Sam and Amanda Cruchley

For Sam and Amanda, the University of Birmingham holds a special place in their hearts.

It’s where they met, studied and built lifelong friendships, and where they now both work. Their deep connection to the University has inspired them to leave a gift in their wills. By contributing to scholarships and supporting underrepresented students, they hope to give future generations the same opportunities that shaped their own lives. Here, they reflect on why they chose to leave a legacy to Birmingham and share their hopes for the impact it will make.

Why did you choose to pledge a gift in your will to Birmingham?

The University of Birmingham means a lot to both of us. It is where we both did our undergraduate degrees, as well as where we completed our PhDs. The University has been instrumental in our lives and we are in the lucky position where we are able to contribute and support the next generation. While working at the University, there have been times where we have seen financial difficulties adding stress to students, so wanted to do what we could to help ensure that finances would not be a barrier for someone who wanted to pursue a degree. Sam works at the University full-time now and Amanda works here one day a week, so we continue to see the importance of gifts like these.

What does Birmingham mean to you?

Birmingham means a lot to us both. We both have great friends that we made at Birmingham from our time in halls, student societies and from our School (Metallurgy and Materials). And, of course, Birmingham was where we met so it’s hard to define what Birmingham means to us as it has been a big and consistent part of our lives for well over a decade and hopefully for many years to come.

What is your best memory at Birmingham?

There are so many positive memories from Birmingham for us, that it is hard to list just one. Probably my (Sam’s) best memory is a sporting one: the University of Birmingham Athletics Club is part of an athletics exchange with four of the American Ivy League universities; Cornell, Harvard, Pennsylvania and Yale. This historic partnership has been in existence since 1962 (alongside Cambridge and Oxford). During one of the visits to Birmingham, my brother, who is also an alumnus from Birmingham, competed in the pole vault during the athletics competition, where he won the event and achieved the qualifying standard for the World Youth Championships in Ostrava (where he went on to come fourth). The exchange trips where we visited and competed against them were some of the best experiences I’ve had while at University and built long lasting friendships.

For Amanda, my best memory was one of the first nights in halls when I was still getting to know everyone. I couldn’t believe how quickly some of my flatmates and friends from nearby flats became a family. I had my birthday in Welcome Week and these friends I had known for maybe two days baked me a cake, organised a card and party and did everything they could to make it special. It was an indicator of what kind, funny and thoughtful friends I had made and many years later they are still very close to me, with two acting as Maid and Man of Honour at our wedding.

What do you hope that your gift will hope to achieve?

We hope that our gifts to the University will be able to continue to improve access and attainment from students from underrepresented groups and those from backgrounds which might make it more difficult for them to study effectively at the University. This is why our gifts are in support of Pathways to Birmingham (P2B), the University’s flagship access scheme. This scheme supports students from the local area and we feel is an important part of the University being the UK’s first Civic University. We are hoping that our gifts will allow more students to be able to access university education.

I’ve (Sam) also previously given gifts to fund sports scholarships in the past. The University has a rich tradition in sport, having supported many international and Olympic athletes through their degrees. Scholarships in this area are a great way to help students with financial costs, helping them to excel.

What would you say to others considering pledging a gift to Birmingham?

We would say to go for it. We set up a regular, small direct debit to give to the University and have found this a really successful way to make a lasting impact at the University. We don’t even notice the money has gone each month but, over a 12-month period, this can add up to significant amounts when used for scholarships for talented students. We also have a pledge in our will too and, as you can’t take it with you, it’s a great opportunity to make a difference in someone’s lives. We have spoken to current P2B students and they always mention what a big difference these opportunities have made to them.

Sam and Amanda’s story is a testament to the transformative power of education and the lasting bonds that can be formed through shared experiences. Their decision to leave a gift in their will ensures that future students from all backgrounds will have the opportunity to get to and succeed at Birmingham. As they reflect on the many memories they've created, they hope their legacy will inspire others to consider supporting the University, making a lasting difference in the lives of students for years to come.