Celebration Event February 2020 (photo taken before the pandemic)
THANK YOU Dear alumni and supporters, Thank you. Two simple words, but two powerful words. We have used this issue of the Brighton Effect to show you our thanks by sharing stories from the people you have helped and celebrating your contribution to our students and the university. Whether you are supporting a research project, sponsoring a scholarship, giving a monthly regular gift or volunteering, your philanthropic contribution really matters.
YOUR IMPACT IN NUMBERS
£209,876 awards made from philanthropic donations
80
projects supported
1,008
students supported
1,384
alumni volunteers
72
Ask Alumni volunteers
36
the most difficult of circumstances. The COVID-19 Student Fund has supported 434 students with grants for laptops, internet connection and also PPE for our key workers. From September, we shifted the focus to providing internet connectivity through a Digital Access Fund. This has already awarded grants to 131 students to pay for internet connection while studying at home.
This year, your giving has helped our students access funds that enabled them to continue learning from home in
Understanding what our students need to succeed has led us to create our new Student Potential Fund. This will support mental health and wellbeing initiatives, scholarships, and employment skills development, and enable every student to get the most from their time with us. To make the Student Potential Fund
COVID-19 STUDENT FUND
WHO GAVE IN 2019/20
£71,530
Alumni and honorary graduates
Friends of the university
awarded to 434 students
38%
of these students come from areas ranked the most deprived in the UK
51%
funded laptops and IT equipment
21%
funded internet connection
12%
supported NHS keyworkers
alumni mentors
16%
12%
44%
29% 8% Grant Funders
7% Businesses Staff and students
Thank you doesn't seem to be enough when the difference your generosity means to me is just huge. What may seem like small inconveniences to some, can be vast barriers to education to others and your support helps overcome inequalities. Thank you, not just for my IT equipment but for the relief on my anxiety, for the better sleep I will get tonight, for the better parent and student I will be tomorrow, and ultimately, for the career I will get from this degree.”
funded learning resources COVID-19 Student Fund recipient Haley Perez, Midwifery BSc(Hons), third year
WHAT YOUR SUPPORT MEANS TO OUR STUDEN a success, we need your help. In April 2021, we will host our first digital Giving Day. Please do participate, whether you set up a regular donation or sign up to volunteer, you will be making a difference to our students, to the community and to the world around us. For now, THANK YOU for all you do to help our students and research. I hope you enjoy reading about the incredible things you have helped make possible, which all contribute to the #BrightonEffect. With best wishes, stay safe, stay well, Professor Debra Humphris Vice-Chancellor
SANTANDER UNIVERSITIES
MOMENTUM MENTORING Momentum students are matched with a volunteer professional who is trained to support the student in working towards goals and building confidence. We caught up with Amy Hitchinson who graduated 10 years ago and is now paired with her seventh mentee. Mentorship doesn’t always come from those ‘at the top’ or ‘above’ you … Throughout my career, I’ve met a lot of really intelligent and successful people — from athletes to media personalities to CEOs and Executives, but also learned a lot from colleagues, interns, volunteers and students whose paths I’ve crossed. You never know who will inspire a new idea, provide perspective or give you the courage to follow your instincts when it’s needed.”
Amy Hitchinson (centre) with Professor Chris Pole and her mentee Ivonne Sheriff
To read more about Amy’s experience, please visit here www.brighton.ac.uk/ alumnimentors.
GOVERNORS’ PRIZE This award has made me value my time as a University of Brighton student even more, knowing there are alumni out there who are looking out for future graduates too. Now more than ever, I want to succeed and contribute to someone else’s journey in the future too.” COVID-19 Student Fund recipient Dwayne Williams, Civil Engineering MEng, third year
Olivia Bowman, Primary Education with QTS (5-11 years) BA(Hons), 2020
EMPLOYABILITY FUND For almost 10 years, thanks to the support of Rodney Buse and Diana Garnham via The Anjoli Stewart Charitable Trust, 174 awards have been made to students to help them with their employability. Amber Thomas-Lorainey and Jessica Hurley are both former recipients.
A huge part of the impact of the COVID-19 Student Support Fund was thanks to Santander Universities who generously agreed to divert their annual partnership support to the fund. This was immediate, practical support at a crucial time for our students. They also provided an extra £25,000 that funded 30 student and graduate business start-ups. In November 2020, we were delighted to renew our three-year partnership with Santander Universities guaranteeing £71,000 a year to support our students through scholarships, industry experiences, entrepreneurship and business growth grants.
didn’t make a difference that I was the first person in my family to go to university. I had a goal in my mind and I never lost sight of it. Three years of undergraduate study was not a walk in the park, especially having to complete my final year in lockdown. I am extremely grateful for every wonderful part of my support network - my family, friends and lecturers. I never expected to be awarded and recognised for my academic achievements. I am feeling proud and touched by this award. Receiving the Governors’ Prize has truly been the icing on the cake! Thank you.”
