Welsh National College awards Cardiff students with ambassadorial role

Two Law students have recently been appointed as ambassadors for Welsh medium education by the National Welsh College, Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

Nest Jenkins and Gwenllian Owen, who are respectively in their first and second years at the School of Law and Politics, competed for the ambassadorial roles against hundreds of students across Wales who are carrying out their studies through the medium of Welsh.

Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol works with universities across the country to ensure learning opportunities for students who wish to carry out their studies in Welsh. They also provide training and funding opportunities for Welsh medium lecturers and offer undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships.

To help promote their work and the opportunities available, Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol appoint a group of ambassadors each year to represent them at universities, UCAS events and Eisteddfodau. The ambassadors also carry out presentations at schools in order to give younger pupils a taste of a Welsh medium student's life.

The choice of Welsh medium courses available to students has expanded significantly in recent years. There are currently approximately 1,000 courses for Welsh medium students across the country, along with over 150 undergraduate scholarships awarded to students annually.

The School of Law and Politics is committed to providing its students with a range of Welsh language opportunities. Modules taught in Welsh are available for all Law and Politics and International Relations students and we also offer the module, Devolution in Wales which is taught wholly through the medium of Welsh. Students can also undertake their final year dissertations through the medium of Welsh.

All of our degrees are eligible for the main Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol scholarship and Incentive Scholarships.The Law & Welsh LLB is also eligible for the prestigious William Salesbury Scholarship. The scholarships provide financial awards of up to £1000 a year, work experience, and an opportunity to take the Welsh Skills Certificate.

New ambassador Nest has taken full advantage of the opportunities offered to her by Coleg Cymraeg Cendlaethol and was the proud winner of the William Salesbury Scholarship in 2017. The closing date for Coleg Cymraeg Cendlaethol’s Incentive Scholarships is 8 May 2018, and the closing date for applications for the William Salesbury Scholarship is 20 March 2018.

Speaking of her new role, Nest said, “I am very fortunate to receive the financial support from the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol therefore being an ambassador for them is a privilege. In this upcoming year, I would like to continue with the good work of the Coleg by marketing the potential opportunities for prospective students and current students.”

Her fellow ambassador Gwenllian echoed Nest’s sentiment and said, “I feel very privileged to have been chosen to be an ambassador. I feel it is very important to use the Welsh Language as it can open so many doors for you. During my time as an ambassador I hope to promote the work of the Coleg Cymraeg. I particularly want to encourage students from non-welsh speaking families not to worry about doing a course through the medium of welsh because the Coleg Cymraeg offer you so much support.”

"Rydw i'n teimlo anrhydedd mawr o gael fy newis fel llysgennad. Rydw i’n teimlo ei bod yn bwysig iawn defnyddio eich Cymraeg gan y gall agor llawer o ddrysau i chi. Rwy'n edrych ymlaen at hyrwyddo'r gwaith arbennig mae'r Coleg yn ei wneud. Rwy'n arbennig o awyddus i annog pobl ifanc o deuluoedd di-gymraeg i beidio ag ofni dilyn cwrs yn Gymraeg achos bod y gefnogaeth sydd ar gael yn ardderchog."