PHILANTHROPY FORTNIGHT 2021 – QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES SCHOLARSHIPS 
27 May 2021
During the eighth annual Northern Ireland Philanthropy Fortnight – taking place from 17-28 May 2021 – we explore the enormous effect of philanthropic giving on the lives of those who study and work here at Queen’s.
Previously we looked at the impact of philanthropic funding on major capital projects over the last 20 years around the campus, and in this the second of two articles we reflect on the importance of scholarship funding.
Funding scholarships through The Queen’s University of Belfast Foundation – a registered charity which generates philanthropic support for the University – makes a huge and lasting difference to the lives and futures of individuals from Northern Ireland and further afield.
Helen Carrick, Queen’s Head of Major Gifts explains that scholarships can often be the determining factor in whether or not an individual is able to attend university:
“Scholarships are hugely important at Queen’s and can open the door to higher education for so many talented students who might otherwise not apply, or encourage students to further their knowledge and develop their skillset through postgraduate study which, without financial support, would have been impossible.
“Setting up a scholarship at Queen’s ensures that a world-class education can be made accessible to all prospective students, allowing the brightest minds to fulfil their full potential whatever their individual circumstances.
“Philanthropy Fortnight gives us a golden opportunity to demonstrate the huge impression left by our generous donors on day-to-day life here at Queen’s, and to showcase the importance to students of scholarship support.”
Queen’s currently offers a broad range of scholarships for students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels – for home and international students – to help cover costs towards a range of study related expenses. From entrance scholarships for school leavers, to prizes for gifted individuals with exceptional grades, right through to scholarships for mature students, awards can cover everything from travel associated with studying, to equipment such as computers to make studying easier.
Bespoke sporting and academic scholarships are also available for those playing specific sports or undertaking vocational degrees in Law or Engineering, or for studying poetry or languages or music.
Scholarships at Queen’s are most often financed by gifts from generous individuals or companies and over the years, we have been the grateful beneficiary of a number of legacies which have established or supported existing scholarship funds.
As Queen’s Legacy Manager Susan Wilson points out, a scholarship can often be a student’s first step in their chosen career:
“Legacy gifts which fund scholarships and bursaries help to raise the aspirations of talented young people from all backgrounds.
“Scholarships funded by the likes of the late Professor Emeritus James Dunwoody unlock potential and attract individuals to Queen’s who will go on to contribute to Northern Ireland’s success around the world.
“For Amy McSparron, a former beneficiary of the Katharine Harris legacy scholarship, her award was an important stepping stone on her career path.
“Thanks to that legacy scholarship, she was able to complete her Master’s in Advanced Food Safety in the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s. And with the skills and experience she gained on the course, Amy quickly went on to secure gainful employment.”
Corporate scholarships
In 2020, Queen’s Law and Accounting graduate Johnny Hanna (LLB 1995), helped launch two KPMG Scholarships offering financial support and work experience for students in the University’s Management School.
Commenting at the time of the launch Johnny said:
“At KPMG we want to reward excellence and help our people reach their full potential. We are delighted to provide career opportunities and support to two talented students, for the duration of their degree, through a mix of financial support, internships and mentoring.
“The 2021/22 scholarship process is open to students who have a conditional offer from Queen’s Management School and have achieved a high standard of A levels (or equivalent), or alternatively those who have completed the Pathway Opportunity programme at the University.”
Santander, through Santander Universities UK has been supporting Queen’s since May 2008. Currently the bank has agreements with over 1,200 universities in 20 countries, including almost 90 in the UK. With over 430,000 university scholarships and grants awarded since 2005, Santander has been recognised as the company that invests most in education in the world.
Santander funding supports scholarships and mobility awards for students and staff, entrepreneurship activities, internship funding as well as leadership and skills development for students.
International scholarships
Establishing an international scholarship can give a current student at the University the chance of a lifetime to travel overseas to augment their studies, or offer a student from outside Northern Ireland an opportunity to come to Queen’s for part or all of their education.
Husband and wife Chris McDowell and Georgina Copty, set up The Copty Scholarship to support a student from Palestine to study at Master’s level in the School of Law, the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences or the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Queen’s.
Georgina grew up in Jerusalem and saw for herself the challenges that can arise in accessing education. Along with her four siblings she benefited from a university scholarship and like many others, Georgina credits her experience in higher education and the benefits of philanthropy that she enjoyed as the motivating factors for starting her own scholarship.
Speaking about her personal education journey which inspired her to set up a scholarship, Georgina said:
“My siblings and I were very fortunate to receive scholarships and other support which enabled us to study overseas and so expand the opportunities available to us. I first studied at Gordon College, Massachusetts and then went on to obtain an MBA degree in South Africa. It was here that I met my husband Chris, a 1992 Queen’s BEng in Manufacturing Engineering alumnus, before moving to Belfast.
