With the help of our donors, we are enabling the next generation of ambitious graduates to thrive.

Life after university should be filled with excitement and life-changing job offers, but for students graduating during a global pandemic, the reality is far more uncertain. Students who enhance their academic knowledge with real-world experience are those best positioned when they enter the world of work. Unfortunately, career-enhancing opportunities tend to be expensive and most of our students cannot bear the additional costs associated with these activities. 

That’s why, with the help of our donors, we are enabling the next generation of ambitious graduates to thrive.

The opportunity bursaries at Sheffield Hallam ensure all students can access career-enhancing and inspiring opportunities regardless of their background and financial situation. Final year Geography student, Elizabeth, is one of the recipients of this bursary. 

Elizabeth was awarded a £360 bursary to pay for a two-day mental health first aid course to become a qualified mental health first aider. The support, which also covered her transport expenses, gave Elizabeth peace of mind and lifted a weight off her shoulders. 

"My student loan only covers my rent and some of my food costs. I would not have had the funds to become a qualified mental health first aider without the bursary. The opportunity made me more aware of different mental health issues and how to help support young people who may be suffering from poor mental health. The course was tailored to supporting 11 to 18 year olds and contributed towards my future career as a geography teacher in a secondary school. I am planning on undertaking teacher training next year."

Elizabeth. Geography student

This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our caring donor community. Elizabeth who is the first in her family to go to university can now continue to work hard in accomplishing her dream of becoming a teacher.

Unfortunately, Elizabeth’s story is not unusual. 71% of students at Sheffield Hallam come from under-represented backgrounds making it difficult for them to access opportunities to accelerate their career in a typical year, even without the added strains of a global pandemic.

Hayley is another one of our alumni that received a helping hand during her degree to access opportunities that have boosted her ambition of being a freelance creative. Hayley got an invaluable insight into the world of creative freelancing by interning with Sheffield-based artist, Jo Peel. 

"The opportunity to better understand the everyday tasks of a freelancer was very encouraging and eye-opening for me. I particularly enjoyed meeting a variety of new people during my internship and learning how Jo’s skills were useful to them. As a result, I feel a lot more confident facing opportunities to work freelance in the future. The internship kick-started my network and career."

Hayley. 2020 illustration alumna

Thanks to the compassion our donors, we are helping ambitious young people like Elizabeth and Hayley alleviate the anxiety that accompanies financial difficulties and access life-transforming opportunities.