Never give up on your dreams by Fariha Anwar

There are dreams that you pursue; and then there are dreams that pursue you, stubbornly cling to you, take hold of you, find a home in your heart, and refuse to let go. For me, studying in the UK had become such a dream. 

 I looked at my laptop screen  - reading through the University of Oxford MBA programme webpage for what felt like the hundredth time. The course outline fascinated me; it was perfectly tailored to my future ambitions. The eligibility requirements seemed like they were describing me: People with intellectual curiosity, leadership experience, and a passion for a purposeful career. And yet I was hesitant to apply.

 For the past seven years, I had been trying to do a master’s degree at any reputed university in the United Kingdom. I was working as an ecosystem-builder in the social enterprise sector of Pakistan during that time, and the UK’s strong social enterprise ecosystem always attracted me. I applied to several relevant courses in the UK over the course of those 7 years. I got into almost every university I applied to, including many top-ranking universities. However, I failed to go every time: This is because I never had enough resources to fund my studies.

 A master’s degree in the UK costs a hefty sum of money for international students. The steep exchange rate between my local currency and the British pound further exacerbated these costs. Coming from a modest background, I had often relied on scholarships to fund my studies. Even though I had been working for quite some time, my income was merely a fraction of what it costs to go to the UK. There are no education loans offered in my country as well. So gathering the required resources for master’s was next to impossible. I needed a scholarship, and a full one. I started searching avidly for scholarship programmes in the UK and applied to every single programme I came across. I faced some fifteen rejections during those seven years. Many times, I would get shortlisted, but always failed to make the final cut.

Needless to say, it was very demotivating. I was constantly switching between hope and despair. It was tiring and draining. As time went by, it became more and more difficult to stay hopeful.

 As I read through the Oxford MBA programme information, I was gripped with anxiety and uncertainty: I was eyeing one of the most coveted degrees at one of the very best institutions in the world. It felt too far-fetched, too unattainable, too idealistic. And I didn’t just have to secure admission; I had to earn a full scholarship too in order to be able to attend. The application process itself was extensive and demanding. I had to decide if I was willing to put myself through all that trouble for a very meagre chance at success. Ultimately, it was the dream nested inside of me that made the choice.

I applied for the Oxford MBA programme in the third stage (before the January deadline). There are a number of funding opportunities available for students that you have to apply for at the time of your programme application (although you are considered for those scholarships only after you have secured admission into the programme). I applied for the two full scholarships that I was eligible for, one of which was the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust Scholarship. I went through the organization’s website before applying and was excited to see that they select a very diverse group of scholars and not just provide them with funding but also with a leadership training programme. 

 I was used to working on scholarship applications. In fact, these applications had become a kind of annual ritual for me to reflect on my career progress. For Oxford, I worked harder; I went through every word on the website to get a thorough understanding of the selection criteria; I then highlighted all of my strengths that matched that criteria with evidence from my professional experience; I ensured my application focused on one major goal that I have been working towards and that I intend to further through my studies; I detailed all the ways that the programme was going to help me achieve my goal; I also critiqued some of the theoretical literature about my field and explained how I would contribute to bringing the theory of social enterprise up to speed with its practice; I made sure I didn’t hold back.

 I didn’t celebrate when I got the admission offer from Said Business School. I didn’t even share the news with my family. Disheartened by my previous unsuccessful attempts, I thought Oxford would become yet another university that I wouldn’t be able to attend despite getting acceptance. But just two weeks after I got my offer, I got an interview call from the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust. During my virtual interview with the WHT selection panel, I felt it was different from my other scholarship interviews. I was asked in detail about my leadership initiatives, my current responsibilities at work, how the programme will benefit me (not just the MBA programme, but their leadership programme too), and what I intend to do after my master’s. The interviewers seemed impressed with all the work I have been able to do and the insights I have gained through that. A week later, I got my scholarship offer.

I still remember the moment I saw the blessed email. It felt like going through a slow-motion moment from a movie. I felt the earth move around me. I had to grab my table for support. I couldn’t believe I had finally made it. That was it! I was going to Oxford!

 I am proud of many things that I was able to accomplish in life. But the one achievement that I cherish the most was keeping the dream alive. Many times in life, refusing to give up hope is the hardest thing to do; But that is when it is the most critical too. We have to let our decisions be guided by our hopes - not our fears. Not allowing myself to give up even after repeated failures was ultimately what landed me such a life-changing opportunity. In hindsight, this turned out to be a much superior opportunity than all the ones I had missed earlier.

I had since often wondered why the WHT considered me worthy of this huge investment of time and money. After being here for 3 months, I think I have an idea why that was so: WHT does not look for perfection; it looks for authenticity. It doesn’t only see your list of accomplishments; It also takes into account your struggles. It doesn’t only consider excellence; It values passion too. I guess it was because of this that the organization decided to open the door of such a massive opportunity for me. I am humbled and honoured to be a part of this distinguished scholarship programme. I hope I am able to make it count. I also hope I get to pay back the kindness and generosity I have received through WHT and also pay it forward.