College dives in to aid swimmer's US scholarship
SuppliedOne of the UK's top swimmers is swapping County Durham for the US after her college dived in to help with her qualifications.
Emma Price was offered a place at California State University, Fresno, to study criminology and also to develop her swimming, but one of her Stockton College qualifications was not recognised due to its wording.
Darlington College then stepped in and after a "bit of back and forth" with the awarding body and Stockton, arranged for her to transfer on to a recognised course, so she could accept her scholarship.
The 19-year-old, from Newton Aycliffe, now hopes to compete in the Olympics, and also follow in her detective mother's footsteps and catch criminals.
One of the top freestyle swimmers in the country and national champion on a number of occasions, Price is on a pathway to the Olympics - possibly for 2028 but more likely for the 2032 Games.
She said she was "so excited to be headhunted" by the American university, which would allow her to develop her talent.
"My mum says I'm like a fish, so to get to the Olympics would be amazing and to be in with a chance of a medal would be fantastic."
She added that it was exciting to be able to combine her swimming with crime studies.
"My mum Cheryl was a detective and I'm interested in criminal profiling to try and catch serial killers."
'Incredible opportunity'
Abby Potter, arts lecturer at Darlington College, said: "Emma's mum came in August last year to speak to us.
"Her daughter had just completed a year at Stockton College on their Level 3 Applied General in Art and Design, and been advised by a scout this could be used for her place in America.
"However, it had become apparent the university would not accept the qualification due to its wording - 'applied' means something else in the US.
"Luckily the course at Stockton and the one we run here are both through UAL Awarding Body, so I contacted them and after a bit of back and forth they agreed it was possible for her to enrol into our second year of the extended diploma in creative practice and they would recognise her completed year at Stockton on the applied general as her having achieved the first year."
She added: "It's an incredible opportunity for Emma.
"She is a very talented artist and has done amazingly well combining her studies with her swimming.
"I'm sure she will throw herself into her criminology too in order to keep up a family tradition."
