East Midlands alumni and donors had the opportunity to connect and learn about the impact of philanthropy at Imperial.

The National Justice Museum in Nottingham was buzzing with excitement as Imperial’s alumni and donors gathered to learn about the university’s latest updates last week. The event, one of the first of its kind since lockdown, allowed friends of Imperial from the East Midlands to connect with each other, discover the university’s current research priorities and hear how philanthropy enables student success and groundbreaking research at Imperial.

The generosity of alumni and donors have made my dreams come true. Elsy Milan President's PhD Scholar at Imperial

The evening opened with a warm welcome from Sacha Anthony, Imperial’s Regular Giving and Legacy Giving Manager, who shared the importance of philanthropy to ensure Imperial students have the best university experience without worrying about finances. Since October 2023, Imperial has received 229 applications and allocated more than £340,000 for the Student Support Fund. Almost one third of Imperial undergraduate students receive a bursary, which has seen a steep rise in take-up in recent years.

Scholarship recipient Elsy Milan shared how the President’s PhD Scholarship – partly funded by donors – is enabling her to conduct critical research on developing financial policy tools to create a market for clean energy. She said: “The generosity of alumni and donors have made my dreams come true. On behalf of thousands of students who have walked in your footsteps and those who will do in the future, thank you so much for your commitment, unwavering support and for inspiring us to change the world.”

Guests also heard from Professor Peter Childs, Co-Director of the Energy Futures Lab (EFL) at Imperial, who gave insight into the university’s current innovative research on advancing systemic solutions to tackle some of the most pressing challenges faced by the energy sector. 

Legacy Giving at Imperial

Throughout the course of the evening, guests had the opportunity to network and hear first-hand from Imperial students and researchers how philanthropy makes a difference.

Attendee Opeoluwa said, “Peter’s presentation was enlightening, showcasing the great research efforts students have been able to embark on. Elsy was also captivating to listen to and hear what donations are doing to make a difference.”

The event was held to coincide with Remember A Charity Week, a movement which invites people to consider leaving a gift in their will. Anna Wall, Head of Regular Giving and Legacy Giving, spoke about the importance of legacy giving at Imperial: “Legacy giving is a truly unique and personal type of gift. It is an expression of your values. A gift in your will to Imperial is an investment in the future of science and education, ensuring our future generations of students and researchers continue to make meaningful discoveries, from medical breakthroughs that help save lives to innovations that help build a healthier, safer and more sustainable future.”