Share on social
Content warning: please be advised that this page contains references to suicide
We are pleased to announce the creation of the Rose Jessica-Maia Bursary in honour and memory of Rose Jessica-Maia, who would have been twenty-one years old today. You can read Rose’s story, from Kaye, her mum, below.
The Rose Jessica-Maia Bursary will enable one new Masters student each year who has experienced or is experiencing mental health difficulties to have half their fees paid for them, and will be open to students on the following MSc courses: Sustainable Food and Natural Resources, Sustainability and Ecology and Sustainability and Behaviour Change.
Applications to the bursary will open on 1 February 2021. For more details on how to apply please visit our Fees and Funding page.
From Kaye Chambers, Rose’s mum:
“This bursary has been created to celebrate the life of my daughter Rose who died in 2018 aged 18. CAT has been a part of my families’ life since I first visited in 1980, and Rose’s last visit was in 2015 when we came to the “Small is Beautiful” conference.
Rose was a loving, empathic person, passionate about animal welfare, the environment, being vegan and supporting lgbqt rights, and someone who had the capacity to be alongside anyone who was struggling. She was a gifted musician and was awarded a music scholarship for secondary school. At 16 she was offered a place at UWC Atlantic College for sixth form.
During her life she experienced many difficulties which led to her experiencing mental health problems as a teenager, and parts of the last two and a half years of her life were incredibly hard. Despite overcoming many problems, getting a job, learning to drive, and setting up her own home in a converted shipping container in a field, she sadly made the decision to end her life on 1st May 2018. She had almost always worn a smile, choosing to share her difficulties with just a few close friends, so her death came as a great shock to most who knew her.
I hope this bursary will enable others who have experienced mental health difficulties to study at CAT and go out into the world and contribute in a way in which Rose no longer can.”
When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Learn more about our postgraduate courses and sign up for our emails to stay up-to-date on all the latest news.