Recognizing Motivation: The QS Motivation Scholarship Winner

Twice a year, QS selects five business school students who have made a significant difference to a community to receive QS Community Scholarships. This year, amidst strong competition, one applicant stood out – prompting QS to introduce a new award, the QS Motivation Scholarship.

While Sofia de Sousa e Silva did not have the record of voluntary experience required to make her eligible for a Community Scholarship, her high levels of motivation and passion for helping others really caught the scholarship committees’ attention. As a result, the decision was made to offer this unique scholarship, in recognition of exceptional motivation.

Like the Community Scholarships, the QS Motivation Scholarship is worth US$2,000. Find out how Sofia impressed the committee, and how she plans to put her business school experience to use in future.

Scholarship winner: Sofia de Sousa e Silva

Business school: HULT Business School

Nationality: Portuguese

The winning factor: Sofia grew up in a neighborhood where career progression through education was not widely available, or appreciated. After becoming a mother at the age of 24, Sofia took three years out of college, but later returned to graduate and enter a career in the banking sector. Through her profession, Sofia has regular opportunities to interact with people in need of financial advice, which has increased her determination and motivation to continue with her studies in order to be able to help more people in the future.

For Sofia, giving back to her community means helping every single person, whether family, friends or strangers. She says, “'I feel that it's very important to give back to the community because community means our neighbors. It's a bond that can be created and that gives true meaning to the word ‘community’.”