Eight students have been awarded Arts scholarships by the Vice-Chancellor at Loughborough University in recognition of their remarkable talents and dedication to their chosen art forms, which include creative writing, ceramics, dance, and music.

In addition to a cash prize, each scholar receives a tailored package of support to help them develop their talent during the year. For some, this will be one-to-one tuition or mentoring, for others it will involve covering the cost of music exam fees and short courses or attending special events. Each scholar's work will be showcased during the year with a special showcase event in the summer term.

This year’s winners are from a variety of academic backgrounds and include undergraduate and postgraduate students from the East Midlands and London campuses.

2023/24 scholarship winners

• Alizée Cambier — Creative writing (short story)
• Yun Chen — Visual Arts (photography)
• Amy Jennison-Boyle — Music (vocal and piano)
• Riddhi Naik — Performing Arts (dance)
• Vera Okodugha — Visual Arts (ceramics)
• Eliana Rosas-Aguilar — Music (vocal)
• Ray Shin — Music (oboe)
• Serene Stuart-Ranchev — Visual Arts (animation, design and illustration)

Riddhi Naik

Riddhi Naik trained in jazz, ballet, hip-hop and contemporary dance in Mumbai and is currently studying a master’s in Strength and Conditioning. She worked in Mumbai as a dance instructor and lead choreographer for four years, before leaving to freelance as a dancer and finding her way into Bollywood. For the past three years, she has been working in Bollywood as a dancer and an assistant choreographer. Her latest work is "The Archies," an upcoming Netflix film by Zoya Akhtar.

Riddhi expressed: “Dance is a core part of my personality; it is my identity. I do love working behind the camera and now I'm well trained in it, but I miss the stage. I am looking forward to the chance to showcase my passion and finally embrace the spotlight again.

Riddhi aspires to seek dance training from industry professionals in London and across the UK. She is also keen to bring her degree into her dancing, focusing on injury prevention.

Eliana Rosas-Aguilar

Originally from Peru, Eliana Rosas-Aguilar is studying for a PhD at the Institute of Media and Creative Industries in London. She began singing at five years old and later joined the Centre for Music and Dance at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru. For ten years, she learned and performed traditional music from Peru, particularly from the coast, Creole, and Afro-Peruvian music.

Eliana found the magical connection between traditional Afro-Peruvian rhythms and the African beats in London, as well as the tight connections to other Latin American and Afro-Latin American genres. She has collaborated with musicians from around the world (England, Chile, Peru, and Kenya) to create the first original and traditional Afro-Peruvian song with a London twist called ‘Moving on.’

On her experience, Eliana commented: "Singing has always been my refuge. I have managed to bring my roots together with the music in London and I look forward to releasing my work. This is a song and dance of celebration of freedom, a reminder to myself to keep moving on."

Yun Chen

Yun Chen is an undergraduate student from China, currently studying for a degree in Media and Communication. His photographic work primarily centres around nature and civilisations, with conceptual connections from the Sino-Japanese philosophy of ‘Zen’, sombreness, the surge of vitality 'Yayoi’, and contemplation of time and motion.

Born and raised in a big city, it’s been quite a journey for Yun since he started undergraduate study at Loughborough. Yun spends a lot of time exploring the woods and fields with a mental map of every natural spot in and around Loughborough. His involvement with the Landscape and Gardening Society (LAGS) has provided him with opportunities to meet like-minded people, observe the changing seasons, enjoy bonfires, cheer harvest, and foster a deeper connection with nature. These experiences have motivated and inspired him to create related artworks of nature.

Yun commented: “After growing up in a concrete jungle, I am enjoying exploring the green spaces in Loughborough. Photography comes quite naturally to me and I’m enjoying the process of creating my own art, reading, and connecting with nature.”

With this scholarship, Yun looks forward to experimenting with more alternative methods, building a stronger technical capacity, and developing the conceptual underpinnings of his approaches during his final year at the University.

More information on the Arts scholarships

The Arts scholarships are managed by LU Arts, the University’s extracurricular arts programme. They recognize and reward talent, potential, passion, and commitment in any art form. They encourage involvement in the arts outside of a student's studies and are not related to an individual’s degree or postgraduate studies.