Mariam Issimdar
BBC News, Cambridgeshire
Louis Browne
Stormzy with his Cambridge University scholarship students; (from far left) Destiny Charles, Drew Chateau and Di’Mario Downer
The music artist Stormzy said he was “really proud” of the 56 students he has helped financially to study at Cambridge University.
Stormzy, whose real name is Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr, launched the Stormzy Scholarship in 2018, which funds black UK students to study at the university.
The 32-year-old recently received an honorary Doctorate in Law from Cambridge for his programme.
Speaking to the BBC’s One Show about the students, he said: “I’m just really proud of them. Hopefully in 10, 20, 30, 40 years I’ll hear a story about someone who cured this disease or someone who pioneered in this field, and they’re like, actually, they had the Stormzy scholarship all those years ago.”
PA Media
Stormzy was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Law at Cambridge University in June
So far, 56 students have benefited from full tuition and maintenance support, backed by his #Merky Foundation and HSBC UK.
When he launched the scheme, Stormzy said: “It’s so important for black students, especially, to be aware that it can 100% be an option to attend a university of this calibre.”
When explaining why the scholarship programme was important to him, he said: “When I first done this scholarship I didn’t want to meet the students.
“I didn’t want the students to feel like they owed me anything. But to actually sit down to talk to them, hear their stories, and you’re like, damn, this is real.
“A lot of them say openly they wouldn’t have applied without the scholarship being there.”
BBC One Show
Stormzy hopes the students he has supported will go on to make great changes to the world
Destiny Charles, who recently completed her final year in human, social and political sciences at Cambridge University was supported by a Stormzy scholarship.
She said the financial help has been immense: “I’ve had a lot of difficulties growing up. Finances, immigration, things just weren’t in our favour. My mum was unable to work, my dad passed away in 2021.”
She said the scholarship helped “even the odds, so you can be on an even playing field with everyone else”.
Not having to worry about money was also huge help for theology student Di’Mario Downer.
He said: “I’m the eldest of five and my mum is a single parent, so I think if I didn’t have the support, I think a lot of the opportunities I’ve had in Cambridge would have been closed to me.
“It’s enabled me to be a normal student and do what I’m here for, which is to study.”
He said that Stormzy deciding to fund the scholarships showed the artist “cares about community, cares about giving back to where he came from and lifting others up too”.
One of the first recipients of a scholarship, Drew Chateau, is now working as a solicitor.
Her family struggled financially and they were often homeless. The idea of studying at Cambridge University had felt “like a place that was not for her”.
She said of the financial support, “I think, if I didn’t have that, I question if I would have even manage to complete my university degree”.
BBC One Show
Stormzy’s mother Abigail Akweley said she was particularly proud of her son’s honorary degree
Stormzy’s mother Abigail Akweley attended her son’s degree ceremony in June.
She said this achievement was “the greatest one. [It’s] Cambridge.”
“If you see me crying, it’s tears of joy,” she added.
When speaking about the doctorate, Stormzy said: “This is such a full circle from someone who wanted to go to Cambridge, ended up being a musician, and to work with the university, being recognised and honoured in this way, it’s like, it’s perfect.”