“I owe a debt of gratitude to Kent that I doubt I will ever be able to repay. With a history of drug addiction and a criminal record behind me, Kent saw through it all to see my potential when they offered me a BA in Criminology and Cultural Studies as a mature student in 2011. I found how much I loved learning – I can remember coming out of a lecture absolutely overwhelmed by what I’d just heard. I felt, for the first time ever, that I was engaged in the world and the feeling of engagement has really increased my sense of self-worth and esteem.
Through a combination of hard work and unconditional support from University staff, I achieved first class honours and went on to study for an LLM in Criminal Justice and Human Rights.
I was delighted to be awarded the Alumni Postgraduate Research Scholarship to pursue a PhD in Criminology. My research addresses the legal regulation of online sex work. To my knowledge, there is very little research about how the internet has transformed prostitution, and none on the legal regulation of internet-based sex work. To all who support the Scholarship: you are giving people like me, who have had little opportunity to thrive, the chance of a new life.”
Rachel Stewart, Alumni Postgraduate Scholar