How will you leave your mark?
Legacy Newsletter
Back in 1963 our first cohort of students couldn't have imagined what the future might hold nor how quickly the University of York would evolve into the world-leading institution that it is today.
Together we have come a long way but we must continue to look to the future. A future where social good remains our watchword and where lives can change.
To learn more about the people who are helping shape our future through gifts in their wills please read on.
Impact
According to Smee & Ford’s Legacy report, 4% of total UK charity sector income comes from legacies, with 37.5% of charitable wills containing just one named charity and 21.8% containing 2.
To give you a small insight into our legacy giving world we would like to share with you that the University of York received 4 gifts in wills in 2019, and 5 in 2020 varying from £100 to £210,000. All these gifts have offered amazing opportunities to students who otherwise would have struggled to pursue their dream studies here at York, such as scholarships at the Department of Language and Linguistic Science, and the Department of Environment and Geography among others.
The number of donors who have pledged a gift in their will has grown by 33% in the last three years, from 137 at the end of July 2017 to 182 in July 2020.
All gifts are equally important to the University of York and we are incredibly grateful for everyone’s contribution to York Unlimited, the Campaign for the University of York. Even 1% of one’s estate can have a huge impact on the lives of future generations.
Leaving a gift in your will to the University of York, or any charity you feel passionate about, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, can make a huge and amazing impact on future generations. Without that vital legacy income many UK charities, including the University of York, simply couldn’t provide the vital services so many people rely on.
‘The education of future generations is our responsibility. Now more than ever talent and education are the best guarantees against the widening of inequality across the globe.
The world needs the wealth of talent that York graduates bring to it. A gift in your will - your legacy - can help extend the reach and the impact of the University of York.
We need to extend the advantages of a university education to all who are capable of benefiting from it, and to conduct world-leading research and share the knowledge that is generated here for the good of all society.’
Joan Russell
"Lugha moja haitoshi kamwe" -- 'One language is never enough.'
1931- 2019 (87)
Joan did her BA and DPhil at the Department of Language and Linguistic Science and then went on to become our main lecturer in Swahili until her retirement. Joan had included in her will the department she loved and served throughout her lifetime.
Her amazing legacy gift will support the furtherance of African studies and the development of the next generation of African scholars, particularly those working on the languages of Africa from a linguistic standpoint, through the Joan Russell Ph.D. Scholarships in African Studies, and so we are delighted to announce that the Department of Language and Linguistic Science will host its first Joan Russell Ph.D. Scholar this coming term.
Dear professors, I am proud and very very pleased by this announcement. It is frankly more than I ever could have asked. Of course, I accept it with both hands.
I can't find words good enough to express what I feel upon reading you. I can only but say I will do my best to live up to the expectations of Professor Joan Russell.
With best regards, KAMDEM F. Hector
Here are photos of Joan in 1971, both taken at a colleague's farewell party. The last photo is Joan celebrating her 80th birthday in 2011.
Find out more about the difference legacy gifts have made to the University of York and the ways they support our students and researchers.
How Her Journey Began...
Joan was interviewed by Prof. Bob Le Page (founding HoD) during a trip he took to Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Entebbe in 1965. In his memoirs, Le Page writes, “... I interviewed a teacher, Joan Russell, who in due course not only did a BA with us but wrote her DPhil* thesis and stayed on to become our main lecturer in Swahili …”. University records show that Joan enrolled in 1967 and graduated with a BA in Language in 1971. According to John Kelly, a phonetician and Swahili specialist, Joan was already a member of the academic staff when he arrived in 1972 (interview 4/3/2020, DB/JK). John and Joan both carried out fieldwork in Mombasa, but with different language consultants. Outside of Mombasa Joan’s work concentrated on the islands in the north (Pate and Lamu), while John’s work was in Wasini.
Maria Bourboulis Scholarship
Maria Bourboulis Scholarship
Originally from Greece, Maria Bourboulis graduated in 1989. She felt strongly that the University gave her a great foundation for the rest of her professional life.
Having studied Social Work at the University of York, Maria left a legacy gift in her will to support talented postgraduate students in the Department of Sociology or the Department of Social Policy and Social Work.
‘Without this generous Maria Bourboulis scholarship, myself and many others who do not have the ability to pay tuition fees may not have a voice in higher education universities. Universities are supposed to be a reflection of society as a whole. Giving opportunities to passionate students who need it will amplify their new voices and give them a chance to be heard and have a positive starting point to their professional lives. Thank you for the opportunity of a lifetime!’
Maria’s gift allows many more students to benefit from the opportunities that she had.
David Jennings
1966, English and Social Science
Having graduated in 1966 with a degree in English and Social Science, David Jennings was in one of the first cohorts of students to have studied at the University of York.
David is a Heslington Circle member; he has very generously included a gift in his will to the University and, over the years, has supported various scholarships through regular giving.
‘As one of the first undergraduates, I am greatly appreciative of the opportunities that I was afforded and concerned about the costs for present-day students. I would like to think that a modest legacy, combined with some regular giving in the meantime, might go some way to repaying the debt I feel I owe the University and help the present generation of students.’
Like David, those who pledge their support to the University in their will, are recognised through membership of the Heslington Circle.
Get in touch
Have you already included the University of York in your will, trust, by beneficiary designation, charitable gift annuity, or some other aspect of your estate plan just like David Jennings has? If so, please contact us so you are properly included as a member of our Heslington Circle. The Heslington Circle is an exclusive group of very special, like-minded, committed people who have informed us that they have included the University of York as part of their lasting legacy.
If you wish to share your story or find out more, you can email me at kalliopi.keramari@york.ac.uk or visit our website https://www.york.ac.uk/york-unlimited/get-involved/wills/.
Built with Shorthand