An Historic Year for Giving: Strengthening Southampton through Philanthropy and Engagement

In September, we reported that the Office of Development and Alumni Relations (ODAR) were celebrating an historic year across Philanthropy and Alumni and Supporter Engagement, with £15.42m raised and over 23,000 hours volunteered by alumni and supporters during 2024/25.

One of the hallmarks of the best universities in the world is that they have strong giving programmes, which matters because traditional funding schemes aren’t able to reach far enough, particularly during times of constraint for the sector. Our University was founded on a gift, and the ODAR team are looking ahead to their next campaign, which will help to widen access to education, strengthen areas of research, and catalyse new areas of discovery such as medical innovation, giving us a competitive edge and genuinely making a positive difference for people locally, nationally and globally. 

Staff Matters spoke to colleagues from ODAR and across the organisation about their work, those who benefit from others’ generosity, and what’s next… 

Volunteering benefits all

Chris Shank, Alumni & Supporter Engagement Manager (Volunteering), told us;

“E-Mentoring Southampton is the University’s flagship online mentoring platform that connects students and alumni, where students can easily access a whole directory of alumni professionals all around the world. The Graduate Ambassador Scheme is our programme that involves recent graduates giving back their time and expertise; it’s one of those things that we found out from our stakeholders all across the University, that there’s really a need for that lived experience of those graduates who have just recently left the University.” 

Holly Williams, Careers & Employability Officer, University of Southampton Business School, added;

“In today’s competitive job market, employers are looking for more than academic excellence. That’s where the Talent Development Programme (TDP) comes in; it enhances students’ studies through in-person events, workshops, and unique experiences that build essential employability skills. Alumni play a key role as guest speakers and keynote presenters at our workshops, or by supporting through the Graduate Ambassador programme, attending events, hosting networking tables, and sharing their journeys as recent graduates.

“In 2022/23, Master’s student Lemiao Yu joined the TDP with the goal of working at one of the Big Four firms. She connected with alumnus Alistair Beecher, who had delivered talks on the programme and attended many of the events. With his extensive experience at EY and PwC, Alistair went on to mentor Lemiao, supporting her job applications. She successfully secured a role at PwC, and later returned to the TDP to give her own talk, sharing tips on securing a graduate role. She and Alistair remain in contact, and it has been rewarding to see this mentoring relationship flourish. 

“Students truly value hearing from people who have been in their shoes. Alumni provide unique insight into real recruitment processes, share practical tips, and show how they have leveraged their degrees to enter the workplace. This helps students connect their studies to industry and gives them the confidence to take their next steps.” 

Emma Smart, Senior Development Manager, told us about the University’s current priority funds;

“The first is Ignite, which is our flagship widening participation programme – our donors can support a whole range of bursaries, scholarships and awards within that programme, but as well as financial support, our students on Ignite have additional support including pastoral support, mentoring, and internships. We hear from the students that have been on the programme that this is absolutely life-changing, and the evaluation of the programme is really showing that the outcomes of these students are higher than the average. We also have the Medical Innovation Fund, which is where our donors can support cutting-edge medical research here at Southampton, either through PhDs, vital equipment, or research positions. It’s this research which will be accelerated in the Institute for Medical Innovation, and our donors currently have the option either to support the research through the fund that exists already, or of course the capital project itself.”

Kirsty Coombs, Head of Student Success, spoke to us about the value these programmes bring to students;

“Ignite continues to drive greater equity for students from underrepresented backgrounds throughout their university journey. A guaranteed internship remains a standout feature, equipping students with vital skills and boosting their confidence and readiness for the workplace, and the financial support package enables students to focus on their studies without the added pressure of financial hardship. 

“Students also benefit from enrichment activities and targeted academic interventions—such as workshops, one-to-one guidance, and dissertation writing retreats—designed to close socio-economic and racial awarding gaps. These initiatives foster deeper engagement, confidence, and improved outcomes. Strategically, Ignite plays a vital role in driving our institutional commitment to equity, inclusion, and social mobility.” 

Professor Andrew Atherton, Vice-President (International and Engagement), told us about the value of our international alumni community;

“Our international alumni make an enormous contribution to the University’s global priorities. In India, our alumni have been central to the success of our newly launched Delhi campus – championing the University, supporting recruitment events and actively signing up to mentor our new postgraduate students. In China, many alumni joined our recruitment mission across three cities last year, and we look forward to repeating that success again in a few weeks’ time. Across the world, alumni network and branch leaders are organising events, building connections, and strengthening our international reach. We are deeply proud of, and grateful to, our alumni for their remarkable engagement – and we look forward to meeting many more in the year ahead.” 

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