Press Releases

MBA Scholarship – a golden opportunity

(1 August 2011)

2011 winner - Isabel Velasco

Durham Business School has again awarded its annual FD Ellis MBA Scholarship – a full-fee scholarship for its full-time MBA programme.

This year’s winner is Colombian applicant Isabel Valesco.  To secure this prestigious scholarship Isabel impressed the judging panel with her 500-word essay explaining how she would apply the learning gained on the programme to her future career.

A mechatronics engineer based in Bogota, Colombia, Isabel takes up her place on the programme in Durham this September.  On receiving the award she said: “I am so excited, words are meaningless to express how I feel.  I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and really looking forward to starting my MBA studies.”

Worth more than £19,000 the FD Ellis Scholarship is named in memory of the father of Dr. David Ellis, a former Durham University student who is now a leading international economics expert and a managing director in top London business advisory firm, FTI’s Economic Consulting practice.

Speaking on the inspiration behind the scholarship, David said: “My father was a self-made man who went straight into work in the days when boys at the age of 15 were called to do so. He built up and ran his own business and I feel I learned a great deal from him and his hard-working ethic.”

David decided to invest in Durham University, in particular Durham Business School due to its highly regarded reputation. Rob Dixon, Dean of the School, said: “We are extremely pleased to, once again, have David Ellis on board, enabling us to award this scholarship.

"This type of provision will further ensure our students have the opportunity to experience a first class learning environment in which to sharpen their business skills and knowledge. Financial support such as this is particularly important given these difficult economic times.”