QMU scholarship helps hospitality graduates launch careers with Apex
Two Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh graduates have secured positions with Apex Hotels after benefiting from scholarships, funding and employability support throughout their studies.
Ava Dillon from Stirling and Patricia Aquino from the Highlands both graduated with BA (Hons) International Hospitality, Tourism and Events Management degrees at QMU's graduation ceremony on Tuesday 7 July, having already secured graduate roles with the hotel group.
The pair were among the first students selected for the relaunched Apex Hotels Scholarship at the start of the 2025/26 academic year, making them the first graduates of the renewed partnership between QMU and Apex.
The scholarship combined financial support with mentoring, networking opportunities and industry experience, helping students develop the skills and professional connections needed to build successful careers in hospitality.
For Ava, the support eased financial pressures and gave her the confidence to focus on making the most of every opportunity available during her studies.
She said: “The funding helped remove some of the financial pressure and allowed me to fully focus on my studies during my final year. The Apex Hotels Scholarship gave me more than financial support; it allowed me to build relationships with industry professionals, grow my confidence and develop a clearer understanding of the career opportunities available to me within hospitality.
“Through QMU’s Employability team, I also benefited from mentoring and careers advice, which helped me build my professional network and make informed decisions about my future."
QMU has opened so many doors for me, from internships and industry connections to receiving the Apex Hotels Scholarship. These experiences have helped me grow both personally and professionally, and have given me the confidence to pursue a career in an industry I’m passionate about.
Alongside her academic success, Ava was recognised with the University's Most Dedicated Student Award and received the Council for Hospitality Management Education Award for Achievement through Dedication in recognition of her outstanding commitment to both her studies and the wider student community.
As well as the Apex Hotels Scholarship at which she excelled, Patricia also received support from QMU’s Brighter Futures Grant, the Moffat Trust, and Santander Universities internship funding. She said: “Receiving the funding made a huge difference and gave me the opportunity to focus on my studies while continuing to balance work and other responsibilities. It also enabled me to take part in valuable experiences, including my internship with Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and an overseas internship that helped broaden my understanding of the hospitality industry."
Without the different sources of funding and support available to me, continuing my studies would have been much more challenging. The scholarship reduced a lot of the financial pressure and allowed me to say yes to opportunities that have shaped my confidence, skills and career ambitions. I’m incredibly grateful for the support I received from QMU and Apex Hotels. It has helped me get to where I am today and given me the foundations to begin my career in hospitality.
Following graduation, Patricia will begin her career at Apex Waterloo Place Hotel, while also working across the group's Edinburgh venues. Ava will join the team at the newly opened Apex Dunblane Hydro.
Thomas Kelly, Head of Development and Alumni Relations at Queen Margaret University, said: “Ava and Patricia’s success demonstrates the transformative impact that scholarship support can have. Thanks to the generosity of Apex Hotels, they have been able to access opportunities, build professional networks and develop the confidence needed to launch successful careers.
“Donor support does far more than ease financial pressures; it opens doors, changes lives and helps students realise their full potential. Combined with the wider support available through our QMUEmpower approach, it gives students access to the financial, personal and professional opportunities that help them make the most of their university experience and build successful futures.
“What Ava and Patricia have shown is that when talented students embrace these opportunities and make the most of the support available to them, the results can be truly life-changing.”
Ava and Patricia's achievements demonstrate the difference that scholarships and student support can make. At QMU, initiatives such as the Apex Hotels Scholarship form part of the University's wider QMUEmpower approach, which combines financial assistance, employability support, wellbeing services and personal development opportunities to help students overcome barriers, realise their potential and build successful careers after graduation
The Apex Hotels Scholarship was relaunched in January 2026 as part of a renewed partnership between Queen Margaret University and Apex Hotels. Through a £60,000 investment over four years, the programme will support up to 20 students studying BA (Hons) International Hospitality, Tourism and Events Management, combining financial assistance with industry engagement to help develop Scotland's future hospitality workforce.
For further media information contact Emma Reekie, Media and Content Officer, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, E: ereekie@qmu.ac.uk (copy to E: pressoffice@qmu.ac.uk).
