SaSkCo Scholarships
SaSkCo Scholarships are awarded to male and female student athletes who have aspirations of competing at an Olympic Games, enabling recipients to balance the demands of training and competing in international-level sport with the time commitments of studying for a degree at a Russell Group university. Exeter is a top ranked university for both sport and academia and has developed the facilities and resources to support the development of the UK’s top student athletes.
Delivered through the University of Exeter's Performance Sport programme, SaSkCo Scholarships are tailored to the needs of the individual athlete and typically provide funding towards scholars’ sporting expenses alongside a comprehensive package of support services including sport-specific coaching and elite level strength and conditioning, physiotherapy, sports psychology, and nutrition support.
SaSkCo Scholarships were founded by Exeter alumnus Simon Greenberg (History, 1990). Sport was a big part of Simon's life both professionally and personally and he created SaSkCo Scholarships (named after Simon's children) to support student athletes who have the potential to compete at an Olympic Games but who don’t receive a full support package from their sporting governing body. Simon recognised that the University is ideally equipped to support athletic development in a wide range of Olympic sports, while also supporting scholars to achieve a degree from a leading academic institution.
Simon designed SaSkCo Scholarships to support the development of deserving students to enable them to fulfil their academic and sporting potential. The University also works to ensure that scholars are able to excel in their studies, and far from their academia suffering as a result of the many hours devoted to training and competing, Sports Scholars at the University routinely graduate with a higher average degree grade than that of the overall student body.
Previous SaSkCo Scholars include Freya Black (pictured), a sailor in the Olympic 470 Class. Whilst at the University, Freya balanced international competition with studying for a Degree in Philosophy and Politics. During this time she finished fifth at the World Championships and is now a full-time member of the British Sailing Team, competing for a place at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Thanks to the award of a SaSkCo Scholarship, Economics graduate Dan Budden (pictured below) was also able to combine his degree studies with the demanding training schedule of an aspiring Olympian.
“Simon Greenberg was an incredibly generous man who helped me so much whilst balancing elite sport and university. I can honestly say that I would not be where I am today if it wasn't for Simon's support. Simon helped me achieve a silver medal at the U23 World Championships in 2019 which has brought me one step closer to my Olympic goal. I really hope more athletes can benefit from his generosity through this scholarship scheme.”
- Great Britain Sailor and former SaSkCo Scholar Dan Budden
Simon sadly passed away in 2021, but his friends and family would like to remember him by continuing to support the SaSkCo Scholarships. A donation page has been set up in his memory in order to continue supporting aspiring athletes. If you would like to donate to the SaSkCo Scholarships, please visit our web page where you can make a one-off donation or set up a regular gift to help sustain the longevity of the Scholarships.
