Exeter Law student shortlisted for Stephen Lawrence scholarship

Roye Aguilar is a mature student who is embracing his new life in Exeter, through his involvement in the Community Legal Helpdesk at Exeter Court and as the initiator and first president of the newly formed Mature Student Society. Aguilar’s motivating force to study Law was driven by his attempts to gain access to his children, having gone through the family law courts for many years. 

The University of Exeter’s Law School put Aguilar forward as a potential candidate for the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship. In competition with universities from across the UK he managed to illustrate his skills, ability and passion at a recent Open Day. Although his entry to university wasn’t a typical route, starting life without any formal qualifications having been expelled from schools in Hackney, London where he grew up, he later completed an access course at a college in Bristol. This resulted is distinctions in all the subject areas and he had offers from five universities to study Law.

Aguilar said: “I was surprised that at the age of 36 I was enrolled onto a Law degree, in my first few lectures I used to just stare at the words University of Exeter as it hadn’t quite sunk in. My type of childhood and background didn’t lend itself to going into further education. I often felt as a young mixed race male growing up in London, that I was viewed and often treated as a number in a system, making up a statistic. Now I feel that I have proven to myself and others that I have the ability to succeed in a well-regarded profession.”

The scholarships seek to provide an unprecedented opportunity for up to four successful candidates annually to receive practical support to help them secure a career in law. It will include funding, mentoring and training, the opportunity to spend time at the firm during university holidays and a guaranteed interview for a training contract.

He added: “The experience getting onto and being at the international law firm’s scholarship assessment day has already opened my eyes to the possibilities of other areas of law in addition to Family Law. The process of meeting the lawyers and viewing the world from that vantage point has already spurred me on and meeting Doreen Lawrence was a humbling experience. All of this combined re-enforced my belief in myself and the purpose of and my interest in pursuing law. I hope that I can be one of the four law students who will have the opportunity to shine on the scholarship programme.”

University of Exeter associate professor Sue Prince explained why she thinks that Aguilar is a good candidate. She said: ”We nominated Roye because he has displayed enthusiasm in both his studies and wider community engagement through the law clinic we run at the Court.”

Next year Aguilar seeks to be a mentor to fellow students, especially those whose route into university has been similar to his own.  

The outcome of the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship will be announced in June, following the Assessment Centre in London.