College relaunches Ukrainian Student Support Fund

2 March 2023

Jesus College will be participating in the Oxford University Graduate Scholarships for Ukraine programme again this year, and has launched a campaign to raise an additional £25,000 in support of a new studentship and offer another life-changing opportunity to a Ukrainian student.

The Graduate Scholarships programme is open to nationals of Ukraine who have been displaced by the war, and will provide support for 18 full-time taught Master’s students beginning courses at Oxford in the 2023-24 academic year. A priority of this year’s programme is to help facilitate ‘building back better’ in Ukraine: the scholars should be able to return and contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine with the knowledge and networks gained from their one-year master’s course in Oxford.

Last year, the College was delighted to welcome scholarship recipient George Pervushyn, who is studying for a Master’s in the Study of Religion.

Two men holding a yellow and blue Ukrainian flag, standing in front of the Radcliffe camera.

George (right) is also an active member of Oxford University Ukrainian Society, which he joined when he arrived as a refugee in Oxford. He and many other scholars of the scheme at Oxford are united for the cause.

 

George recently shared his reflections on his first two terms at Oxford, and what the support of the Jesus community has meant to him:

“First of all, I would like to express my immense gratitude to everyone who was involved in organising this scholarship scheme, but especially to those who kindly and generously donated money during the College’s campaign for raising funds for a Ukrainian student. This allowed me to have this life-changing opportunity to continue my study of Philosophy and Buddhism at the University of Oxford. I treasure this, and feel responsible both to the benefactors as well as to the people of Ukraine fighting the war either on the front or in the rear. Although my area of study is not as applied to the cause as law, business, diplomacy or medicine, I believe that it is the values and the ways people think and perceive the world that are of utmost importance with regard to the prosperity of Ukraine. I am sure that this year of study at Oxford will help me to develop professionally, and to contribute to the nation-wide transformation in these areas, though they do not happen overnight, unfortunately…

It is already two terms into the academic year, but I am still getting used to the University’s approach to teaching and organisation in general. Another thing is the amount of work, which needs to be done in the short period of nine months. Therefore, I use most of my time for study in the new study spaces of the Cheng Yu Tung Building. Luckily, I have found many friends at the College, and their company allows me to recover from periods of intense study, not to mention College’s friendly atmosphere and a welcoming community of the MCR, which organises many events for students. The College administration is very considerate and supportive in terms of my student matters as well as with regard to Ukraine’s appeal. Overall, I enjoy my time at Oxford and at Jesus in particular, for the College and its community make every effort needed for me to prosper in my studies.”

We hope you will consider donating, either for the first time or again to the Ukrainian Student Support Fund, To make a gift to the studentship, please click here. For more information about the scheme or for other ways to donate, please contact the Development Office by emailing alumni@jesus.ox.ac.uk or call +44 (0)1865 616810.