“We both look forward to seeing the scholarship awarded to an applicant next year as someone begins their journey at Queen’s. I can appreciate that studying abroad can be daunting, however we were reassured by the level of support Queen’s offers International students and the programmes in The Graduate School that support postgraduate students.”
Sports scholarships
Sports bursary and academy scholarship awards are available to current students who have achieved a high standard in their particular sport.
These awards include sports science support, free use of facilities, free equipment and financial assistance. Currently there are over 100 Academy Scholarship places available each year in GAA, Hockey, Rowing, Rugby, and Soccer for athletes competing in individual sports and non-academy team sports.
One BA Politics (1990) graduate – the former rugby international Rob Saunders, who won 12 caps for Ireland between 1991 and 1994 and who captained the team in 1991 – wanted to ‘offer someone from a challenging economic background a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to undertake a fantastic degree at a world-class university and to follow their dream’.
Reflecting at the time of the launch on what he hoped the scholarship would achieve, Rob said:
“Sport is great – it is healthy and sociable and allows you to meet lots of different people. But I want the Scholarship to do more than that. I want it to be life changing and to allow someone to flourish."
The current scholarship holder – who receives full payment of undergraduate fees for three years and an additional annual bursary of £3,500 to support living, travel and other expenses plus mentoring and coaching from Rob Saunders – is boxing student Peter O’Hagan, who said:
"Going from being a student that repeated sixth form, to one with a full scholarship still hasn’t settled in. This scholarship allows me to focus on my studies and my sport, without the burden of financial pressure.”
Medical scholarships
Health and medicine are key subject areas which offer current students access to a range of scholarships set up or supported by donors.
Coleen Magill was awarded the MacQuitty Experimental Medicine Scholarship in the School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Sciences to study an MSc in Experimental Medicine in September 2020.
Medical research has always been something that Coleen wanted to pursue, and receiving this scholarship has meant the world to her. So far, she has covered modules on Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease, and has been working on her research project specifically investigating calcification in Multiple Sclerosis.
Not stopping there, Coleen has accepted an offer for a PhD investigating biomarkers of aging in AMD with Dr Ruth Hogg in the Centre for Public Health.
Talking about the ripple effect of a scholarship, Queen’s Head of Health Fundraising Teresa Sloan says it can be almost impossible to foresee, going well beyond the beneficiary student:
"When a donor funds a scholarship, the recipient of that award will obviously be the first, and the main, person to benefit. That said, the education and the opportunities which that one single act of generosity opens up, are often hard to anticipate. Ultimately, those scholars can, and will, go on to impact positively on numerous other individuals during their working life, much of which can be traced back to the possibilities afforded by the original scholarship."
Denis and Kate Mac Daid generously supported a three-year joint PhD project between Queen’s and Swansea University focused on Multiple Sclerosis research.
Rhian Evans was appointed as the Mac Daid Family Scholar working with Dr Denise Fitzgerald in the Centre for Experimental Medicine at Queen’s and Dr Owain Howell in Swansea.
On receipt of the scholarship Rhian said: “I cannot express how thankful and appreciative I am to Mr and Mrs Mac Daid for the amazing opportunity and will be forever grateful. It has secured a lifelong collaboration between the Howell and Fitzgerald groups that I have no doubt will lead to the generation of some fantastic science and will ultimately benefit those with MS.”
Since her time in Belfast Rhian has finalised her data collection, written and submitted her thesis, and worked in a temporary lab testing for COVID-19. She recently started a new role with scientific company Lecia Biosystems.
Investment in people
For many, the route to university can be very challenging, the end result of which is that financial exclusion from third level education is a huge issue across the world. Scholarships are often transformative and are undoubtedly part of the lifeblood of Queen’s. They offer hope and reassurance to those who might otherwise fail to reap the benefits of a world-class Russell Group education.
Development Manager Aoife McNabb says that a scholarship can help a student smooth the way to reaching their maximum potential:
“Gifts in support of scholarships at Queen’s are an important investment in people. They enable our students to concentrate on their studies, hone their talents, and to get the most out life at University," she said.
As well as financial support some donors also invest their time by providing mentoring and networking opportunities alongside scholarships. The McCall Foundation Scholarship in Civil Engineering has supported three students since its inception and scholarship founder Mervyn McCall generously provides a helping hand with career guidance and encourages networking among the student recipients.
“Philanthropy Fortnight gives us the chance to highlight the impact of scholarships and to encourage others to consider how they might transform the learning environment for our students," added Aoife.
“With the continued support of donors, lives can and will be changed, and not just for student beneficiaries themselves but for all they come in contact with in their future careers.”
If you would like to help make a difference to the lives of Queen’s students – now or in the future – by setting up a scholarship, find out more by contacting Development Manager Aoife McNabb or by visiting the Development and Alumni Relations Office website.
For general enquiries about this story, or to submit graduate news items, please contact Gerry Power, Communications Officer, Development and Alumni Relations Office, Queen's University Belfast.
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