The recent surge in the number of black British students enrolling at the University of Cambridge is being attributed to the “Stormzy effect.” After the musician supported scholarships for black students at the institution, Cambridge has reported that 91 black British students were admitted as first-year undergraduates at the start of the academic year. This marks an increase of almost 50% in comparison to the previous year’s 61 students and takes the total number of black undergraduates at the university to over 200, marking a first-time high. Last year, grime music sensation and the first black British solo artist to headline Glastonbury Festival, Stormzy, established two scholarships designed to support black students at Cambridge. In August, he then announced that he would also fund the tuition fees and living expenses of an additional two students. Since the announcement, the university claimed that it has seen an increase in the number of black students engaging in outreach activities and making enquiries about its courses, resulting in a rise in applications. This trend is also attributable to the influence of Courtney Daniella, a Cambridge graduate and YouTube influencer, who appeared in videos aimed at dispelling misconceptions about studying at the institution. Cambridge has also announced a record number of black, Asian and minority ethnic students admitted this year with the group now accounting for nearly 27% of admissions. According to Graham Virgo, the senior pro-vice-chancellor for education, this highlights years of progress in broadening Cambridge’s appeal to students from a range of backgrounds. However, the Labour MP for Tottenham, David Lammy, noted that more must be done if students from diverse backgrounds are to be universally accepted and accepted at the top universities in the UK.
