Nadia Menuhin “I graduated in June 2008 and I got married two months later so I have UCL to thank for my whole future, my husband, who I met there, my children and everything. I know UCL is an institution but I always felt it was so much more than that. It was a wonderful community and it went over and above
The value of a good education
“The main benefit of giving back is a personal one. Being part of the Provost’s Circle very much reconnects me with the university and when I go back it feels like I’ve never been away.”
For many, crossing UCL’s campus leaves an impression that remains long after they leave. Here Nadia Menuhin (UCL French 2008) and Mary Reilly (UCL History 1974) reflect on what made their experience at UCL so special and why they’ve chosen to give something back.
“I feel my monthly gift is my own small way of saying thank you for all the wonderful people I met. UCL changed my whole view on education and it was refreshing to find an institution that I enjoyed being a part of.”
“When I found out about the Provost’s Circle it triggered something, and I thought that this was something I wanted to get involved with. I always wanted to support education in my charitable giving and this was a unique opportunity to do it. I’ve been very lucky in my life, I’ve had a very
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the line of duty to allow me to continue studying when I became pregnant. The teachers there made it so much easier for me; they offered me personal, tailored support. “I feel my gift is my own small way of saying thank you for all the wonderful people I met. My £3 a month is a way to say thank you for my unique experience and for all the help that I received which was more than necessary. “I definitely trust UCL to use my money where the need is greatest. All the improvements I saw at UCL SSEES and in the UCL science block while I was there were needed and seemed very well done. “UCL changed my whole view on education and it was refreshing to find an institution that I enjoyed being a part of. I felt that my experience was really personal, I never felt like one of a thousand students.”
Nadia Menuhin
Make your mark
Mary Reilly “I really enjoyed my time at university. I think UCL’s spirit stems from it being the first non-conformist university and a lot of that egalitarianism is still there and that really appeals to me; it was quite cosmopolitan and I loved the buzz around it.
successful career and I’ve done very well and I’m eternally grateful to UCL for that. “The main benefit of giving back is a personal one. Being part of the Provost’s Circle very much reconnects me with the university and when I go back it feels like I’ve never been away. Just the other day I was with one of my American clients on Gower Street and when I said, ‘Look, there’s my university!’, he replied that he didn’t meet a lot of Brits who were so proud of where they’d studied.
“I give my gift to whatever the Provost wants to fund, which is a reflection of my confidence in him as an individual, of knowing he will use that money wisely. “There’s no doubt that funding universities now is crucial. When I was at UCL only 5% of the population went to university and the grant system was there for us. The privilege of going to a top-class university is phenomenal. We live in very troubled times so the more educated people are, the more they can make decisions. Education really is what frees the world.”
You can make a gift to UCL using the gift form attached to your Connect questionnaire. To find out more about making a gift please call +44 (0)20 7679 9736 or visit www.ucl.ac.uk/makeyourmark
Find out more To find out more about the Provost’s Circle (which recognises donors who give £1,000 or more to UCL in a single year) please contact Sian Hoggett on +44 (0)20 7679 9741 or email s.hoggett@ucl.ac.uk 17