Our partnership with Santander Universities
Since 2010, Santander Universities has donated over £1 million to the University. They've provided students with tailored packages of financial and in-kind support including study scholarships, entrepreneurial business support, and boosts to career prospects through internships or overseas travel.
iForge Impact Projects
Santander have provided funding to support the University's iForge Impact Projects. These are opportunities for Sheffield students to work with local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), using the skills and knowledge they have accumulated during their course to solve real-world problems and boost their CV. These opportunities also benefit the SME's themselves as they often won’t have access to the facilities available at the University and can see real improvements in their business through the digital skills that students bring.
Meet two students taking part in one of our latest iForge Impact Projects
STEMships - Women in Engineering
Atalanta Hinds, a fourth year Mechanical Engineering with Year in Industry student, who is currently on her placement year with Schaeffler UK, was the winner of a Santander Universities STEMship in July 2019.
Meet some of Santander's scholarship students
- Debs Barnett - English Literature &
Philosophy undergraduate -
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the scholarship I have received. Earlier this year I was furloughed from the hospitality industry and the extra money has made a huge difference to my finances and has taken some pressure off when it comes to finding extra income to supplement student loans.
"I'm 52 and from Chesterfield, Derbyshire and commute into university from home where I live with my husband and teenage son. It means a lot to me to be able to go to university, I wasn't able to complete my education after I left sixth form and I am grateful to get a second chance at education.
"My long term goal is to become a writer because it has always been my belief that it is the duty of graduates to add to the sum of mankind's knowledge. A degree will enable me to fulfil my dream to contribute to society in a meaningful way."
- Tirrell Harris - Psychology undergraduate
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"Thank you to Santander for their kind sponsoring of this scholarship. I grew up in South East London and come from relatively humble beginnings, so receiving the scholarship has been amazing.
"I have been able to spend more time studying and doing the things I love such as photography and gardening as a result of it, so I could not be more grateful.
"I am aiming to one day work in health psychology and eventually open my own clinic. This has been an incredible boost to my journey as the scholarship frees up time for me to engage in volunteering without worrying about finances."
- Abena Amponsah - Translational Oncology postgraduate
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"I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation for your generous contribution in making this scholarship available to students like myself. When I found out I was selected for this scholarship, I felt extremely honoured and humbled as I know it's quite a competitive process.
"I was born in Ghana but grew up in Sheffield. Growing up, I always knew that I wanted to further my studies in the world of scientific research. During my undergraduate degree, I had to take part-time shifts in order to support myself financially. However this scholarship has enabled me to take on an MSc(res) degree in Translational Oncology, a field I am passionate about, without having to worry about financial matters. I can fully concentrate and devote my attention to excelling on this course which is vital given the intensity of the masters programme. As a result, I do not have to worry about taking on part-time employment. After my masters, I hope to either secure employment in cancer research with a focus on research for novel cancer therapies or pursue a PhD programme.
"Once again thank you for your financial support towards my post-graduate degree. I really appreciate it."
- Ollie Bray - Psychological Research Methods and Data Science postgraduate
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"I'm indescribably grateful for the opportunity afforded to me by this scholarship. When I heard that I had been selected to receive it, I was unsurprisingly very excited, though not for the money itself, but for the extra time it represented for me to be able to devote to my subject, without needing to stress over how to pay the bills.
"I get extremely geeky and animated about data and psychology research. I have a special interest in meditation and contemplative science which, for me, sits at that special overlap of things which are fascinating, personally meaningful, and have potential to enhance the wellbeing of many people. I certainly hope that I can contribute in some small respect to this extraordinary field, and if I do, a large part of that will have been due to this scholarship."
- Imogen Fan - English Literature postgraduate
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"Thank you so much for choosing me to receive the Santander scholarship. To be able to continue my study of literature with financial support is really amazing, and I was so overwhelmed and excited when I heard that I was a recipient of the scholarship. I would love to be able to pursue further study in the Arts and Humanities sector, and hold the space for other young women of colour to get involved with literature."
Natalia Welch - A Santander success story
- Since 2010, Santander has been changing the lives of thousands of students for the better. Natalia Welch is just one of the many people they’ve helped achieve their ambitions.
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Natalia has always been an entrepreneur. When she was just eight years old, she started selling sweets, cakes, chocolate and ice cream to friends in her home country of Colombia. Alongside her own business adventures, she would help her parents in their clothes shop during the school holidays. It was this entrepreneurial spirit that saw Natalia receive a Santander scholarship and enable her to study an MA in International Criminology at the University of Sheffield. Never veering too far from her business minded ambitions, Natalia discovered the University’s Enterprise Zone towards the end of her degree. It was here that she met fellow Colombian Daniela Orrego and the idea of Loro Crisps was born.
Natalia had already started her first business, Pura Panela - selling unrefined sugar cane from Colombia - after winning the University’s Enterprise Ideas competition. She was also able to benefit from the Santander Internship Scheme which enabled Pura Panela to take on two student interns: "This was a very important experience for us to learn to be employers, work as a team and be more prepared for our business growth." said Natalia.
After enjoying her experience growing Pura Panela with the support of Santander, Natalia jumped at the chance to collaborate with her friend Daniela and bring a new product to market - Loro Crisps. The crisps are made of plantain, not potato, and are Colombia’s most popular type of crisp. The pair were able to set the foundations for their new venture after receiving the Enterprise Summer Grant funded by Santander Universities.
Their early success has seen them represent Sheffield at the Santander Universities Emerging Entrepreneurs Programme 2020 and receive a nomination for the University’s best start-up in the Santander X competition. Thanks to Santander, Natalia has been able to bring her business ideas to life and looks set to thrive in the future.
Santander Universities SME Internship Programme
Many students and employers have experienced the benefits of Santander Universities’ SME Internship Programme.
Santander’s Online Self-Development Programme
In February 2021, 19 lucky students took part in Santander’s Student Online Self-Development Programme. They all gained so many useful skills and tips from it, and found it hugely beneficial to their career prospects:
I found this programme really interesting and engaging. I have already started my 30 day challenge: to cook a new healthy dish from a recipe book each day!!! It has really made me think about my personal and professional goals in life and what steps I can take to achieve these. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have been involved with this programme.”
Kitty Price
Medical student
For more details on the areas supported, please contact:
University Relationship Manager
Hannah Jordan, Senior Philanthropy Manager
Campaigns and Alumni Relations, 40 Victoria Street, Sheffield, S10 2TN
h.v.jordan@sheffield.ac.uk | +44 114 222 1077
Santander Universities contact:
Damien Mullany, Deputy Regional Director
Santander Universities UK