Global brand and local agency pledge support for postgrads at Northumbria University

Businesses of all sizes are pledging their support for students at Northumbria University, proving philanthropy isn’t one-size-fits-all. From international enterprises pledging a suite of support, to single scholarships from SMEs, any altruistic business has the ability to change lives for the better.

Wriggle Marketing is a digital marketing agency based in Newcastle, founded and run by Northumbria alumnus, Nick Gianfreda. Nick is typical of Northumbria graduates, using the university as a launchpad for a rewarding career before reinvesting his time and energy in the North East economy.

Now serving global clients from Wriggle’s studios in Gosforth, the Business with Marketing graduate decided it was time to recognise the value of his Northumbria experience through a gift to future students.

‘Northumbria University was formative for me in terms of my confidence, knowledge, network and ambitions. Students nowadays face challenges that - even as recently as 11 years ago when I graduated - were unheard of. I hate to think of someone missing out on the opportunities I had due to financial barriers,’ he explains.

‘It is a pleasure to be able to pay it forward and create three digital marketing scholarships from Wriggle Marketing. We’re funding a postgraduate scholarship each year until 2025. I hope our contribution helps the recipients thrive in their studies, develop the skills they’ll need for the fast-paced world of digital marketing, and equips them for a rewarding career in a growing sector.’

Wriggle’s generosity demonstrates how smaller firms can make a difference in their sector. Northumbria University can currently match fund a scholarship donation when pledged for three years which means individuals and SMEs can create a scholarship from as little as £1,000 per year.

At the other end of the corporate scale, international automotive brand Enterprise Rent-a-Car is also providing philanthropic support to Northumbria postgraduate students.

In 2021, the business established its inaugural Business and Management scholarship as part of Northumbria University’s Higher Education Without Barriers campaign. The business was delighted with the impact it achieved. So much so that they have decided to renew and increase their commitment for 2023.

Enterprise Rent-a-Car has now made a five-figure donation to create 10 postgraduate scholarships - five focused on Business and Management launching in 2022, and five for promising sportspeople launching in 2023.

‘Enterprise Rent-A-Car is proud to support this wonderful initiative and provide students at Northumbria the opportunity to enhance their university experience and education. It is extremely rewarding to know we’re supporting individuals to achieve their goals. But it’s also about our business playing its part in the big picture - helping create the able, ambitious, adaptable graduates that British business needs, in partnership with a leading UK university. We’re looking forward to seeing the impact the scholarships have and the opportunities they create,’ says Louise Sivewright, Talent Acquisition Marketing Specialist at Enterprise.

Scholarships like these are being funded with money raised by the University’s fundraising campaign, Higher Education Without Barriers. Northumbria is partnering with alumni, businesses, and other supporters to provide a range of financial initiatives, mental health and wellbeing services, and community-based projects, to make participation and progression in higher education more achievable for academically talented students, regardless of their social or economic circumstances.

To find out how your business can get involved, contact James Wilkinson at james.wilkinson@northumbria.ac.uk

www.northumbria.ac.uk/giving

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Northumbria University .