trustworthy figure for your fund, allowing donors to find out information and make donations in the same place.

Money can also be raised through fundraising activities like:

Step 2: Decide who you want to help

When creating a scholarship fund, it’s important to identify the audience you are trying to help. You may want to help as many people as possible, but you need to be realistic about who you can help most and how far the money in your fund can go.

When creating your audience you need to ensure it’s broad enough to not be discriminatory and to attract as many people as possible to the scholarship you’re offering. 

Your audience could include:

Step 3: How do you plan to advertise your scholarship?

It’s extremely important to advertise your scholarship as it will allow it to reach as many people as possible, while helping you gain applications from people that meet your criteria. 

Creating a website to showcase your scholarship, as well as allowing people to donate to your fund or apply to the scholarship is a great way to advertise it. You could also use social media to advertise the run up to applications opening or closing dates. This is a great way to advertise, as you’re more likely to reach your intended audience, as younger people, typically students, are using social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to look for things.

Step 4: Decide how you will review applications

Once you’ve completed the previous steps, it’s time to wait for the deadline to pass and start reviewing applications. 

If you gained a small amount of applications, you may be able to go through them all yourself, however if you received a large sum of applications you may need to hire people to help you sift through them.

How can Millennium Point help those looking for a scholarship?

Here at Millennium Point, our Charitable Trust has created a STEM scholarship for those looking to study courses in Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment.

To be eligible for the scholarship you will need to:

Keep up to date on our Scholarship page to see when applications open!

 

Going to university can be really expensive and it can be really hard to fund your university experience. However, scholarships are a great way to help students by supporting them financially. 

If you’re a student and looking for extra financial support during your university years, you may have assumed that you’re not eligible for a scholarship, however you may be surprised at the types of scholarships some organisations offer.

This blog will explore everything you need to know about scholarships and how you can apply.

What is a scholarship?

Scholarships are a form of financial aid given to students to help accelerate their education. They usually come from independent third parties and universities and students don’t need to pay them back.

Who can apply for a scholarship?

There are various reasons why you may be able to apply for a scholarship, including:

Types of scholarships you can apply for

It’s often assumed that scholarships are only for typically academic subjects, however this isn’t true. Scholarships are available for a variety of reasons and subjects.

Here are some examples of the types of scholarships available:

Scholarships at Millennium Point 

Millennium Point has partnered with Birmingham City University to give a fully funded Undergraduate degree at their Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment.

Visit our website to apply for the 2023/2024 applications today.

Key dates 

What courses are included?

Multiple courses are included in our scholarship partnership with Birmingham City University, such as:

Are you eligible?

To be eligible for our scholarship you’ll need to meet the following criteria:

How can you apply for the scholarship?

You are currently able to apply for the scholarship through our online application form. The form will consist of a few questions about you and why you think you should be chosen for our scholarship in partnership with Birmingham City University. 

The application process has two stages, with the final stage being an assessment day and the chosen candidate getting their university tuition paid for in the form of a grant.

Visit our website today to learn more about the application process and whether you’re eligible. 

Applications are now open once again for the life changing scholarship. In partnership with Birmingham City University each year Millennium Point Trust fund an undergraduate degree at BCU.

There are over 20 courses to choose from included in the scholarship.

Update: Keep an eye out for 2024’s application, opening Monday 8th January 2024. 

Hatem impressed judges last year and secured Scholarship victory

Hatem was currently studying an Extended Diploma in IT (Network and Security) at Solihull College and had ambitions to study Computer Science at university. Information of the Millennium Point Scholarship landed in Hatem’s inbox, where he knew straight away, he had nothing to lose by applying.

Scholarship

In Hatem’s application he made it clear how much winning the Scholarship would mean to him, his great passion for computers and his mission to use computing and technology to better lives. The Millennium Point Charitable Trust team were hugely impressed with Hatem’s application and selected him along with four other finalists.

All the finalises attended an assessment day at Millennium Point, where they each presented to a panel of five judges, Hatem impressed the panel the most and was selected as the lucky winner of last year’s Scholarship, which has already helped launch the careers of seven outstanding STEM students. Hatem’s degree in Computer Science at Birmingham City University (BCU) started in September 2022.

