“The fact that we are now able to celebrate the eighth round of Wupper Scholarships is thanks to the long-standing support of our sponsors. Their commitment makes it possible to support young people on their educational journey and to provide them with individual support,” emphasises Milica Zajac, programme coordinator for the Wupper Scholarships.

The varied programme of the event demonstrated just how diverse the talents of the scholarship holders are. Scholarship holders Maria-Ioana Dragan and Joanna Kalatheepan provided the musical entertainment for the afternoon. Scholarship holder Danyar Jamal, together with the Sini e.V. martial arts school, showcased his sporting skills with an impressive taekwondo demonstration.

The panel discussion with current and former scholarship recipients also offered personal insights. The participants spoke about their experiences in the support programme, their personal educational journeys and the opportunities that the funding had opened up for them. The discussions highlighted just how significantly the Wupper Scholarships support young people on their path to higher education, vocational training and careers.

Equal opportunities in practice

Prof Dr Susanne Buch, vice-rector for Studies and Teaching at the University of Wuppertal, welcomed the guests at the start of the scholarship ceremony. Annette Berg, Deputy Mayor of Wuppertal responsible for Social Affairs, Youth, Schools and Integration, then addressed the scholarship recipients, their families and the programme’s sponsors. She emphasised: “The Wupper Scholarships stand for equality of opportunity in practice. They demonstrate how schools, the university, foundations and associations work together to support young people and open up opportunities. This commitment is an important contribution to the future of our city.”

Another item on the programme was the presentation of the film project ‘We Are More Than Just Grades’ by the Johannes Rau All-Day Grammar School. The short profiles, developed by the pupils’ representative body, highlight the talents and abilities of pupils that are often overlooked in everyday school life. In doing so, the project takes up an idea that also characterises the Wupper Scholarships: making talents visible and fostering individual strengths.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of the scholarship certificates to the 15 newly admitted scholarship holders. At the same time, nine graduates of the programme were bid farewell. During the subsequent get-together, scholarship holders and sponsors took the opportunity to chat in person.

This year’s induction ceremony was made possible thanks to the kind support of Wuppertaler Stadtwerke.