This is awarded to students achieving a First Class Honours degree who come from a widening participation background. When I attended the open day to study primary education at the University of Brighton, one of the qualities discussed was resilience. I told myself that I was going to give it my all. It
I am ever so grateful for the Employability Award providing me with funding to achieve my dream of becoming a primary school teacher. The donation contributed toward my specific clothing required to teach outdoor education in the Canadian woods to low-income families. As a result, my Canadian trip was a highlight of my CV and a discussion point in my interview in becoming a Year 4 teacher. As I venture Amber Thomas-Lorainey
NTS
SCHOLARSHIPS further into my first year of teaching, particularly in these extraordinary times, my Canadian experience taught me how to be flexible and adaptable, which was only possible from the generosity of donors. This is an image of myself as part of a maths question for my year group. These simple pleasures remind me of the opportunity I was given to achieve my career goal! Thank you!” Amber Thomas-Lorainey, Primary Education with QTS (5-11 years) BA(Hons), 2020
Thank you so much for donating to the Employability Award. I applied for the award for kit that I required for a fieldwork course in South Africa as part of Biology BSc(Hons). This opportunity no doubt aided me in my postgraduate pursuits as it is one such experience that stands out in applications for postgraduate studies which include fieldwork. After all, the complexities and logistics of remote fieldwork can only be learned by experience! After my BSc I went on to complete a Masters of Research and I am currently in the second year of my PhD. I used the award to purchase walking boots (among other items), that I continue to use to this day, as pictured below during sampling for my PhD project. Thanks again!” Jessica Hurley, Biology BSc(Hons) 2018 and Ecology MRes 2019
BREAKTHROUGH AWARD
FORWARD BOUND SCHOLARSHIP
Alex Witty, Product Design with Professional Experience BSc(Hons), has won several awards and prizes, including the Professor Fred Maillardet Breakthrough Award and a Santander Universities Growth Grant. Alex started his first company, Witty Ltd, in July 2019 and filed his first patent in May 2020. He took an entrepreneurial gap year to further develop The Piezo Project. This is a renewable energy technology that can be integrated into footwear to create footstep-powered charging for a mobile device while on the move.
Since 2015, the Forward Bound Scholarship has been supporting students from low or lower-middle income countries studying our Health Promotion MSc. The scholarship is kindly donated each year by Fiona Deane from a family legacy. The award is intended to support health, and other professionals, who are employed or volunteer in roles where they will be able to influence and shape health promotion practice and policy in their countries. The scholarship funds full tuition fees, accommodation, travel and a living subsistence for a year. Fiona Deane said: The ground-up approach and the knock-on effect of this scholarship has exceeded my expectations of what was possible when I first approached the university. Meeting the scholars and understanding more about what they do, have done and could potentially do on their return home is fantastic.”
Alex Witty
The Breakthrough Award was conceived to encourage the highest standards of creativity, technical development and professionalism amongst students. Alex has clearly shown his ability to operate very successfully in the real world. Seeing our students succeed in this way is what gives me so much satisfaction and confidence that the University of Brighton is producing graduates of the highest quality.” Professor Fred Maillardet, Donor
For more details, please visit Alex’s blog at www.brighton.ac.uk/alumni/alexwitty.
Faith Atyang (2019/20 Forward Bound Scholar), Fiona Deane (centre), Caroline Mukebezi (2020/21 Forward Bound Scholar)
There have been six scholars so far. This year, we welcomed Caroline Mukebezi. Caroline says: This scholarship will enable me to play a leading role in improving health in my community and bridge the gender gap which often prevents women from fulfilling their life and career potentials in Uganda. I am very grateful to my supporter Fiona Deane, my course leader Carol Williams and to the University of Brighton for offering me this great opportunity.” Our Forward Bound Scholars have written blogs about their experiences. You can read them here – www.brighton.ac.uk/ forwardboundscholarships.
Jessica Hurley
THE CHOWEN SCHOLARSHIP
THE RKS SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship marks a turning point in my life and means so much that I find it difficult to express my gratitude. The belief in me that it represents, motivated me to work even harder and ensured that I reached my full potential. Completing a Master of Research degree during a pandemic was an additional challenge. This has been a tough year, coping with the disruptions in normal routines. However, I am pleased to say that I managed to achieve a Distinction.
The RKS Scholarship supports male students studying podiatry or mental health nursing. It funds three years of course fees.