Applying is easy and simple

The competition is open to you if you are 18 by, and looking to start an undergraduate degree in September 2023 and within the West Midlands Combined Authority, who are looking to start a qualifying degree in September 2023.

Read the application form carefully and start to answer each question. Think about why you want to study your chosen degree and what you want to do in the future. Also discuss any personal attributes and skills that could help you be the next winner of the Scholarship.

Scholarship

It’s a two-stage application, with the final stage being an assessment day. If you make it to the final, you will be invited to participate in developmental workshops. These will focus on supporting our personal development and professionalism in both interview and presentation skills.

We’re here to help you every step of the way

We want everyone to have the best chance of success when applying for our Scholarship scheme, and sometimes bigging yourself up can be a little daunting. That’s why we have created a helpful guide to aid you through your application. Keep an eye out on our social media for any new blogs, videos or resources that can help further.

You can always contact our friendly Trust team for any other enquiries you may have.

Unlock your student’s future by getting your school involved

Get your school involved and spread the word about the Scholarship. Tell parents, young people, teachers, and colleagues. The bigger it gets, the more impact we can make together.

We have created a Teacher’s Portal with assets and information that can help you provide students information on how to apply.

Are you a business wanting to get involved? Visit our Business Portal here.  We’re always looking out to collaborate with businesses and professionals on the MP Trust Scholarship.

Why do we do this?

At Millennium Point we believe that STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is important for the future of the region. Now, more than ever young people need our support and encouragement for them to unlock their potential. The scholarship is just one of the ways we can provide support to help them achieve people’s goals.

Apply today to start your Scholarship journey

Applications are now open with the deadline on Friday 17th March 2023, apply now and see what you can achieve!

2024 update – 2024’s applications open Monday 8th January 2024. 

We are delighted to announce that Hatem Kasseir from Yardley, has been named the winner of this year’s life-changing Millennium Point Charitable Trust Scholarship, earning a fully-funded degree at Birmingham City University (BCU). This degree is joint funded by Millennium Point Charitable Trust in Partnership with Birmingham City University.

How Hatem became a Scholarship winner

Hatem was currently studying an Extended Diploma in IT (Network and Security) at Solihull College and had ambitions to study Computer Science at university. Information of the Millennium Point Scholarship landed in Hatem’s inbox, where he knew straight away, he had nothing to lose by applying.

In Hatem’s application he made it clear how much winning the Scholarship would mean to him, his great passion for computers and his mission to use computing and technology to better lives as a whole. The Millennium Point Charitable Trust team were hugely impressed with Hatem’s application, and selected him along with four other finalists.

All the finalists attended an assessment day at Millennium Point, where they each presented to a panel of five judges, Hatem impressed the panel the most and was selected as the lucky winner of this year’s Scholarship, which has already helped launch the careers of seven outstanding STEM students. Hatem’s degree in Computer Science at Birmingham City University (BCU), will start in September 2022.

Pictured left to right: Abbie Vlahakis, CEO of Millennium Point and Scholarship winner Hatem Kasseir.

Hatem’s reaction to winning

Hatem was shocked and over the moon at being chosen as the winner. The Scholarship winner said “My first reaction was a bit of shock, happiness and excitement. I didn’t know what to do, I was just really happy because I’d put a lot of work and effort into it, so to get that end result was fantastic.

The message I want to give to everyone is that there’s so many opportunities out there so always go for that opportunity, never think you might not have a chance or that it’s just too far for you, always try and reach your goals, no matter how high they are and keep dreaming on.”

A few words from the CEO

Abbie Vlahakis, CEO of Millennium Point added: “When we met Hatem it was really clear from the start that he had real passion for his chosen subject of Computer Science and he was set the task of choosing a problem and how he could come up with a solution. It was really clear and well articulated and when asked about what the Scholarship would actually mean to him, it was really clear that it meant so so much.”

Identifying STEM talent

Now approaching it’s tenth year, the Millennium Point Trust Scholarship has already changed the lives of nine people from the region through their degrees, including 2017 Sagal Qodah, who has since gone on to graduate with a First Class Honours degree in Civil Engineering. She now works for Jacobs Engineering Group, showing the great paths people can take with their career, via a Millennium Point Scholarship.

