Trustees face fund-raising challenge

Posted 20 August 2008

The only way is up for these Harper Adams fundraisers.

Thanks to new Government scheme, every no-strings donation to Harper Adams University College over the next three years will be 50 per cent match-funded, giving the University College’s Development Trust a window of opportunity to make a huge difference to Harper’s growing student body.

The trustees are charged with attracting donations from private donors, and a number have already made personal contributions and pledges to get the ball rolling.

Harper Adams Principal Professor Wynne Jones said: “We are most grateful to the trustees, who work tirelessly on a voluntary basis to enable the University College to offer a wider range of scholarships and bursaries and to assist with capital projects such as new buildings and improved facilities. We thank them sincerely for their important work and for their personal contributions, which mean so much to the staff, students and governors.

“Now there is an added incentive with this promise of additional government funding. Many of the trustees are Harper Adams alumni and we hope other alumni and friends of the college, and private companies who will benefit when they employ our high-calibre graduates, will follow their lead and take this opportunity to make a solid investment in rural higher education.”

One of the latest companies to make such an investment is world-leading agri-business Syngenta, which is offering up to three full-fees student scholarships.

 In addition to financial aid, the company, which is committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology, will give career support to its Harper Adams scholars, offering work placements with a view to them securing full-time employment with the firm upon graduation.

Launching the scholarships, Gary Mills-Thomas, Head of Sales at Syngenta CP UK, said: “New talent who are well educated and who have some experience of our industry are essential to our future. We believe that these scholarships will form an important part of our strategic recruitment programme.”

On the donations side, Development Trust Chairman Tony Burgess has led by example and made his own personal contribution. Mr Burgess said: “I firmly believe that a well-educated, highly skilled and motivated workforce provides the best investment for the future success of the land-based industries.

“The purpose of the Development Trust is to provide students with the best possible learning environment and ensure that no student misses the opportunity of a Harper Adams education because of financial restrictions. Further financial resources are required if the University College is to continue to be as successful as it is today.”

For more information about making a donation to the Harper Adams University College Development Trust, or setting up a student scholarship, contact Development Trust Officer Renee Gallina-Morris on 01952 815428 e-mail: rgallinamorris@harper-adams.ac.uk

Details of the Development Trust are available at http://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/about/developmenttrust/