Supporting students to become their best selves
Generous support from our alumni, donors and friends helps students enrich their QMU experience and become their best selves through study and work abroad opportunities, paid internships, mentoring programmes, and co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.
Here are a few examples of how our donors have supported students over the past year.
The opportunity of a lifetime in Hong Kong
For fourth-year International Hospitality and Tourism Management student, Lison Chaillou, a term at the Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) in 2024, proved to be one of the best experiences of her life.
Lison’s Hong Kong adventure was made possible after receiving £5k from the Lisa Persdotter Simonyi Scholarships Fund. A generous gift from QMU alumna, Lisa Persdotter Simonyi, established the Fund to help female students experience education abroad, irrespective of their financial circumstances.
During her time with HKBU she took classes that enhanced her cultural understanding of Hong Kong, and learned Mandarin so she could converse with local people. She also loved learning about the country through its fusion of cuisines, and visiting the temples, landmarks and hiking trails.
Having received financial support to help with accommodation and other costs, Lison was able to develop her education, broaden her horizons and have the trip of a lifetime! Lison said: “The Lisa Persdotter Simonyi Scholarship made my exchange to Hong Kong possible, and enabled me to explore Asia, visiting new countries including China, Philippines and Vietnam. The experience has been one of the best of my life.”
Work is sweet with Strawberry Lemonade Events
Keen to boost her employability, fourth-year Business Management student, Giorgia Ripanucci, undertook an internship with the award-winning corporate event planning agency, Strawberry Lemonade Events.
Giorgia’s internship was funded through the Santander Universities Employability Scheme, which helps improve students’ employability skills by taking part in paid internships with small or medium-sized enterprises.
Giorgia gained a range of tremendous experience with the agency - from event coordination and market research to data analysis and social media management.
She explained: “Working on projects such as the launch of a tech venture and Scottish Borders Business Excellence Awards improved my organisational and project management skills, ability to work under pressure and attention to detail. The experience taught me how to deliver high-quality work across multiple projects simultaneously. Learning how to prioritise tasks and manage time effectively was an invaluable experience.”
It’s not just our students who benefit from the employability scheme. Sian Downes, double graduate and CEO of Strawberry Lemonade Events, shared her reasons for being involved. She confirmed: “It’s important for me to help current students and future alumni, and by maintaining a close relationship with QMU, we can engage with new talent from business, events and media. We’re a corporate events agency, but also a social enterprise, and The Santander Universities Employability Scheme has become an important part of our employability and education strategy.”
Psychology & Sociology Society’s Conference
An award of £770 helped support QMU’s student Psychology & Sociology Society run a conference for their final year undergraduates. Thanks to the Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund, the conference supported the academic, personal and professional practices of the group.
According to Ellie Birchall, former Society President, the event encouraged student engagement across year groups and courses, and helped develop communication, presentation and critical appraisal skills. It was also a confidence booster for students who plan to progress careers in academia, and who may present papers at future external research conferences.
