Corpus has benefited from the generosity of the Worshipful Company of Girdlers since 1952. A scholarship is awarded every three years to a student from New Zealand and covers the tuition and maintenance costs. The Girdlers also support a UK PhD student annually, someone coming from a widening participation background.

Alexander came to Corpus to study Human, Social, and Political Sciences (HSPS) as the 58th Girdlers’ Scholar, embracing all things academic, sport and travel along the way. Graduating with First-Class Honours, Alex is now a fourth year Management Studies student at the Judge Business School with his sights set on a career in environmental economy.

Growing up in Wellington, New Zealand, playing basketball at state level, Alex had aspirations to travel abroad for university, but he was torn between trying to head the US to pursue sporting opportunities versus Europe for education advancement.

“I first became aware of Cambridge when I saw Cambridge University Press on some of the books at home. It seemed like a mythical place and sadly there’s very limited pathways for New Zealanders to get to Cambridge.”

For his dreams to become reality, he knew financial assistance was vital. Having done his research, he applied for the Girdlers’ Scholarship, amongst others, but once accepted, he cancelled all other applications. “I felt like I’d hit the jackpot!”

Alex arrived at Corpus in September 2022, and he found that the aesthetics of Corpus were matched by the scholarly community. “The academics are extremely receptive to students as innovators of ideas. Since day one, supervisions have always been the highlight of my week. I always come out with more energy, and they helped inspire and shape my thinking.

“The Girdlers are very keen to foster the relationship between student and Girdler and the invitation to be a Girdler is for the rest of your life.

“The security of the scholarship means you are allowed to be truly curious, without financial burden, which means my challenges are only academic. It is extraordinarily freeing.” Alex has played for the University basketball squad since his arrival, taking on the captainship in his second and third years, which he believes has been beneficial to his studies. His academic performance is outstanding, consistently achieving a First each year earning him the Bridges Scholarship for excellent results twice, with a University-wide ranking of 5/60 in his final year.

“Playing sport helps to structure your week, otherwise it is easy for Cambridge to become a weekend-less place, particularly in subjects with low contact hours. I get out there, get fit and feel healthier, more energised. Then I can contribute and focus more in supervisions and lectures.”

Alex has used what he calls his “nomadic time”, between terms, to travel, take on internships and research assistant roles to bolster his cultural knowledge and skills. Since arriving in the UK in 2022, he has visited Austria, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Holland, India, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the USA.

Alex’s Girdlers’ Scholarship came to an end after his third year of study, so to complete a fourth year he was awarded the Windle Scholarship, established by Peter Windle (m.1953) for students from New Zealand to complete their studies.

“The whole experience has changed my life, the opportunities I have been presented with, my scholarship and the doors that have been opened and the people I have met, have been absolutely instrumental in me knowing what I want to do. It has put me in a position where it is not out of reach.”