Almost forty elite students awarded grants from the University of Iceland
Thirty-seven new students at the University of Iceland, coming from 15 upper secondary schools across the country, were awarded grants from the Student Achievement and Incentive Fund in a ceremony in the Aula yesterday. The recipients come from 15 different upper secondary schools across Iceland and are now starting on almost 30 different study programmes.
The award ceremony took place in the University of Iceland's Aula for the second time. Only the grant recipients, rector and the fund's board were invited to attend in order to comply with the restrictions on mass gatherings set by the public health authorities. However, the ceremony was live streamed for the students' families and anyone else who wanted to watch.
This is the 14th time grants are allocated from the Student Achievement and Incentive Fund to new students with outstanding grades in their Icelandic matriculation examination and excellent track records in other areas, such as art, sport, or student organisations. Among the grant recipients are also students who had shown incredible tenacity and resilience and had achieved highly in their studies despite very difficult circumstances.
They come from 15 different upper secondary schools across Iceland and are now starting on 28 different study programmes across all five schools at the University of Iceland. The group includes 14 people who have been valedictorian or salutatorian at their schools in recent semesters.
The first grants from the University of Iceland Student Achievement and Incentive Fund were awarded in 2008 – since then, almost 400 new students have received a grant. Each grant is ISK 375,000, with a total sum of almost ISK 14 million awarded.
The grant recipients are: Aníta Lind Hlynsdóttir, Anna Elísabet Stark, Arnór Daði Rafnsson, Auðun Bergsson, Áróra Friðriksdóttir, Berenika Bernat, Berglind Bjarnadóttir, Bragi Þorvaldsson, Daníel Hreggviðsson, Elín Kolfinna Árnadóttir, Embla Rún Halldórsdóttir, Eva Bryndís Ágústsdóttir, Freydís Xuan Li Hansdóttir, Guðríður Ósk Þórisdóttir, Hafrún Alexia Ægisdóttir, Hilmir Vilberg Arnarsson, Ingibjörg Halla Ólafsdóttir, Ingunn Ósk Grétarsdóttir, Jón Valur Björnsson, Kjartan Óli Ágústsson, Kolbrún Sara Haraldsdóttir, Kristján Bjarni Rossel Indriðason, María Tinna Hauksdóttir, Ragnheiður María Benediktsdóttir, Ragnhildur Björt Björnsdóttir, Ragnhildur Elín Skúladóttir, Rakel María Ellingsen Óttarsdóttir, Rakel Rún Eyjólfsdóttir, Sigrún Meng Ólafardóttir, Sindri Bernholt, Steinunn Kristín Guðnadóttir, Thelma Lind Hinriksdóttir, Tinna Rúnarsdóttir, Tómas Helgi Harðarson, Trausti Lúkas Adamsson, Uloma Lisbet Rós Osuala and Weronika Klaudia Wdowiak.
Grants from the University of Iceland Student Achievement and Incentive Fund are awarded with support from the University of Iceland Centennial Fund and the University of Iceland Lottery. The board of the University of Iceland Student Achievement and Incentive Fund comprises: Róbert Haraldsson, professor and Director of the Division of Academic Affairs and chair of the board; Ólafur Pétur Pálsson, professor at the Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, and Guðbjörg Vilhjálmsdóttir, professor at the Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics.
Further information on the grant recipients (in Icelandic).
Photos from the ceremony.
