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  • - Gareth Pierce Bursary Scheme

Gareth Pierce Bursary Scheme

In honour of our former Chief Executive, we launched the Gareth Pierce Bursary in 2022 to support undergraduate students studying Mathematics through the medium of Welsh. 

 

The bursary scheme supports 3 students annually and is administered through the kind support of Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

Honouring Gareth Pierce’s legacy

 

Gareth worked tirelessly to support learners from across Wales throughout his career, including during his time at both WJEC and Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. Gareth sadly passed away in 2021, and this bursary has been established as a small testament to his legacy. 

Criteria

 

Under the scheme, 3 bursaries of £3,000 per year are given to each student who is studying Mathematics through the medium of Welsh and are also eligible for a means tested student loan. As the funds they receive are a grant, this is non-repayable, reducing the financial burden on students. The scheme opened for students who commenced their studies from September 2022 and applications run annually. 

 

Make an application 

 

Further details on how the scheme will work and how to make an application are available via the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol website. 

Third round of recipients for the Gareth Pierce Bursary announced

Three promising Welsh students have been awarded bursaries as part of our Gareth Pierce Bursary Scheme. 

Iwan Rhys Bryer a Siôn ap Llwyd Dafydd from Cardiff University and Jacob Matthew Redmond from Aberystwyth University, are the three students who will receive a bursary of £3,000 each in memory of our former Chief Executive, Gareth Pierce. 

Commenting on the students’ achievement, Ian Morgan, WJEC Chief Executive: "The Gareth Pierce bursary is now in its third year, and its growing popularity reflects Gareth's passion for Mathematics and learning through the medium of Welsh. 

'On behalf of WJEC, I would like to congratulate Jacob, Iwan and Siôn, who have been awarded this prestigious bursary. We wish them the very best in their studies, and hope the bursary enables them to thrive in their respective courses." 

The bursary scheme was launched in 2022 and aims to support undergraduate students studying Mathematics through the medium of Welsh. The bursary scheme supports 3 students annually and is administered through the kind support of Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. 

Dr. Ioan Matthews, Chief Executive of Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol said: 

"On behalf of the College, I would like to congratulate Iwan, Siôn and Jacob on winning the Gareth Pierce Bursary this year. It is a privilege to support this bursary in memory of a friend, colleague and influential figure who made a key contribution to the College and the field of education in Wales more widely. We are extremely grateful to Gareth's family and also to WJEC for their support. We wish the students every success in the future." 

The recipients  

Iwan Rhys Bryer from Llanarthney, Carmarthenshire, is very proud that he can study part of his course through the medium of Welsh at Cardiff University in order to appeal to employers who desire bilingual skills, he said: 

"It is very important that I can study Mathematics through the medium of Welsh so I can build terminology and expertise in both languages. I am grateful to my teachers at Ysgol Bro Myrddin for inspiring me to study Mathematics at university, and to WJEC and the Coleg Cymraeg for the support." 

Siôn ap Llwyd Dafydd from Ffos y Gerddinen near Caerphilly has been passionate about Mathematics since he was a young child when he started solving puzzles. He said: 

“I love studying Mathematics at Cardiff University and I am looking forward to being a Mathematics teacher or lecturer in the future. It was very important for me to continue with my Welsh-medium education at university after leaving school because Welsh is my first language." 

Jacob Matthew Redmond from Cardiff was delighted to hear that he had won the bursary to study Mathematics at Aberystwyth University. He said: 

“I enjoy living in Aberystwyth, and the course so far is excellent. I am very grateful to the College and to WJEC for the bursary. In the future, I hope to work through the medium of Welsh in my community in the financial sector." 
Make an application 

As part of the scheme, 3 bursaries of £3,000 per year are given to each student studying Mathematics through the medium of Welsh and are also eligible for a means-tested student loan. As the funds they receive are a grant, this is non-repayable, reducing the financial burden on students. The scheme runs annually, and applications can be made from the Spring term.

Further details on how the scheme will work are  available via the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. 

Further Information / Media Enquiries:

Jonathan Thomas
PR and Brand Manager 
jonathan.thomas@wjec.co.uk 
029 2026 5102 
Second round of recipients for the Gareth Pierce Bursary announced

Three promising Welsh students have been awarded a second round of bursaries as part of our Gareth Pierce Bursary Scheme.

Efa Maher and Steffan Môn from Cardiff University and Elen Davies from Aberystwyth University, are the three students who will receive a bursary of £3,000 each in memory of our former Chief Executive, Gareth Pierce.

Commenting on the students achievement is Ian Morgan, WJEC Chief Executive: "On behalf of WJEC I would like to congratulate Efa, Elen and Steffan, the second group to receive the prestigious Gareth Pierce bursary. The popularity of Gareth's bursary continues to grow and reflects his passion for Maths and learning through the medium of Welsh.

‘Good luck to the students with their studies, and I hope the bursary means they can thrive in their respective courses."

