Launching ideas into reality

The Springboard Grants Programme provides awards of up to £1,000 to current students and staff at the University of Brighton to help fund unique activities that enrich and enhance the student and staff experience. This grants programme has been established through the generosity of alumni and friends like you.

Each academic year two Springboard grants rounds take place. The first in the autumn term and the latter in the spring. The latest autumn call for applications ended on 25 October 2012. In total almost 70 applications were submitted. There was tough competition but the selection panel awarded 29 grants to truly exceptional applicants. Funded projects include a student who applied to carry out research related to young people who are affected by familial drug or alcohol misuse, a staff member who is now able to buy life-size anatomical models with removable organs to be used as a teaching aid for outreach work and a student who got the funding in order to design and produce a small scale prototype hybrid airship.

Jerick Rodriguez, the student who was awarded the grant to produce a prototype hybrid airship said that receiving a Springboard grant has boosted his motivation in accomplishing his project. Jerick went on to say that, ‘’without the sincere generosity from alumni and friends, I wouldn’t not be able to turn my computed written design into a working prototype. This is very important in my project as it will significantly help me resolve any technical problems; I can gather much more accurate requirements and I can file patents more easily’’.

Conall Gleeson who was awarded the grant on behalf of the BA (Hons) Music and Visual Art Level 5 students, said that, ‘’the Springboard grants programme is an important initiative which enriches student learning and makes a very tangible connection between current students and the alumni. The positive experiences which are made possible through the grant scheme demonstrate the importance of alumni and encourage students to maintain contact with the university following their own graduations.”

The spring round of Springboard grants is starting in mid-January 2013 and we hope to fund many more innovative and unique ideas! To find out more on the Springboard grants programme and for short summaries of past successful applications click here.