Perseverance and authenticity: my journey to the Thouron Award

My journey to receiving the Thouron Award was marked by persistence, as I applied twice before finally being accepted. This perseverance reflects the Thouron family’s values – both the immediate family and the wider family of former scholars on the judging panels. They appreciate and reward candidates who demonstrate a genuine willingness to learn and grow from their experiences.

Initially, I worried that applying multiple times would make the reviewers think, “Not this person again!” Instead, I found they recognised how close I had been and appreciated my determination and unique experiences.

I wish I had known from the beginning that the Thouron Award embodies an attitude of openness, candour, and genuine acceptance of each individual’s unique qualities. Understanding this core principle earlier might have alleviated some of my anxieties and encouraged me to embrace the process more fully.

Studying in the US can be extraordinarily expensive for international students, making it challenging to experience US culture more deeply beyond mere tourism. The Thouron Award is one of the few funding opportunities available to British students and graduates seeking an immersive experience in the US. It provides access to a university environment renowned for having one of the world’s most concentrated pools of some of the most interesting and smartest people in the world.

As a landscape architecture student, Philadelphia offers a post-industrial blue-collar city that is trying to grapple with and work out its modern identity. The city is filled with disused and reformed industrial spaces and is a mere 1-hour train ride from New York City. 

This experience wouldn’t be possible without the Thouron Award.

I knew within 3 months of submitting my application that I had the award and was accepted to the landscape architecture programme. It was fast and efficient. 

The application process and now being in the US emphasised that you are in lead of the experience. While the award hosts many events throughout the year, the award does not dictate what you should do in the US or how you should use your time and funding – only that you should make the most of it and get out there and experience the US.

This summer, I completed the Colorado Trail, a 486-mile hiking path stretching from Denver to Durango through the Colorado wilderness. Spending weeks in the mountains, carrying everything I needed to survive, brought together my landscape architecture studies, direct immersion in the American natural landscape, and a deepened relationship with myself.

One of the highlights of this trip was being able to witness the stars in such a remote location without any light pollution. I gained a profound sense of orientation as a human being both literally and existentially which will inform my design practice. This kind of deeper and profound experience beyond gaining a degree is what scholars can unlock if they are willing to fully embrace and engage with the opportunity the award offers.

Be your unapologetic, authentic self. Embrace your imperfections and vulnerabilities. The award is looking for interesting people who are also human beings with their own life story and experiences that have and will continue to shape your future. Let’s be frank, stellar academics alone is frankly not enough. I went to a good university that is not considered elite, and not all my grades were brilliant, yet my life experiences and views on the world that I articulated in my essays and interviews are what convinced the panel to offer me the opportunity.

Darren Tindall was a Thouron scholar during the 2023/24 academic year.