A student whose world was turned upside down due to domestic homicide during a critical time in her teenage studies has graduated with a first-class degree in Law from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU).
Zuzanna Lechanska, 21, crossed the stage at the Cambridge Corn Exchange, achieving a lifetime goal that at one point she thought was out of her reach.
Both Zuzanna and her younger sister were forced to return to their home country of Poland following the death of her mother and the subsequent imprisonment of her father five years ago when she was studying for her A-Levels.
Originally from Warsaw, Zuzanna initially moved to England in 2012. Entering primary school in Year 5, Zuzanna did not speak English and had to battle the language barrier at school, while at home the family shared a single room.
After becoming fluent in English and achieving her GCSEs, she was in her first year studying for her A-Levels when her and her sister, who was seven years old at the time, were left without parental care. They first moved into the foster care system, before returning to Poland to live with extended family.
Zuzanna attempted to complete her A-Levels online but was unable to do so, and her dream of studying Law at university appeared to be unachievable. However, she refused to give up on her ambition and as she overcame the trauma of her personal loss, she gained confidence and decided to try and apply to university.
Zuzanna said: “I genuinely did not believe I would receive an offer. However, Anglia Ruskin University looked beyond my grades and recognised my potential. Receiving that offer gave me the opportunity to prove myself and before starting university I made a promise to myself that university would be what I made of it. I wanted to embrace every opportunity available, attend events, volunteer, and contribute as much as I could.”
During her time at ARU, Zuzanna volunteered for ARU’s Law Clinic, working alongside lawyers to assist them in providing free legal advice to people in Cambridge. She also took part in the High Sheriff’s Justice Service, making valuable connections with fellow students and legal professionals.
In her second year, Zuzanna became President of the Law Society at ARU, helping organise events that raised around £800 for charity, and in her final year with the help and encouragement of her lecturers at ARU, she successfully applied for a prestigious Bar scholarship from The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple.
Speaking on her graduation day, which she attended with members of her family who flew over from Poland, Zuzanna said: “I hope my story shows that your background or your grades do not have to define your future, and that with determination and the right support, opportunities you once thought were impossible can become reality.”
Alicia Virtue, Deputy Head of the School of Economics, Finance and Law at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said: “I’m a firm believer in the power of education to transform lives and at ARU we look at the whole person, not simply academic qualifications.
“I remember the first time I met Zuzanna, it was at one of our open days. From the outset I could see that she was determined. She knew what she wanted for herself, but wondered if her background would be an obstacle.
“We believed she could thrive given the chance and since she arrived with us, she hasn’t looked back.”
Image: Phil Mynott
