Holly Bihun

Community Bursary Award Holder

DPhil in Population Health (2024)

I am incredibly grateful and honoured to be a recipient of the Community Bursary at St. Cross College. This award has alleviated financial pressures, allowing me to fully dedicate myself to both my academic and athletic pursuits as I pursue my DPhil in Population Health at the University of Oxford. As a researcher, I am focused on understanding the relationship between adiposity and osteoporosis, using data from diverse, large-scale population cohorts. As an athlete, I have been fortunate to represent Great Britain in women’s ice hockey at the 2025 FISU Winter World University Games, as well as compete for both the Men’s and Women’s Blues teams at Oxford over the past three seasons. Recently, I have also taken on the challenge of joining the College rowing club, pushing my physical and mental limits in a completely new arena. Balancing multiple sports teams with rigorous research has developed my time management, resilience and leadership – qualities that have made me a better student and athlete. This Bursary is more than just financial assistance. It recognises the unseen and often unacknowledged work and dedication it takes to compete at an elite level while pursuing an intensive degree: late night drives to games, early mornings at the gym, long days in the office, midnight practices and free time spent doing admin to keep a team running. Beyond the work, it is a recognition of my dedication to breaking barriers— whether in research, sport or personal growth. It enables me to continue excelling in both academia and athletics, inspiring the next generation of young women to pursue their ambitions without limits. Your generosity is truly making a difference and I hope to one day pay it forward.