Giving Day 2022: “Knowing that people out there support current students is really encouraging.”

Today, the University of Brighton is holding our second ever Giving Day! Over the next 36 hours, we will be asking our alumni, staff, and friends to help us help you by donating to the Student Potential Fund.

The Student Potential Fund is our spark that ignites futures and empowers students like you to achieve their goals by funding four key areas: scholarships, wellbeing, student experience, and entrepreneurship. Students who have benefited from the Student Potential Fund have shared stories about the impact that it has had on their personal and academic lives:

Ilon Sofair-Stevens, Environmental Sciences BSc(Hons), third year

Undergraduate Research Scheme

“My name is Ilon, I’m a third-year undergraduate environmental sciences student and I did an internship through the summer, funded by the Student Support Fund.

The support I received from the university has been absolutely invaluable in getting me to this point in my degree. It feels incredibly reassuring to know that there are people out there to help students, through the Student Potential Fund.

The Student Potential Fund is an extremely important thing in my degree. It changed the direction of my degree and has given me a lot of future prospects. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some of the donors and interacting with them. I’ve built a network on LinkedIn with several of them and it’s wonderful to know I’m following in the footsteps of such esteemed people.”

Ebi Simpson, Business Management with Finance BSc(Hons), second year

Progression Scholarship

“Hello, I am Ebi Simpson, I am a mature student and a single parent and I’m in my second year studying Business Management with Finance. I applied for and received the Progression Scholarship and it’s been really helpful.

The support I got from my scholarship helped me in two ways. Firstly, the financial assistance has given me time, and has helped me just say ‘Ok, I can just relax and focus on getting through the assignments and the exams and have that extra time that I need to study and not worry about ‘Oh, am I going to be able to pay the bills’.

On a human level, it has helped me because I didn’t feel so entitled when I came, like I was supposed to be here and getting that support has given me a boost knowing there are people out there who believe in what I am trying to do here.

Knowing that people out there support current students is really encouraging. You have been through the process and found value in going to the University of Brighton and getting that degree. You know the kind of difficulties and experiences that you might have had and then you want to get other people across the line too and I think that’s brilliant – it’s certainly helped me.”

Discover how you could benefit from the Student Potential Fund this Giving Day:

1. Check out the funding opportunities open for applications now.

2. Head over to our dedicated Giving Day webpage for the latest announcements and to hear more student stories.

3. Keep an eye on social media to find out how to get involved in our Giving Day games on campus!

4. Support Giving Day by raising awareness of the fundraising campaign within our community – use #BrightonGiving on social media.