Our Impact

The York Opportunity Scholarship was established in 2012 by alumnus Peter Whelpton, Class of ‘69. Peter believed that students from all backgrounds should have the chance to access higher education. He created this scholarship to support those students who have overcome the most significant barriers in their personal, social or domestic lives to access an education here at the University of York.

Peter sadly passed away in 2017. To ensure that his work continued after he died, he left a legacy donation that will support the most underrepresented students at York for the foreseeable future. Each year the university receives approximately 300 applications for the scholarship and thanks to Peter we have been able to support 15 students (6%) per year over recent years. Sadly this meant that support was only available for 1 in every 16 applicants.

With the incredible help of our alumni audience and partners this number increased to 34 students (11%) in 2018/19, meaning that we could support 1 in every 9 applicants.

Due for completion in 2020, the Guy and Eleanor Dodson Building will become home to one the world’s most advanced cryo-electron microscopy facilities. Building on York’s exceptional strengths in structural biology, and with funding from the Wolfson Foundation and the Wellcome Trust together with substantial private philanthropy, the facility will ultimately help discover new ways to tackle a range of human health problems that cause suffering to millions of people around the world.

The building is named after Guy and Eleanor Dodson who arrived in York in 1976. Most notable among their formidable achievements were the discovery of the techniques that led to the final solution of the crystal structure of insulin. Equipped with cutting edge scientific infrastructure, the new facility will become home to a community of scientists working together for the common good - a highly fitting tribute to their vision, talent and legacy.

Jade Smith is currently on a placement year as a Digital Media student and University Digital Leaders Award winner. She recently volunteered to take part in a panel discussion at an Alumni Professional Network event, before joining alumni and guests to network herself.

When first asked to be on the panel, Jade was incredibly nervous. She had previously participated in public speaking events on a much smaller scale, but nothing of this magnitude. Jade said it was a fantastic opportunity to challenge herself to come up with responses to things she had previously never considered, which gave her a new wealth of skills and confidence in the process. The discussion itself was thought provoking and being given the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to the conversation was wonderful because, although not everyone agreed on some of the points made, the responses were respectful and constructive and gave me a greater understanding of different perspectives on current issues.