Helping students prepare for life after Birmingham
Thanks to our community of supporters, more students have what they need to succeed and the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Alumni and friends support a wide variety of scholarships, including Pathways to Birmingham (P2B), the University’s flagship initiative which helps students from under-represented backgrounds in applying to the University of Birmingham.
As well as removing financial barriers, the scheme provides a range of support, including residential summer schools for A level students, mentoring and subject-specific workshops and helps prepare students for life after university.
The University’s annual telephone campaign raises funds in support of P2B and our student support initiatives. Thank you to everyone who picked up the phone to our student callers and donated to our telephone campaign this academic year, ensuring young people can fulfil their potential. This year’s campaign has seen 344 of you raise over £245,000 over five years. This is enough to fund 163 P2B scholarships for one year!
Mike and Laila were two members of the student caller team this year. As they graduate, they share their insights into the call room and what they are taking away from their time at Birmingham.
Gaining skills for graduate life
Mike has just completed his degree in Dentistry. He liked the idea of a patient-focussed job that would enable him to have a positive impact on and improve other individuals’ health.
He says: ‘I applied to be a caller as not only would the job provide flexibility that accommodated my studies as well as my training with the athletics team, but the role would also challenge my communication skills. This appealed as it would improve my patient interactions within dentistry. The ability to pick up the phone, speak to a stranger and within minutes build a rapport and sustain a positive and beneficial interaction was something I valued. The role cultivated these skills of which I was able to transition into dentistry.
‘A highlight for me would be either becoming a supervisor and guiding the callers throughout the campaign, whilst watching their calling skills mature, or securing a large donation towards the end of my calling campaign. It felt great to know that it will help another student with their experience too.
‘I will start my foundation training year in September in Cardiff, where I am from. I am excited to be surrounded by family once again and looking forward to progressing with my career.’
Giving back to students following in her footsteps
Laila has just graduated with a degree in Sports, Exercise and Health Sciences. She really valued the University’s facilities and research and said it felt like the perfect place for her to dive into her passion for sports science.
She shares her experiences of being a student caller: ‘I applied for the call room job as I deeply resonated with the P2B scheme and I wanted to spread as much awareness about the benefits of it as possible. But I left the job gaining something for myself. Speaking to alumni, especially as a final year student, has genuinely helped me so much in terms of navigating my way around adult life and what I should expect after university. When speaking to alumni at first, I was extremely anxious and never confident in my asks, but that’s something I massively improved on as time went on.
‘As a student caller, I had several standout moments, but one that was particularly memorable was a conversation with an alumna who, like me, has ADHD and is currently completing her Master's degree. We connected over our shared experiences and challenges in navigating university life. It was incredibly inspiring to hear how her degree has positively impacted her career and personal growth. She also shared valuable tips and advice for managing ADHD and preparing for life after university, which I found really encouraging and helpful for my own journey.’
Laila was a P2B scholar herself and explains what she gained from the programme:
‘Being a P2B scholar has been incredibly beneficial for me. Before starting University, the programme provided me with essential support and resources that helped me feel more prepared for the transition to higher education. It offered workshops, guidance on academic skills, and even early access to campus life, which made a huge difference in easing any anxieties I had.'
In terms of my time at University, the P2B scholarship was a tremendous help. It has not only provided financial support, which has reduced my need to work part-time and allowed me to focus more on my studies, but also ongoing academic and personal development opportunities. The network of fellow scholars and mentors has been invaluable in offering advice, encouragement and a sense of community throughout my university journey. Overall, the programme played a crucial role in enhancing my university experience and helping me succeed.
She adds: ‘Now that I've graduated and completed my degree, I'm excited about the future and my career plans. My immediate goal is to work as a physiotherapist, so I'll be gaining valuable experience by taking some time out to work as a physiotherapy assistant. This role will allow me to develop hands-on skills and deepen my understanding of the field. After gaining this experience, I plan to return to university to pursue a Master’s degree in physiotherapy. Ultimately, my dream is to work as a sports physiotherapist for one of the top NBA teams in America. This path will combine my passion for sports and physiotherapy, and I'm eager to make it a reality.’
The call room is so important, not only for the scholarship recipients themselves, but also for the student callers who gain crucial skills on the job to help with their future careers, like Mike and Laila. We are so grateful to everyone who answered the phone to talk to our students. Many alumni say how much they love talking to current students, so we hope many of you will pick up the phone to our students when next year’s telephone campaign begins in October.