Meet Nizar (OK 2004)

Nizar’s path to King’s began with the determination of his parents, first-generation immigrants who believed deeply in the importance of education. His mother helped him prepare for entrance assessments, teaching herself the material so she could support him. Awarded one of just five bursaries available at the time, Nizar joined what he regarded as one of the very best schools in the country. Arriving from a state school, he initially struggled to find his place, but a pivotal conversation with teacher Miss McKissack changed everything. Her simple reassurance that he belonged at King’s gave him the confidence to embrace the opportunities around him and transformed both his outlook and his academic performance.

After achieving outstanding A level results, he won a scholarship to study Medicine at Imperial College, graduating with distinctions before embarking on a highly competitive career in ophthalmology. Nizar attended a prestigious fellowship at the University of Toronto, where he was appointed Chief Fellow. Today, he specialises in corneal transplantation and eye surgery and has recently co-founded an award-winning private eye hospital in Kingston. Reflecting on his time at school, Nizar credits King’s with instilling skills such as confidence and ambition that have gone on to support him in his success. As a bursary recipient himself, he is passionate about ensuring that talented young people, regardless of their background, have access to the same life-changing opportunities, describing this commitment to widening access as “one of the greatest legacies a school can create”.

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