LSE ADVANCEMENT
THE VIRTUOUS CIRCLE: THE POWER OF SCHOLARSHIPS In March the School hosted its annual Donors and Scholars receptions to celebrate the role scholarships play in ensuring students are able to accept their offer of a place at LSE. Guests heard from scholarship recipients, donors and LSE Director Professor Craig Calhoun on why philanthropy matters to them and to LSE. Cato Stonex (BSc International Relations 1986), donor of two named scholarships supporting PhD and undergraduate students, and Simon Toner, a PhD scholar of his in the Department of International History, shared their relationship as benefactor and beneficiary. Donors and Scholars receptions celebrate philanthropy at LSE but also underline our desire to widen participation at the School to all those talented and committed enough to study here. Why is that important? Cato Stonex (donor): My view is that LSE shouldn’t be a finishing school for children of the better off. There are plenty of other places that can do that. The School needs to retain its integrity, and to continue to attract the best students and the best teachers. LSE does not have the advantage of large endowment funds that a lot of the big American schools have to offer places to people, so we have to use philanthropic scholarships as an alternative way of funding. Simon Toner (scholar): If very bright people with a lot of potential miss out, so does LSE. Without this scholarship, I would have had to drop out. I’m sure there are lots of people in a similar situation so it’s enormously beneficial and important, both to students and to the School. What are the main advantages to scholars of an LSE education? Cato: It’s coming to a place where, whatever your subject, you are surrounded by people with different perspectives. You meet people from all over the world and it forces you to think globally. In my line of work I invest
other people’s money: having a global perspective and realising there are many ways of doing things and many ways that societies work has been tremendously helpful. If you can help other people to participate in that, it’s got to be a good thing. Simon: I have friends at LSE from all over the world, and with the international focus of our work it’s a great help. One might be working on Latin America and another on Africa, and we can have these comparative discussions. You won’t necessarily have that at every university so it’s been fantastic for me. Not only that, but the sense of community is huge – there’s a really strong support network here. Simon, does the support you have received encourage you to give in a similar way in the future, should you be able? Simon: Yes, definitely. I am eternally grateful to Cato. I plan to enter academia so while I might never have huge amounts of money this has made me want to get involved in additional ways such as alumni relations and in encouraging people to donate by speaking about my experiences. It’s a cliché but it makes a difference to someone’s life – like Cato has done to mine. Cato: You can come back to speak on your subject, too. LSE’s continuous programme of events benefits hugely from people across the world. Alumni can contribute in many ways; I got lucky financially so I can pass it on in that sense. But it’s not just money – in fact that’s often the least of it. I’ve always said to those I’ve been able to support that if they do get fortunate in whatever way then they can contribute, whether it’s by coming back and talking, or recruiting LSE students as interns. That strengthens the School and our ability to compete. It is like rolling a snowball down a hill – I’ve been able to help 18 people and they in turn might be prompted to do various things. My little contribution is a way to start the ball rolling.
Cato Stonex
Simon Toner
Two alumni share their LSE stories for annual giving appeals The Annual Fund and Centennial
Rishi, a School governor, described
Fund are the School’s two primary
the value he has gained from his
annual giving programmes designed
association with the LSE identity and
to harness through philanthropic
brand. His interest in politics began
support the participation of alumni
and was cultivated while a student
and friends all over the world. Each
– he ultimately became general
year, letters written by LSE alumni
secretary of the LSE Students’
demonstrate their relationship with
Union – and in the decade since he
LSE and why being involved as
graduated, the School has been a
donors matters to them.
near constant in his life.
For 2014/15 we asked John C
Both appeals are helping to raise
Phelan (General Course Economics
funds for the School’s strategic
1985) and Rishi Madlani (BSc
priorities, with donors able to
Economics 2005) to author appeals
identify a preferred area for their
that shared their LSE stories with
gift – including student support,
the wider alumni audience. John
teaching and research initiatives,
outlined how, quite aside from
student experience projects and
the contribution his LSE education
large School programmes such as
made to his career as an investor,
campus development.
a relationship that began when he
Thank you to John and Rishi for
arrived in London “wet behind the
their time and support – and to the
ears with a duffel bag and not much
thousands of alumni who have already
else” has blossomed into a 30-year
supported the School through an
association with LSE and friendships
annual gift this year. To find out more
with alumni around the world.
visit alumni.lse.ac.uk/annualfund
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Summer 2015
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LSE Connect
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