Harvard accepts 6th Elizabeth Moir School Student in 9 Years 

As one of the worlds’ most prestigious universities, Harvard attracts applications from the best students, and generally accepts only one Sri Lankan student per year. This year that honour has been offered to a student at Elizabeth Moir School - Urshella Hisham. Urshella is the 7th student from Moir, and the 6th in the last 9 years, to be offered a place at Harvard. 

Urshella was awarded a full academic scholarship from Elizabeth Moir School in 2012, after having received her primary educationat Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya. Speaking of her achievement Urshella said “The fact that generally only one Sri Lankan is admitted to Harvard University each year, meant that I kept my expectations of receiving good news, extremely low. So, being offered a place at Harvard was surreal to me! To this day, it sometimes still randomly hits me, "I'm going to Harvard next fall!" and I can't help but smile”. Urshella has decided to pursue an unique combination of subjects including Chemistry and Astrophysics, with a secondary concentration in International Relations. 

Speaking about the success of yet another of the school’s students, Elizabeth Moir MBE, the Head of School, said:  ‘Urshella epitomises what we want our students to be; a world beater when it comes to results, but also a compassionate, adventurous, multi-talented, happy person. This matches what Harvard looks for, it would seem, and may suggest why they have accepted so many of our students. Being a small school, with such a high staff to student ratio, also means we know people like Urshella so well, writing a comprehensive reference for them is a great joy. We try to give a sense of who they really are. Each day we get good news like this the whole school community has a bounce in their step. Everyone, staff and students alike, are so invested in each other’s success.’ 

Expressing her gratitude to the teaching staff at Elizabeth Moir School, Urshella said “From the very first examination I took at Moir, my teachers identified my potential and groomed me to achieve the best I could in all my examinations”. A genuine all rounder, Urshella was also Athletics captain, House captain, a Prefect and finally the Captain of School at Moir; juggling sports, debating and community service activities while maintaining a stellar academic record. 

At Harvard, she will join former Moir Captains of School, Steffan Paul who is in his second year studying Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Yohann Sequeira, who is reading Economics. 

Founded in 1995 by a group of British educators, headed by Elizabeth Moir MBE, the school offers a British system of education to those who wish to attend the top universities in the world; the school prides itself on the individual attention in can provide students through its incredibly high staff to student ratio. This allows them to encourage students to fulfill their potential academically as well as through sports, the performing and creative arts and community services. For more information, visit www.elizabethmoirschool.com.