Nicole Jean-Louis

Attended the University of Bristol and graduated in 2022, having held a Beacon Scholarship for three years. Nicole, from Kenya, was then awarded a ‘Think Big’ Scholarship to undertake an MSc Education (Policy & International Development), also at the University of Bristol, graduating in November 2023. Following the completion of her master’s degree, Nicole co-hosts an education podcast, and works as an Education and Secondary Coordinator for the higher education social mobility charity ‘IntoUniversity’, based in East London.

Nicole graduated with a First-Class Honours degree in Education Studies, achieving 92% in her final year Undergraduate dissertation and an overall distinction in her MSc in Education. During her final year at Bristol, she wrote a report in collaboration with one of her professors and members of the decolSPAIS group which explored ‘The core tenets of a decolonial higher education’ and was published online, with a follow-up Q&A session at Bath Spa University. She also helped to co-write a chapter in a book with a lecturer at the University and won £200 at the ‘Festival of Research’ where she presented her summative research topic about the manifestation of creativity in the Kenyan curriculum.

She played hockey during her time at University, where in her final year her team won their league; Nicole was voted ‘player of the match’ in the final game.

As part of her citizenship project, she fundraised and successfully had hockey equipment donated and shipped to Njoro High School for girls in Kenya where she implemented a hockey camp. Nicole additionally used this project to educate people and combat stereotypes about her country, as well as discuss the challenges the young girls faced