University support fund sees £67k shared between students

Almost 100 students at Coventry University were the recipients of grants totalling over £67,000 as a result of generous donations from the institution's alumni and benefactors.

The Chancellor's Fund award ceremony – which is backed by the University's chancellor, Sir John Egan – saw 93 students receive funding from a variety of grant and scholarship schemes including the Ada Lovelace scholarship, the Sir William Lyons Charitable Trust bursary scheme and the Chancellor's Fund itself.

Students, staff, alumni and benefactors came together in the Hub building on campus for the annual awards ceremony, which celebrates the positive difference that charitable giving is making to the lives of students.

Sir John Egan presented the awards to the recipients, including those receiving funding from the Chancellor's Fund which was set up to provide financial help for students to take on new projects, buy new equipment and further enhance their employability.

Representatives from Tata Technologies – including Nick Sale, the company's chief operating officer for Europe – and the 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust were also present to support the recipients of the Ada Lovelace scholarship scheme, which is designed to support the disproportionately low number of women studying STEM subjects.

Both organisations have funded the Ada Lovelace scholarships to allow the University to award a grant of £1,500 to 20 female students studying courses in the Faculty of Engineering and Computing.

Chris Smith, senior development manager at Coventry University, said:

The event was about saying thank you to those who have donated to each of the grant schemes, and to introduce them to some of the talented students who will benefit from the funding. We're delighted that the generosity of our alumni and other benefactors is giving a boost to our students to help them with their studies and other enterprising activities.

For further information, please contact Alex Roache, external press and media relations officer, Coventry University, on +44 (0)24 7765 5050 or email alex.roache@coventry.ac.uk.