George Kokonya

19 years old, from Kenya, attending Cardiff University, UK.

19 years old, attending Cardiff University, UK. George was awarded a Beacon Scholarship for University in May 2024.

George is studying towards an BEng in Mechanical Engineering. Committed to getting the most from his studies, he leads initiatives such as peer study groups to discuss topics and share revision strategies and has been developing his understanding of Python. He is part of the Engineering, Formula One and Maths Societies to further deepen his academic knowledge and understanding, and helped build a working surgical robot prototype for the Engineering Showcase.

George participates in a range of activities in Cardiff. He enjoys health and fitness related activities, including gym work and weekly runs with fellow students, where he has strived to see his running pace improve. He is also an active member of the African Caribbean Society. Independent living has seen him master several new recipes to add variety to his diet.

George is active in university life and has been elected Treasurer of the Engineering Society; he credits the Beacon workshops and Moodle courses for giving him the confidence to take on this role.  Keen to develop his communication skills, he has also completed an online Public Speaking course which helped him to effectively plan and improve his delivery.

For his Citizenship, George is involved with two volunteering projects: a project to clean up Cardiff’s rivers and beaches and an anti-bullying scheme.  Having completed all the necessary training, he is also now a Peer Mentor and follows the principles of active listening and empathy in this role. He stays in touch with home by remotely co-ordinating a project to collect books for a rural primary school in Kenya.

Beacon Workshops

In workshops, George demonstrates active engagement and is a valuable team member. His confidence has developed markedly over the course of his first year as a Beacon Scholar.

Beacon Summer Citizenship Project

George’s Summer Citizenship Project was called ‘Strong Minds, Bright Futures!’ and focused on teaching mental health awareness and emotional well-being to children in local schools to help them develop healthy emotional habits early in life.