The bursary scheme was launched in 2022 and aims to support undergraduate students studying Mathematics through the medium of Welsh. The bursary scheme supports 3 students annually and is administered through the kind support of Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

The recipients

Efa Maher from Newport is passionate about the Welsh language and is delighted to be able to study a third of her 'Mathematics, Operational Research and Statistics' course through the medium of Welsh at Cardiff University. She said:

"Studying through the medium of Welsh is incredibly important to me, not only in preserving and maintaining my linguistic skills, but also in terms of my identity. Maths, as a subject offers wide career possibilities, so building terminology in both languages, will be useful when I work in the field in the future. I am very grateful to WJEC and the Coleg Cymraeg for this bursary."

Steffan Môn, 28, from Cardiff, became interested in Mathematics as an adult after watching YouTube videos and reading books on the subject in his spare time.

Steffan commented: "I was afraid of Maths at school, but in recent years I re-visited the subject and realised how much I love it. I gained my A level in Maths through the Open University last year, and I’m now studying Maths at university. Following my degree I hope to go on to study a doctorate to become a Welsh-medium Mathematics lecturer in the future. I hope my story helps others to demonstrate not everyone shows aptitude in a subject at school, or is ready for university straight after school. There are no boundaries or timetable to education, it's a lifelong act. I'm very grateful to WJEC and the Coleg Cymraeg for the bursary."

Elen Davies from Neath was delighted to hear that she had won the bursary, and is grateful to her teacher at primary school, Ysgol Gymraeg Ystalyfera, for developing her interest in Mathematics.

Talking about her studies and the bursary, Elen said: "My interest in Maths started at a very young age thanks to the enthusiasm and creativity of my teacher who treated the subject like artwork. It is a privilege to study Maths at university and to receive Gareth Pierce's bursary. I love the course, and look forward to working as a Maths teacher in the future."

Make an application

As part of the scheme, 3 bursaries of £3,000 per year are given to each student who is studying Mathematics through the medium of Welsh and are also eligible for a means tested student loan. As the funds they receive are a grant, this is non-repayable, reducing the financial burden on students. The scheme runs annually, and applications can be made from the Spring term.

Further details on how the scheme will work is available via the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. 

Further Information / Media Enquiries:

Jonathan Thomas
PR and Brand Manager
jonathan.thomas@wjec.co.uk
029 2026 5102

First recipients of the Gareth Pierce Bursary Scheme announced

Three promising Welsh students have been awarded bursaries as part of our Gareth Pierce Bursary Scheme.

Lowri Haf Davies of Aberystwyth University, Taylor-James Daughton of Aberystwyth University, and Alys Ffion Chisholm of Cardiff University will receive a bursary of £3,000 each in memory of our former Chief Executive, Gareth Pierce.

Commenting on the announcement is Ian Morgan, WJEC Chief Executive, “"On behalf of WJEC I would like to congratulate Lowri, Taylor-James and Alys, who are the first recipients of the Gareth Pierce bursary. Gareth was a significant figure within the Welsh education landscape, and this bursary is a testament to his passion for Mathematics and learning through the medium of Welsh.

We wish the students the very best in their studies, and hope the bursary will enable them to flourish in their respective courses."

The bursary scheme was launched in 2022 and aims to support undergraduate students studying Mathematics through the medium of Welsh. The bursary scheme supports 3 students annually and is administered through the kind support of Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

Supporting undergraduate learning

Taylor-James, from Barry, hopes to work as a Mathematics teacher in the future, and is delighted to win the bursary in a subject he loves to study. He said:

"I really appreciate the bursary, and am grateful to WJEC and the Coleg Cymraeg for the recognition and funding. I'm happy that I can study Mathematics, which is such a useful, current, and interesting subject through my mother tongue. I look forward to working as a teacher in the future to share my passion for Mathematics and inspire the next generation to choose to study the subject through the medium of Welsh."

Lowri Haf Davies from Nantgaredig was delighted to hear that she had won the bursary, and grateful to her secondary school for encouraging her to study Mathematics at university:

"It is a privilege to receive the Gareth Pierce bursary, and I will be using the money to purchase books that will help me on my course. I love the course at Aberystwyth University and am grateful to the Mathematics department at Ysgol Bro Myrddin because that's where my interest in the field began. I hope to have a career in statistics in the future."

Alys Chisholm, from Caernarfon, said, "It is an honour to receive this new bursary in the name of Gareth Pierce, an important figure in Welsh-medium education in Wales. I'm very grateful to WJEC and the Coleg Cymraeg for the funding that will be very helpful and facilitate my time at university over the next few years."

Gareth Pierce Bursary Recipients

Make an application

As part of the scheme, 3 bursaries of £3,000 per year are given to each student who is studying Mathematics through the medium of Welsh and are also eligible for a means tested student loan. As the funds they receive are a grant, this is non-repayable, reducing the financial burden on students. The scheme runs annually, and applications can be made from the Spring term.

Further details on how the scheme will work is available via the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. 

Further Information / Media Enquiries:

Jonathan Thomas
PR and Brand Manager
jonathan.thomas@wjec.co.uk
029 2026 5102