We are delighted that Holly is part of our BRIT Ambassador family to support and improve young adult mental health and fitness throughout the UK.
Holly amassed 140 International Caps during her hockey career playing for Scotland and Great Britain, competing at Commonwealth, European and World Cup level. Since retirement as an elite athlete, Holly qualified as a teacher, has been a Mentor for Champions in Schools and founded Aspire USA; to provide sport scholarship services to talented student athletes looking to study and play sport at American universities and colleges.
“As a former student, elite athlete, teacher, and through my work with Aspire USA, I am passionate about young adult and student wellbeing. Positive mental health is vital to students’ ability to progress and make the most of their education experience at university or college. Worryingly, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on both existing mental health difficulties and the mental and emotional health of many new and returning students. We need to do all we can to look after the mental health of students and young adults to avoid long-term consequences.
I applaud BRIT’s determination to ensure that every Higher Education and Further Education student in Scotland has the opportunity to take part in their annual BRIT Challenge. It is great to see that they have built relationships with Universities Scotland (through Universities UK), Colleges Scotland, sportscotland, Scottish Student Sport and are strengthening relationships with universities and colleges throughout Scotland.
I’m thrilled that the University of St Andrews will be hosting the BRIT Regional Steering Group in Scotland and inviting every Scottish university and college to identify representatives to join the Steering Group. This is a fantastic opportunity to invite more teams to take part in the annual BRIT Challenge, discuss ways of encouraging more students and staff, of all abilities, to participate and using the BRIT Challenge as a catalyst to destigmatise mental health.
To ensure every student in Scotland has the opportunity to participate, it would be great if every Scottish university, college, specialist college and Students’ Union embraces the BRIT Challenge, enters teams and encourages their students and staff to take part; at home or on campus.
I am delighted to be part of the BRIT Ambassador family and wish students and staff at the University of Edinburgh, University of Strathclyde and University of the Highlands and Islands’ eleven colleges, the very best of luck as they take on the BRIT Challenge.”
Holly Cram
Former Scotland and Great Britain Hockey player
Holly was born in Glasgow and went to school at Glasgow Academy. She studied at the University of Edinburgh, graduating with an honours degree in literature.
Holly studied Literature at Richmond University on a one year Hockey scholarship and in that time, was an All-American player and inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
On her return to the UK, Holly then completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Physical Education at the University of Strathclyde.
As a Scotland and Great Britain Hockey player, Holly amassed over 150 International Caps and competed at Commonwealth, European and World Cup level.
In 2014, Holly was a Game On Scotland Ambassador for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
As a qualified teacher, Holly is passionate about the mental health and wellbeing of students and young adults; she is a Champions in School Mentor and Athlete.
In 2017, Holly founded Aspire USA to provide selective admissions and sport scholarship services to talented student athletes looking to study and play sport at American universities and colleges. Aspire USA have established relationships with over 2,900 Universities and colleges, working with the top 100 and Ivy League universities, securing over $6,000,000 in scholarships fees and placing 100% of their student's on scholarships.
For more information about Aspire USA, please visit their website.
You can follow Aspire USA on Instagram.
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