Syrian refugee returns to Hove college to inspire students

Newman College welcomed Syrian refugee Sulaiman Wihba back this week to talk to Year 13 students about his story.
Sulaiman (centre) with Newman College studentsSulaiman (centre) with Newman College students
Sulaiman (centre) with Newman College students

Sulaiman came to Newman College as a refugee from Syria, and after achieving four A*s in maths, further maths, physics and chemistry, he has now secured a place at Oxford University Balliol College to read maths this Autumn.

Sulaiman spoke to students about IntoUniversity which is an innovative programme that supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to attain either a university place or another chosen aspiration.

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Newman College is an IntoUniversity Centre which has supported a number of students to achieve and go on to higher education including Sulaiman.

He also spoke about the opportunities the programme gives to secure work experience during the summer holiday period and how he had achieved a position at a London Bank, gaining valuable work and university skills in the process.

Richard Marsh, sixth form support teacher, said: "It was great to have Sulaiman back here and inspirational for our students to hear everything that he has achieved. We are very proud of him.

"The IntoUniversity programme supports a number of our students and gives them the opportunity to aspire to do what they want to do.

"We encourage all of our students to have the same aspirations regardless of where they have come from and Sulaiman is a true example of this."

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