Saïd Business School Receives Pershing Square Funding for Sustainable Innovation
On February 11, 2016, The Saïd Business School of the University of Oxford (Oxford Saïd) proudly announced a gift of £3.7 million in funding by the Pershing Square Foundation (the Foundation).
The gift will allow for five scholarships that will cover living expenses and tuition for students enrolled in Oxford Saïd’s 1+1 MBA Program.
The 1+1 Program allows students to earn a Master of Science degree from one of Oxford’s twenty-eight programs, in addition to the Saïd MBA. The Pershing Square Foundation originally endowed Oxford with £4.5 million, which the university matched. The scholarship is now at £13.4 million, and the Foundation is calling for applications from students across the world.
The Oxford Pershing Square Graduate Scholarship aims to create the next generation of social entrepreneurs. Recent scholars who received Foundation funding have embarked upon projects which aim to address such varied global issues as the need for potable water and medical care in distressed areas in Africa; the implementation of educational programs to improve sanitation in India; and research for developing inventive drug therapies for cardiac disease.
Tarun Varma is a 2015-2016 Oxford Pershing Scholar. Varma notes the power of the 1+1 Program – “The MSc Child Development and Education, followed by the MBA provides a rare opportunity to focus on solving the real world challenge of early years education… Oxford Saïd and The Pershing Square Foundation have nurtured my dream to have a high impact career in education and pushed me to think big as I seek to address long term change. I know my two years here are seminal to what will follow.”
Pershing Scholars also gain invaluable mentorship opportunities from innovators as part of this prestigious award.
About the Author
Maggie Boccella
Maggie Boccella, a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, is a freelance writer, artist and photographer. She has consulted on various film and multimedia projects, and she also serves as a juror for the city's annual LGBTQIA Film Festival.