Apply for the 2023 Scholarship

Each year, the Millennium Point Charitable Trust jointly funds an undergraduate degree in partnership with Birmingham City University at their Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, which covers over 20 different courses across computing, digital technology, engineering and the built environment. We’re helping people across the region unlock their future in STEM. For more information on how to apply or get involved in the 2023 Scholarship program please, visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship.

Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint. 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. 

Deadline for the Scholarship is drawing near, with just 48 hours to go now is the time to submit your application.

In partnership with Birmingham City University, each year Millennium Point Trust fund an undergraduate degree at BCU. There are over 20 courses to choose from in industries for Built Environment, Computing, Digital Technology and Engineering. The deadline is in just under 28 hours at 5pm Friday 11th March 2022, and can be done via your computer, laptop, tablet and mobile.

You can apply all online on our website here.

Applying is quick, easy and all online

You can easily apply for a Scholarship on our website, through your phone, tablet, or computer. The competition is open to applicants aged 17 and over within the West Midlands Combined Authority, who are looking to start a qualifying degree in September 2022.

Read the application from carefully and start to answer each question. Think about why you want to study your chosen degree and what you want to do in the future. Also discuss any personal attributes and skills that could help you be the next winner of the Scholarship.

It’s a two-stage application, with the final stage being an assessment day. If you make it to the final, you will be invited to participate in developmental workshops that will focus on supporting our personal development and professionalism in both interview and presentation skills.

Last year’s winner Asima

The 37-year-old mum of five was studying Social Science and Humanities at Dudley College, before she secured the scholarship in aims to study planning.

All the finalists attended an assessment day at Millennium Point, where they each presented to a panel of five judges, Asima impressed the panel and was selected as the lucky winner of the Scholarship, which has already helped launch the careers of six outstanding STEM students.

Asima said ‘The Scholarship application was very simple, easy, and quick. The judges were a delight to present in front of, they made me feel so comfortable and relaxed and there is so much you can learn from them. I enjoyed the training and all the help provided prior to the presentation, it was very valuable and enjoyable experience. I also loved the interaction I got from the judges.’

Need any help finishing your application?

We want everyone to have the best chance of success when applying for our Scholarship scheme, and sometimes bigging yourself up can be a little daunting. That’s why we have created a helpful guide to aid you through your application. Keep an eye out on our social media for any new blogs, videos or resources that can help further.

You can always contact our friendly Trust team for any other enquiries you may have.

Deadline is fast approaching, apply today and see what you can achieve

The Millennium Point Trust Scholarship has kickstarted the career for 7 outstanding students already. By applying you could be in a chance to win a fully funded degree. So you won’t have to worry about paying back any fees.

The application deadline is fast approaching, closing on Friday 11th March, apply on our website today.

Why do we do this?

At Millennium Point we believe that STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is important for the future of the region. Now, more than ever young people need our support and encouragement for them to unlock their potential. The scholarship is just one of the ways we can provide support to help them achieve their goals.

Don’t miss out on our life-changing Scholarship. Applications close on Friday 11th March 2022. 

What is the Millennium Point Scholarship?

Now in it’s 8th year, the Millennium Point Scholarship is an annual competition, aimed at anyone aged 17 or over that is looking to go to university. One lucky winner in the West Midlands will get their undergraduate degree fully funded by Millennium Point in partnership with Birmingham City University. The initial application takes less than 30 minutes and can be done online on a laptop or any mobile device. The top applicants will then be invited to an interview before a winner is announced.

What courses can I study?

There are over 20 courses to choose from in industries for Built Environment, Computing, Digital Technology and Engineering. For more information on what courses are available click here.

A look back on the 2021 winner

2021 saw 37-year-old mum of five, Asima Adnan crownded the Scholarship winner. After impressing the panel of judges, Asima began her fully funded Planning degree in September. Find out more about Asima’s journey to victory by watching the video below.

You’ve got two weeks to kickstart your career

With just two weeks to go don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity, kickstart your new career today by clicking below.

Please note that this scholarship is only applicable to Birmingham City University’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment. You must also be based in the West Midlands to apply.

We are here to help

Bigging yourself up can be quite daunting — we get that! But it’s an awesome skill to have which is why we’ve made a handy little guide to help you with your application process. For more information and useful tips please click here.

Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint. 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.