An international oil and gas executive originally from Iraq who studied in Wrexham in the 1950s has made a significant donation towards a new fund to help talented students achieve their career ambitions.
Waleed Jazrawi left his home as a teenager to study at Denbighshire Technical College – now Glyndŵr University – thanks to a scholarship from the Iraq Government.
And in recognition of the opportunities which he believes the scholarship and his time at the institution provided, he has handed over cash to the university’s alumni fund.
Waleed achieved A-Levels in Wrexham before studying at the University of Birmingham and settling in Canada, where he became an executive with Imperial Oil Ltd./Exxon and later president of Canadian Occidental Petroleum Yemen operation.
His cash donations will be used to support Glyndŵr University’s scholarship fund, set up to provide financial support to high achievers and those from poorer backgrounds.
Waleed said: “I’ve seen the benefits which scholarships have provided throughout my education and working life and I’m proud to be supporting Glyndŵr University’s current initiative.
“The scholarship provided by the Iraqi Government allowed me to pursue an excellent education and start my career. At one of the companies I later worked for in Yemen we provided financial assistance to send 20 students to study in Canada every year.
“Scholarship schemes are tremendous vehicles for driving social and economic improvement and I’m sure this will be the case with Glyndŵr University’s too.”
Waleed is now 76 and still runs his own international management consultancy firm specialising in oil and gas operations, Jazrawi & Associates Inc.
He lived in a student hostel on Grosvenor Road while studying in Wrexham and still has friends in the town today.
“I was only 17 when I arrived in Wrexham but my first impression of the town to this day is how warm, gracious and friendly the people here were,” he added.
“I was away from home for the first time, away from my family and in unfamiliar surroundings and I’ll never forget the number of times I was invited for dinner to people’s homes, or the fantastic choirs which they had here. Wrexham was also the place where I bought my first motorbike.”
The new scholarship fund at Glyndŵr University will see the institution offer students with strong potential who enrol in September the chance to secure one of 50 scholarships worth £1000 each.
Up to £19,000 has already been raised towards a target of £50,000 for the Glyndŵr Scholarship Fund, with University Fellow Dr Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, among those donating to the scheme.
Jemma Kinch, alumni fundraising officer for Glyndŵr University, said: “We are extremely grateful for Waleed’s donations to the scholarship fund which will provide a fantastic boost to help students achieve to the best of their abilities here.”
Excellence Scholarships will be awarded in each of the university’s subject areas to applicants with the highest UCAS points tariff.
In line with its commitment to being an institution which is open to all, students who join Glyndŵr University from alternative routes that do not attract UCAS points could be eligible to receive the Widening Access Scholarship.
The scholarship is a one-off £1000 payment which will be made during the first year of study once they’ve enrolled. Students can receive only one of the two scholarships.
Contact Glyndŵr University’s fundraising team via email: [email protected]
