Michael Wray
For Michael, leaving a legacy is a way of giving back and honouring a significant part of his life.
Approaching 50 years since graduating from the University of Birmingham, Michael has been reminiscing about his time as a student. From his first step onto campus to graduation, Michael has decided to honour his time at Birmingham by leaving a legacy. As the first to attend university in his family, his legacy will allow future generations to follow in his footsteps.
Michael’s first trip to campus was for his admissions interview. After exploring the University, he was intrigued by Birmingham’s impressive campus. Not long after, he was indulging his love of History, pursuing his undergraduate degree in Medieval and Modern History.
Michael’s time as a Birmingham student was one of the most enjoyable experiences of his life – just one reason he has decided to include the University in his will. Taking advantage of different opportunities offered by Birmingham, both the University and the city, he joined the University’s film society and was lucky enough to see ABBA at the Birmingham Odeon.
Appreciative of the grants he received during his studies, Michael has decided to leave a gift to the University of Birmingham. His legacy will break financial barriers to education and help more students fulfil their potential here at Birmingham.
[The University of Birmingham] is an important part of your life, why not [leave a gift in your will]? You don’t have to donate a big percentage, you have other people to think about, but if you can spare a bit, it’s a nice way of giving back.
Michael didn’t have any definitive plans after completing his studies, yet graduating from one of the world’s top universities opened many doors for him. He went on to work in IT with British Steel, which developed into an impressive career within technology.
Nearly 50 years later, we’re looking forward to welcoming Michael back to campus to visit the History department and rediscover campus once again. If Michael’s story has piqued your interest in gifts in wills, we would be happy to welcome you back to campus or give you a call to discuss your intentions. Simply email legacies@contacts.bham.ac.uk and a member of the Legacy Team will be in touch.