Alessio Di Vito: From Scholarships to the SU
The University of West London is proud to offer over 50 scholarships and bursaries, provided by donors and used to financially aid our students. With a little help, these dedicated scholars can go on to achieve all sorts of wonderful things. To prove this point, we sat down with Alessio Di Vito, recipient of the Cathie Wallace Bursary and current Vice President of Education at the UWL Student's Union.
Why did you choose to study at UWL?
I had applied for different universities and none of them offered me a place. My grades for A level equivalent were not great and I did not have a formal qualification in English. But UWL believed in me from the start. They offered me a conditional place with a foundation year and gave me plenty of opportunities to develop.
How did your scholarship help you achieve your dreams at UWL?
The scholarship helped me to achieve my full potential both academically and professionally. Rather than working during the weekend in restaurants and bars, I could focus on my dissertation and achieve an excellent mark (82)! I was also able to have more time to run for my current position and explore postgraduate options.
Tell us about your current role as Vice-President of Education?
As the Vice President of Education, my main priorities are making sure students’ academic experience is the best that it could possibly be, and students are provided with opportunities to develop in their chosen career.
Why did you go for this role? What attracted you to the SU?
Since I received so much support and opportunities both from the Students’ Union and UWL, now I want every single student to receive the same empowering experience I did. I have been volunteering from 2017 with the SU as a course representative and then became the school representative for Human and Social Sciences. The chance to have a positive impact on other students and the opportunities to develop are the main reason that I went for the role.
Tell us a little about your master’s course.
I started my MSc in Health Psychology part-time in the middle of the pandemic (September 2020), but I am glad I decided to go
for it. UWL taught me that we never stop to learn, so I want to continue my academic journey. In my dissertation study, I am currently investigating the effect that smartphone exposure has on different measures related to both physical and mental health.
You said you’ve done lots of volunteering and mentoring, tell us about that.
I have been a peer mentor from 2017, it has been a great experience and I just saw 2 of my mentees graduating in July 2021! Not only I had the opportunity to help them and make a real difference to their academic journey, but I also built solid relationships with them. I was very glad to win the award of peer mentor of the year in 2018-2019.
What advice would you give to students and recent alumni?
My advice to current students is get involved with opportunities as much as you can – from mentoring and volunteering to course representatives to societies! It is crucial learning from theory, but I would not be the person I am today if I had not engaged with the SU and the other developmental activities offered by UWL. My advice to alumni is keep engaging with UWL – they will not forget about you once you have graduated! You get life support from services such as career and access to building and facilities.
If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, or donating towards a scholarship and supporting our students, please get in touch with us at alumni@uwl.ac.uk