Louis Rush is in his second year of his MBiochem in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. Thanks to the support he received from alumni, Louis is able to concentrate on his studies without worry about finances.
I’m from Sheffield, South Yorkshire. I went to my local school which had some great teachers but wasn’t in the best area. I then moved schools for Sixth Form, which was where I first encountered Magdalen, in a talk from the Access and Outreach team. It was great and that’s what ultimately made me decide on Magdalen.
I had been interested in Biochemistry for a very long time, and felt a career in Biochemistry would be enabled by going to Oxford. My degree is four years with an integrated Masters. I hope to go on to do a PhD and then postgraduate research, and I am considering a biotech start-up.
Magdalen is a gorgeous place. When I bring my family here, they are astounded by how beautiful it is. It hits you every day and I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it. There is such an atmosphere of excellence and creativity.
Receiving financial support while at Magdalen has been a massive help to me and my parents. My parents had previously helped me when needed, but they started to struggle due to inflation and the cost-of-living crisis, with my brother also approaching university age. There was a lot of worry surrounding this—funding from the College allowed me to support myself day-to-day, removing this financial pressure.
My biggest concern was that if I had to work during vacations to support myself, I could not do as well as I wanted in my exams. The support I received from the student support fund has removed this burden and allowed me to concentrate on my studies.
I also had to buy a new laptop last term for my work: if I hadn’t had the grant from the College, I wouldn’t have been able to get that. I take it to lectures and it has really facilitated my engagement with my subject.
I would like to thank those who have given to student support at Magdalen. A great big thank you. I would love you to know that it has a very personal effect on the recipients. My friends and I have all benefitted in different ways. It has a personally enriching effect on people’s lives. Thank you.
To learn more about the Student Support Fund or to make a donation, please click here.