My research focused on gene regulation in antibiotic-producing Streptomyces bacteria. Streptomyces can help fight the current global antibiotic resistance crisis, as it shows promise in discovering novel antibiotics. Infectious diseases are one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and it is crucial to stay one step ahead. Currently, I am working for the COVID research team at Guy’s and St Thomas' Hospital and applying for PhD studentships, one step closer to my goal of embarking on a research career. This scholarship has significantly helped me succeed and increased my chances of being accepted for a PhD position. This opportunity diminished the financial burden on my family and me, giving me peace of mind to pursue my educational goals and dreams. This year has helped me build resilience, and helped me cope with unexpected challenges, skills that will stay with me for life.” Shaf Moradian, Stress, Aging and Chronic Disease MRes 2020
Shaf Moradian with her family and donor, Michael Chowen, at her undergraduate graduation in 2019
When I first learned I had received a scholarship, I felt a huge weight lifted from my shoulders. The idea of student debt is quite daunting. Coming from a family who has struggled with money before, this was even more so for me. Receiving this funding will allow me to progress further and quicker in my podiatry career, as without my student fees to pay off, I can indulge in extra training, such as acupuncture, massage, or surgery!”
policy, philosophy, and the psychology of what it means to live with and beyond cancer. I consider the entirety of the experience to be my apprenticeship in research practice and I can fully comprehend how I am going to use certain elements of my further education in my next steps as a trainee therapist for the NHS. Most importantly, I want to stress how rewarding the experience has been. While there are days that felt like a complete fog, when I was unable to see how I could achieve the next goal, the process has helped me to grow both professionally and personally.”
Robson Brown, Podiatry BSc(Hons), second year
4 CANCER GROUP Ollie Thurlow has recently completed his PhD in health sciences, kindly supported by the 4 Cancer Group. The study was designed to enhance our understanding of the use of recreational programmes in the natural environment for those living with and beyond cancer.
Ollie Thurlow
To read more about Ollie’s experience, visit www.brighton.ac.uk/alumni/ olliethurlow.
Ollie tells us what the PhD experience meant to him. As well as wanting to enhance my education, the opportunity was important to me because I wanted to contribute towards policy reforms in the field of cancer rehabilitation and survivorship through a ‘real–world’ collaboration. Looking back now, I can safely state that my thesis certainly delivers an effective and coherent message of how the third sector can contribute towards the range of services that are currently on offer for those entering the rehabilitation and survivorship phase of the ‘cancer trajectory’. Crucially, my experience of undertaking a PhD has taught me so much about both the process of research collaborations,
SPRINGBOARD UPDATE Donations made on our crowdfunding site, Springboard, have helped students get into space through the Fly Your Thesis initiative. Sadly, the pandemic stopped a lot of student projects happening in 2020. But we are pleased to say students are adding new projects to the platform that need support today. Take a look at https://springboard.brighton.ac.uk.
EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATION BE PART OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON’S STUDENT POTENTIAL FUND Whatever journey our students are on, we encourage them to stay curious, and help them put what they learn into practice. So, when they graduate, they have the confidence and freedom to choose the future they want. We empower them, not by directing them to a future, but by giving them the tools to shape it for themselves. We are proud of our diverse community and our longstanding commitment to ensuring we are an inclusive institution. However, like many higher education institutions in England, we know there is more for us to do.
Our Access and Participation Plan and membership of the Race Equality Charter set out the extensive support mechanisms and actions, designed with our students, that are driving the changes needed to achieve our wholly inclusive vision.
This is why we have created the Student Potential Fund to give students access to funds that let them seize opportunities, make the most of their studies, build employability skills and embrace their full university experience.
But we want to do more.
We’re dedicated to every student getting exactly what they need to be and do their best. The Student Potential Fund responds directly to specific needs, and with your help, we can reach the individuals who need it the most to reduce inequalities where we can.
The coronavirus pandemic and Black Lives Matters have amplified these challenges, particularly for those who were already experiencing inequalities. And, we are seeing increases in the demand on our mental health and wellbeing resources.
By supporting the Student Potential Fund, you’re allowing students to write their own story of excellence at the university and beyond. You’re igniting ambition, empowering individuality and changing lives. Play your part by either getting in touch with Marnie Middlemiss today (m.middlemiss@brighton.ac.uk) or donate to our first ever Giving Day, running from 27–28 April 2021.
SCHOLARSHIPS
WELLBEING CHAMPIONS
STUDENT EXPERIENCE FUND
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND CAREERS
For our Black and Black Mixed Heritage Students and students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
A new initiative to help develop personal selfreliance and build a community of student Wellbeing Champions.
Funding that helps students further their studies, grow their employability skills or embrace their university experience through societies and Sport Brighton teams.
Creating more expert training, mentoring, opportunities to develop practical business skills and access to business start-up funding.
Without ongoing support from our alumni and friends, these important activities would not be possible. Thank you for your continued help. For more information about how you can get involved email us at giving@brighton.ac.uk or visit www.brighton.ac.uk/giving To view our roll of benefactors 2019/20, visit www.brighton.ac.uk/rollofbenefactors