Nadine Smith will receive £3,000 a year towards her undergraduate course fees, while also getting the opportunity to gain valuable experience at the club.
Nadine Smith has been selected as the second recipient of the Portsmouth Football Club Scholarship.
The initiative – a result of the partnership between the University of Portsmouth and the football club – offered £9,000 to a student who is either the first member of their family to progress to higher education or has a household income of under £25,000.
Nadine will receive £3,000 a year towards her undergraduate course fees, while also getting the opportunity to gain valuable experience at the club.
Nadine lives two streets behind the Milton End at Fratton Park and is just starting her undergraduate degree studying graphic design at the University of Portsmouth. She accepted an unconditional offer from the University and was selected in August as the second Portsmouth FC Scholar.
It’s an amazing opportunity to be part of the scholarship. Both to learn at the University and build my skills, but to get the chance to work with the club and get that direct work experience
Nadine is the first of her family to go to University, all of who are Pompey fans. She said: “It’s an amazing opportunity to be part of the scholarship. Both to learn at the University and build my skills, but to get the chance to work with the club and get that direct work experience.
“My mum was the first person I told. She was at work when I phoned and I think she was even more excited than I was.
“Graphics is something I’ve wanted to do since joining college. I like the idea of being able to make something and be proud of it. I’m looking forward to the opportunity of learning a huge amount more skills while at University.
“Graphic design is about reputation and getting your name out there so to get to work with Portsmouth Football Club is a massive first step in my career. I applied to the University of Portsmouth as I have friends already there who said amazing things about the facilities and lecturers.”
(l-r) Portsmouth Football Club CEO Andrew Cullen, Nadine Smith and Professor Graham Galbraith, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Portsmouth.
Professor Graham Galbraith, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Portsmouth, added: “It’s exciting to welcome someone to the University and to the scholarship who’s from a family of Pompey fans and who practically lives at the club. I’m really pleased for Nadine that she’s been successful and I’m sure she’ll have a fantastic first year with the University.
“The University is all about giving young people in the city an opportunity to succeed and from that point of view it’s really exciting to be welcoming Nadine.
“The purpose of this partnership is to inspire young people and to show them that University is an option for them. It’s great to have the scholarship to support people who might be hesitant to apply due to the finances, who can then come and enjoy the experience and do fantastically well and go on to a great career.”
Portsmouth Football Club CEO Andrew Cullen added: “The scholarship constitutes a critical component of our partnership with the University. We are proud that we can work together and play our part towards raising educational aspirations within Portsmouth, with the opportunity to create exciting futures for people within our community.
“Nadine has grown up in the shadows of Fratton Park, and the award of the scholarship to someone so local makes this year even more special and just like Isobeal, we will explore opportunities for Nadine to be closely involved in one of our ongoing club projects.”
Nadine is the second recipient of the scholarship following on from Isibeal O’Carroll, who has just started her second year studying Interior Architecture and Design. Isobeal is working with the club to redesign the Victory Lounge at Fratton Park.