Katie is standing in front of the London Eye and the Thames. She is smiling, with long dark hair, glasses and a pink dress.

The Donor Digest

The First Generation Edition

Dear ,

As Manchester Met draws closer to awarding 1,000 First Generation Scholarships and I near the end of my degree, studying BA (Hons) Creative Writing, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you and to truly express how much support like yours means to someone like me.

My journey began with an unclear path into University. It was shaped not only by attending lectures and meeting deadlines, but by resilience and determination. Being part of the First Generation Programme has had a profound impact on me. It’s opened doors to opportunities I never imagined were within reach.

However you choose to support students at Manchester Met, through First Generation or in a bespoke way, your kindness makes a real difference. Every gift helps create a more inclusive and empowering university experience for those who need it most.

I firmly believe that generosity like yours helps students like me grow in confidence and inspires us to aim higher. I’m proud to say I’ve recently graduated with a First Class Honours. Beyond financial pressures, support from donors has shown me that others believe in me. That belief is something I will carry with me for years to come.

Your kindness and this scholarship have been fundamental to my success. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for creating space for me to thrive.

With gratitude,
Katie Davies
BA (Hons) Creative Writing, Class of 2025
First Generation Scholar

P.S. I hope you enjoy the Impact of Philanthropy film linked below. I really enjoyed taking part in it!

The impact of your support

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we have almost reached our milestone of changing 1,000 lives through the First Generation Scholarship Programme – a powerful reminder of what we can achieve together.

Watch now

This image includes a portrait of Simon Rutter on the right and a quote from him on the left. On the right he is smiling to the camera, with short dark hair in a side parting. He is wearing a blue shirt. On the left his quote says:
"I'm especially proud to contribute to the First Generation Scholarship Programme - helping students from the North West who are the first in their families to attend university. As an alum, I know first-hand what a difference that opportunity can make. And I believe in passing it on." This is followed by Simon Rutter. Company Director & Investor in technology industries,BA (Hons) Business Studies, 1990, First Generation Donor.

'Our scholar stories'

Maryam has long brown hair. She is smiling to the camera and is wearing a gray hoodie while sitting on a tall purple seat.

Maryam, First Generation Scholar

I am studying psychology and I’d like to share with you about my final year dissertation: the cultural barriers that students face in higher education and how these affect graduate outcomes.

Learn more

Dhanish is smiling to the camera. He has short dark hair, in a middle parting it's swept either side of his face. He is wearing glasses and a dark jumper.

Billy, First Generation Scholar Alumni

Speaking at the Class of 2025 graduation was something I never imagined doing a few years ago. But I knew that if sharing my story could help even one person, it was worth it.

Read more

Kaye is smiling to the camera. She has long dark hair, it's parted in the middle and is swept behind her back. She is wearing a dark jumper and it sitting in front of a neutral background.

Kaye, First Generation Scholar

I had an amazing trip to Lucerne, Switzerland, to visit one of Manchester Met’s partner institutions. I met inspiring and knowledgeable people from all over the world.

Take a look

First Generation news

Meet our team

We sat down with Senior Philanthropy Manager and donor, Sophia McNeill, to reflect on the journey of the First Generation Scholarship Programme since 2016. She shares key moments, personal insights, and the lasting impact made possible by your generous support.

Read more

Pushing boundaries for First Generation

From cycling hundreds of kilometres to climbing mountains in the dark and running the Great Manchester Run, our remarkable fundraisers have gone the extra mile, literally, to support the First Generation Programme.

Discover more

Meet our Donors

In this interview, we hear from Prof Hannah and her husband, Pete Holmes, on how they want to give back to the institution that gave them so much.

Learn more

Leaving a legacy that shapes tomorrow

A gift in your Will can open doors for future students, those with talent, drive, and dreams, but without the means to pursue them. It’s a powerful way to create lasting change.

Your legacy could support someone like Ines, whose journey through university was made possible by the kindness of donors. With your help, students like her can overcome financial barriers and unlock their full potential so they can change the world.

Leaving a gift is simple, and its impact will echo for generations.

Will you consider making a difference that lasts a lifetime and beyond?

Find out more about leaving a gift in your Will.

This image includes a portrait is Ines on the right and a quote from her on the left. On the right, Innes is smiling to the camera, she is wearing a red jumper with long sleaves and has long curly dark hair. On the left, she says:
"I feel incredibly proud to graduate; it's a huge milestone, especially as a First Generation student. I'm so grateful for people like you who've supported me along the way. I look forward to continuing my journey in healthcare by pursuring postgraduate study to become a Physician Associate." Followed by Ines, BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science, Class of 2025, First Generation Scholar

Other exciting news

Giving back and going beyond

At Manchester Met, the commitment of our generous donor community extends beyond financial support—many also volunteer their time and expertise, mentoring students and delivering inspiring guest lectures.

Read more

The Jim Jackson Foundation supports First Generation

We are delighted that the Jim Jackson Educational and Enabling Foundation is supporting 10 first-generation students set to study business-related degrees in the 2025-26 academic year.

Learn more

Alumna’s Caribbean inspired debut on ASOS

Manchester Met alumna and former Santander: Emerging Entrepreneur recipient Isabelle Pennington-Edmead has launched a vibrant new collection on ASOS.

Discover more

Thank you

We hope you have enjoyed reading this edition of the Donor Digest. If you have any questions or comments to share, please don't hesitate to reach out to us by email: giving@mmu.ac.uk.

On behalf of our scholarship recipients and colleagues across Manchester Met, thank you for your belief in our mission and commitment to creating opportunities which enable talented individuals to thrive.

We look forward to staying in touch in the next Donor Digest.

Yours sincerely,
Rhiannon Ewing-James
Donor and Stakeholder Relations Officer

P.S Other news from across the University

Student satisfaction reaches a new high

Manchester Met students are more positive than ever about their university experience, according to the 2025 National Student Survey. For the fourth year running, results have improved, highlighting excellence in teaching, academic support, and student voice.

Read more

Fashion graduate show spotlights people behind collections

The next generation of fashion talent is brought to life in the graduate show as designs embracing AI, disability and Black heritage converge to give audiences a glimpse of the individuals behind the curated costumes.

Take a look

Printing the future to drive innovation in the water sector

Manchester Met and United Utilities are transforming the water sector through 3D printing, as their pioneering ‘Printfrastructure’ project wraps up after two successful years of innovation and collaboration.

Discover more

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We received overall gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework 2023-27, meaning we’re rated as an outstanding university for our student experience.

We are the top-rated university for degree apprenticeships, and recognised as Grade 1 Outstanding by Ofsted.

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