Students shortlist projects for Sidney’s first crowdfunding appeal

Before Easter, Sidney Sussex College Students’ Union (SSCSU) asked its members to identify three areas where additional funding could make a positive impact on the student experience. 

Now, between 19 May and 2 June, recent graduates will be invited to donate, to help our students achieve their goals. For every £1 pledged, a total of £3 will go into the students’ pot, as the result of an extraordinary match-funding commitment by a generous former student. 

The appeal hopes to raise £5000. After their exams, current students will vote on which of the three shortlisted projects they would like the sum raised to fund. 

The new fundraising drive aims to give young alumni - members of the College who have graduated in the previous 10 years - the chance to make a tangible impact on the lives of students today. 

Our students suggested three areas where donations could make a difference: 

• An upgrade to the College’s stock of loan laptops, which are provided to students free of charge if their computer breaks, or if it is lost or stolen. 

• A SSCSU Bursary. Thanks to Sidney’s donors, the College is able to fund bursaries for all eligible students but, with the need to further increase our provision, one option would be to establish an additional SSCSU Bursary, which the Students' Union could then name.  

• A new Experience Grant. This grant would allow Sidney students to continue their personal development beyond their studies, making it possible for them to focus on a business idea, for example, or engage in cultural exchange. If the students were to vote for this option, they would decide how this grant would be awarded and what it would be called. 

The College’s Development and Alumni Relations Office launched its Young Alumni programme earlier this year, with the intention of bringing together the College’s current students and recent graduates, to share experiences and provide careers advice. On Saturday 24 June, the programme will host an exclusive workshop with alumnus and leadership expert Sharath Jeevan (1994). On Wednesday 25 October, Peter Bricknell (1998) will share his ‘6 tips to get recruited and promoted’. A mentoring programme for current students offers opportunities to interact with a wide range of successful alumni.  

Further details of Sidney’s Young Alumni programme and the events mentioned above are available on the Young Alumni programme page. 

You can donate to this appeal on our Donate page (please select Crowdfund 2023 from the 'Preferred Direction' menu).