All-Rounder Wins Prestigious Girdlers’ Scholarship

Maria English is looking forward to being challenged by the wide range of views she will encounter when studying for a degree in Politics, Psychology and Sociology (PPS) at Cambridge University later this year.

The 18-year-old former head girl and sacristan at Wellington’s Samuel Marsden College, world champion debater and current University of Otago student has won the Girdlers’ Scholarship to study at Cambridge’s Corpus Christi College.  She is the 46th recipient of the scholarship and the first to study for the PPS degree.

Administered by the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee (NZVCC), the Girdlers’ Scholarship is funded by the Worshipful Company of Girdlers which traces its foundation back to medieval times as a craftsmen’s guild.  The award, worth £25,000 per annum, is offered to one New Zealand “all-rounder” each year. 

Maria consistently performed at the top of her year level across all subjects at Marsden and her Cambridge AS English Literature mark of 99% earned her a “top of the world” award. 

She captained the NZ Secondary Schools Debating team which won the world championships last year and was ranked 2nd best student debater in the world in the process.

Maria has a passion for music, leading the alto section of the NZ Secondary Students’ Choir and regularly arranging, accompanying and leading music activities during her time at Marsden.

She is also a keen athlete, she was Wellington representative netball player for five years, and played lead roles in several school productions.

Maria sees Cambridge as a global meeting point of academic excellence, tradition and cultural diversity.  “Before I can think about helping other New Zealanders, I need to learn how to think for myself.  A Cambridge education will teach me how to do that,” she says.