Scholarship winner Michelle Celestine

We’re thrilled to celebrate one of this year’s Captain Tasos Politis Scholarship recipients, Michelle Celestine. Michelle currently works as a Food and Textiles Technician at a UK secondary school and initially applied for the scholarship with very low expectations. ‘Not for a second did I think someone would believe in my writing,’ she says. ‘So, to have even made it to the interview stage was a massive boost to my confidence.’

But her talent spoke for itself, ultimately earning her the full scholarship.

The moment she received the news, Michelle recalls she accepted immediately — and then burst into tears. ‘I was so proud of making them proud I cannot tell you,’ she says of telling her children, who celebrated alongside her.

Her response captures something important about the creative journey: how transformative it can be when someone sees potential in your work. ‘Having someone believe in you can have such an enormous impact in how you view your future and the many possibilities that await you. I am so grateful to Emily and Rebekah who interviewed me, for deciding I was a good candidate to put forward for the scholarship; you both have no idea how much this means to me.’

Now, she’s already thinking about paying it forward. Once she’s financially stable, she plans to sponsor another writer on the Novel Studio course ‘as a way of passing on the gratitude.’

Generously funded by City St George’s Alumni Ambassador George Politis, and named after his father, the aim of the scholarship is to support a student of talent and potential who might not otherwise be able to accept an offer of a place on The Novel Studio. We are hugely grateful to George for his generosity and ongoing support for the course and the future literary landscape.

Applications for next year’s scholarship will open in February 2026. Find out more about eligibility and how to apply here.