Two grateful students have been granted scholarships of $25,000 towards careers in computer networking and economics, courtesy of the Nicholl Scholarships.

The windfall in memory of the educational philanthropist Albert Nicholl will assist Antonio Bailey, 20, and Christian Oatley, 18, to pursue new fields of interest.

Computer networking beckons for Antonio, from Paget, who is attending London Metropolitan University and is heading into his third year of his bachelor of Science degree. He plans to concentrate on cybersecurity for his master’s.

Keen in this evolving field, and in “getting to know computers and how they work and communicate” from an early age, Anthony aims to dive into working after graduation and climbing to the top of his field.

This year marks a century since Lieutenant Nicholl arrived in Bermuda as Chief Examination Officer for the Royal Navy Reserve. He initiated a charitable legacy that, through his will, awarded most of his estate to scholarships for young Bermudians.

“Being awarded the Nicholl Scholarship is not only an honour but will also help to cover my university tuition and living expenses and allow me to primarily focus on my studies,” Antonio told The Royal Gazette.

“I would also like to extend a special thank you to the scholarship committee for awarding me this opportunity and I strive to show that their confidence in me is not misplaced.

Hailing from St George’s, Christian said he had been drawn into a quest to fathom economic disparity — first, through his exposure to poverty in Bermuda when working with the Salvation Army, and later competing for the island in the regional cycling championships in Suriname, where he passed through “barely standing neighbourhoods”.

“I felt compelled to seek an understanding of what was going on in the world around me, and turned to economics with hope of understanding the underlying forces that burgeon the world economy,” he said.

Christian will be at the University of Nottingham in September. Upon completing his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics, he plans to work in either insurance or finance back home in Bermuda.

“It is my goal to be able to give back to the communities, such as the Bermuda Bicycle Association, which helped me become who I am today, and through donations and continued volunteering at the Salvation Army I wish to be able to combat the destructive syndrome that accompanies poverty,” he said.