Goodenough Global Giving Day 2020: Introducing your Scholars

We remain immensely grateful to our incredible Alumni community and friends who rallied together in support of our first ever Goodenough Global Giving Day, raising an amazing £117,992.47 and therefore funding 10 Scholarships.

Not only did we see our global fellowship respond to the needs of future Scholars, most importantly you connected and engaged with each other!  Together we demonstrated the power of coming together through engagement and philanthropy. Thank you.

In this impact report, you will be introduced to two of our Giving Day Scholars. In their own words, they will tell you about the difference that your support has made to them.

The difference you are making

The generosity of our Alumni and friends means that almost 80% of our Scholarships are now funded through philanthropy. This is a marked increase from 2017/18 when that figure stood at only 30%.

Thanks to your participation, we will be able to widen access to those who otherwise may not be able to afford to live at the College. Additionally, your gift will ensure the College’s now limited resources can be focused on urgent operational needs, wherever the need is greatest; whether that be repairing a leaking roof, funding a cultural society or offering pastoral support to students experiencing hardship.

Introducing your Scholars

We would like to introduce you to two of our outstanding Giving Day Scholars, who, in their own words, would like to express what the gift of a Scholarship means for them.

Pamoda Jayaweera, Sri Lanka, Giving Day Scholar

Pamoda is a PhD candidate at the Department of Culture, Communication and Media, Institute of Education, University College London. Her teaching and research concerns post-colonial literature, critical theory and sociolinguistics.

“I’m so overjoyed; being at Goodenough is a most coveted opportunity as it will not only provide me with exceptional accommodation but also introduce me to a vibrant multicultural community. The opportunity to take part in the intellectual and social life of the Goodenough community will be immensely important to me. Since my PhD research is on new varieties of English that have emerged in Commonwealth countries, such as Sri Lanka, networking with the diverse array of Scholars and postgraduate students, some of whom will also be from other Commonwealth countries, will be extremely beneficial for me.

Since I haven’t lived in an academic community before, living among the like-minded and talented students who constitute the Goodenough community will be a very exciting experience. I’m positive that joining Goodenough will enable me to develop a network of colleagues and friends and overcome the sense of loneliness I have experienced during the pandemic.

I’m truly grateful to the Goodenough College and its generous donors for awarding me a Scholarship. Had it not been for this Scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to secure accommodation in London. I do not have the means to live in expensive London without external financial support.

Getting the Giving Day Scholarship really means a lot to me and will further strengthen my resolution to succeed in life despite the traumas I have been through and the many struggles I have fought in my past. Winning this Scholarship will enable me to undertake my studies without being burdened with too many financial difficulties. It has taken much of my stress away and turned my stay in London into something that I’m really looking forward to and will forever cherish.”

Alice D’Angelo, British, Giving Day Scholar

Alice is studying for a master’s in Japanese Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies. Her studies will cover wider topics of East Asia, allowing her to expand her research into intercultural identities.

“Growing up, books were my ultimate form of escapism and I read constantly as a child, imagining I would be whisked away into a world of my imagination. The schools with community and spirit that I read about seemed like a dream, but at Goodenough this is a reality. The community of people from different backgrounds, knowledge, and interests creates such a special environment which I am so excited to join.

Coming from a low-income background has meant that I have had to work to support myself and experience the anxiety of financial insecurity in the past. The Scholarship allows me to live in London and become involved in everything the course and area has to offer, instead of needing to commute or spend lots of time working alongside my studies. This Scholarship not only greatly helps me to experience the world of Goodenough and all the people with whom I will share this community, but also allows me to believe in myself.

I haven’t had the option to travel growing up due to my financial background and so the immersive experience of my course and the international community at Goodenough College will be important to me. My aspirations in life are to study further and live abroad after graduation. I hope to develop my language skills further in order to work closely with translations of various media and to one day work in academia.

Before I received the offer for this Scholarship I was seriously considering if postgraduate study would even be possible for me, but when I received the news about Goodenough this was the boost that I needed. I am determined to allow myself to believe that I am worthy of opportunities and a life of which I can be proud.”

Goodenough Community

Giving Day 2020 also allowed our Alumni and friends to get to know each other a little better, forming networks and sharing your collective affection for the College. This spirit continues to be harnessed on our new Alumni networking platform, Goodenough Global. Through joining Goodenough Global, you can tap in to the same sense of community and common purpose you felt during Giving Day whilst keeping right up to date with what’s going on at the College. To join our 1000+ strong online community, click here.

Giving Day 2021

Given the huge success of our inaugural Global Giving Day we are doing it all again! We hope you will join us in preparing the way for more talented Scholars to join the College. Find out more about Giving Day 2021.

In the meantime, thank you again for your incredible support of our first ever Giving Day and our fantastic new Scholars.