In 2017, our incredible supporters helped us to raise over €3 million in new pledges for projects to transform not only the future of our students’ education, but also the future of our country and our society.
Last year, you gave generously to a wide range of projects that included supporting young people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds to fulfil their potential in life through our Access Scholarship Programme and supporting Ireland’s future athletics and GAA stars through the DCU Sports Academy. Other student focussed initiatives that received support in 2017 included the University of Sanctuary which made it possible for 15 asylum seekers to study either on campus or online with DCU and accommodation scholarships for DCU Access students experiencing homelessness.
2017 also saw our donors invest in strategic projects to transform Irish society from assisting Irish family businesses through the DCU Centre for Family Business to projects with potential to change the future of Irish education from the Western Seaboard Science Project which looks at science teaching in rural primary schools to the Write to Read literacy project.
The enthusiasm of DCU alumni to keep in touch with the University and to give back in whatever way they can was also evident during two telethons run by the Trust in 2017. Our teams of student callers spoke with 1,553 graduates during telethons in May and November when graduates donated over €160,000 to support Access Scholarships.
Speaking about the philanthropic support granted to DCU in 2018, Nathalie Walker, CEO of DCU Educational Trust stated that, “Every donation that we receive is important to us, whether it is a company creating a new academic chair or endowed scholarship or a DCU graduate making a monthly gift to our Access Scholarship Programme.
“Philanthropy plays a critical role in enabling DCU to advance its mission to transform lives and society through education, research, innovation and engagement.
However, our work is about much more than simply raising funds. We truly believe that we are building partnerships with our donors around a shared vision of the power of higher education to transform lives and society,” she concluded.
