12 June 2025
Sir Ian Rankin, world-renowned author of the famous Rebus series of books, visited Fife College this week (Wednesday, 11 June) to present scholarships to students and mark the 20th anniversary of his annual student scholarship.
To celebrate this special anniversary year, Fife College has revealed its first book, Winning Voices, to mark 20 years of the Ian Rankin Creative Writing Scholarship, which has supported 60 students over the two decades.
Winning Voices is a compelling collection of short stories, poems, and scripts written by past scholarship winners, all of whom were shortlisted and chosen by Ian to receive the annual award.
Each year, Ian has generously dedicated his time to reading and critiquing the entries, providing insightful feedback to the winners, and attending the annual award presentations in person.
The launch of the new book took place during a special event at the College’s Kirkcaldy Campus, where Ian also presented the latest Ian Rankin Creative Writing Scholarships to the 2025 winners: Elise Hunter, Tomas Stuart, and Mia Munro. Each recipient received a £600 scholarship award, along with a signed copy of Midnight and Blue, Ian’s latest book, launched last October.
Ian was welcomed to the event by James Thomson, Deputy Principal, who invited Ian to cut a celebration cake to mark the occasion.
Sir Ian Rankin said:
“Meeting the student winners in person is a real highlight – it’s always inspiring to hear about their work, their influences and their ambitions. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many talented individuals, and I’m proud to have given them a helping hand via the scholarship.
“I thoroughly enjoy reading the entries every year, and I am always extremely impressed by the high quality of submissions. I am delighted to see this year the winning entries gathered together to create a book, Winning Voices, which I fully support. This new Fife College book will enable so many more people to enjoy the students’ work while supporting future students to achieve their goals.”
Cyber Security student Tomas Stuart, from Lochgelly, said:
“This was my third time entering, and I’ve always wanted to get into writing, so I’m really proud to have got here.
“I couldn’t believe it when I got the email saying I’d won. I’ve been working on a novel for a couple of years now, and this is the first proper short story I’ve written.
“Winning the scholarship is a big step. When I start getting in touch with agents, I’ll be able to say I’ve won a competition – and that my work’s been published too.”
Lyn Gold, Scholarship and Alumni Engagement Lead at Fife College, said:
“It has been a real privilege to see the Ian Rankin Creative Writing Scholarship grow and thrive over the past two decades.
“Winning Voices is more than just a book – it’s a powerful celebration of our students’ creativity and resilience, and a testament to Sir Ian’s long-standing commitment to nurturing new talent here at Fife College. We’re delighted that all proceeds from the book will go straight back into the scholarship programme, helping to inspire and support students for years to come.
“Congratulations to this year’s brilliant creative writing scholarship winners – Elise, Tomas and Mia. And a heartfelt thank you to Sir Ian for his continued generosity, encouragement and belief in our students. His support has made a truly lasting impact.”
The Ian Rankin Creative Writing Scholarship is open to all full-time students, giving all students with a creative flair the opportunity to submit a piece of writing and have their work read and judged by the celebrated author.
All proceeds from the sale of Winning Voices will be reinvested into the College’s scholarship programme to support more deserving students. The book is available to buy on Amazon here.
Adam Smith Scholarships, part of Fife College, is one of the largest college scholarship programmes in Scotland, awarding thousands of pounds each year to support students, develop opportunities, open doors, and transform lives.
For further details about scholarships at Fife College, visit the Adam Smith Scholarships page or email scholarships@fife.ac.uk.
Ian Rankin Creative Writing Scholarship 2025 winning entries:
- Elise Hunter, from Cowdenbeath – You Can’t Fight Nature
- Tomas Stuart, from Lochgelly – What I am Worth
- Mia Munro, from Burntisland – The Shape of Sound
Ian Rankin Creative Writing Scholarship 2025 - Group: Ian Rankin Creative Writing Scholarship winners 2025, Elise Hunter, Mia Munro and Tomas Stuart, are pictured with Sir Ian Rankin at The Academy at Fife College's Kirkcaldy Campus.