And our researchers are creating knowledge that is powering change - driving future economies, enabling healthier lives and building stronger communities. 

All of this is made possible thanks to the support of generous alumni, donors and organisations who share our belief in the power of education to create life-changing opportunities. Here are seven examples of how together we're able to transform even more lives.

1. Mentoring success

The Hallam Mentoring Scheme gives students the chance to meet professionals who can offer valuable insight and coaching to develop their career capital. Over 80% of students felt more confident in understanding the routes into their chosen profession after participating in the scheme.  

During the last year alumni and supporters of Hallam have mentored 249 students which is an increase of 86% on the previous year and this number if set to increase further in the current year. 

A number of students who participated in the scheme were also able to access a travel bursary funded through the Hallam Fund to visit their mentors at their place of work and participate in development events. Three internship bursaries were also awarded to mentees made possible by generous donations to the Hallam Fund. 

If you are interested in becoming a student mentor you can find out more on the Hallam Career Mentoring website. The next intake of student mentees opens for applications in January 2020. 

2. Growing scholarship programme supporting student success 

September 2019 saw us welcome five new students to Sheffield Hallam University with the offer of guaranteed support for the duration of their studies. 

Our scholarship programme, which launched last year, is entirely funded by donations from our alumni, supporters and corporate partners, and is designed to ensure students from disadvantaged or under-represented backgrounds are supported to fulfil their potential.

The scholarships consist of a £3,000 grant to support living costs, and access to a range of additional support to manage wellbeing, develop finance skills and open doors to career networks. 

Generous gifts from house builder Barratt Developments, along with new donations from real estate investment manager Europa Capital, have supported two of our new scholars this year, with both companies sharing our commitment to equality, diversity, and opportunity for all. 

This summer we also launched a new Sanctuary Scholarships programme, helping to remove the barriers facing asylum seekers and give them the opportunity to build a better life. 

With the help of Hallam Fund donors, two students from Iran and Zimbabwe who are both seeking asylum from traumatic pasts, have been able to accept offers to study at Sheffield Hallam and continue their journey to stability.

Match-funded by the University, our sanctuary scholarships consist of a full tuition fee waiver, an annual maintenance grant of £4,000 and a bespoke package of tailored support. Next year we have ambitions to help even more students, and our incredible team of alumni, staff and student runners will be taking on the Sheffield Half Marathon to support more sanctuary scholarships in March 2020.

3. Prostate cancer research

Donations also support transformational research. Over the past 3 years, PhD student and cancer survivor Rosa Greasley has carried out pioneering research that will help men with advanced prostate cancer thanks to the Hallam Fund.

Rosa was inspired by her own experiences to work with researchers at Sheffield Hallam's Centre for Sports and Exercise Science to investigate the effects of exercise on patients’ response to treatment and overall wellbeing, ultimately improving quality of life for prostate cancer sufferers.

We were thrilled to celebrate with Rosa as she graduated with a PhD in November, marking the culmination of 3 years work, and the start of her ongoing journey to transform the lives of cancer patients in the future. 

4. Students help Sheffield’s rough sleepers

After launching a fundraising appeal through Hallam Give, the university's new crowdfunding platform, Architecture student KC Bassey raised £2,000 to fund his Help the Rough Sleepers project. 

KC is using the donations he received to design and build a prototype of a semi-permanent mobile home for those experiencing homelessness or sleeping rough on the streets, applying the knowledge he has developed through his degree to find a solution for one of societies biggest challenges.

5. Championing women in engineering

Here at Sheffield Hallam we are proud to champion diversity across all sectors, and in 2019 we began to see some of the long term impact of our AESSEAL Women in Engineering programme, launched to support ambitious and talented female engineering students. 

Funded by leading manufacturer AESSEAL, over 60 female engineers have been a part of the programme, receiving scholarships and bursaries designed to help overcome barriers and achieve success. 

Of these, 25 have now embarked on careers in engineering (at organisations such as Boeing and Jaguar Land Rover) and 18 are still studying. One of our recent standout graduates, Jodie Howlett, even secured a job at the European Space Agency, where she is a graduate trainee for process performance analysis and quality.

AESSEAL is one of the world's leading specialists in the design and manufacture of mechanical seals and support systems and to date the company has donated over £100,000 to champion emerging female engineers.

6. Local artist supports student travel

Local artist Joyce Spurr is 98-years-old and has spent a lifetime painting portraits, iconic Sheffield scenes and locations around the UK and Europe. Many of her works are held in the city’s art collections.

Having just recently celebrated her 98th birthday, Joyce has chosen to fund a new travel bursary to support art students by selling her own artwork. The Joyce Spurr Travel Fund was established this year to support the next generation of artists to attend exhibitions across the UK to inspire and develop their own practice.

So far Joyce has raised £2,500 to support students and she hopes that the Joyce Spurr Travel Fund will leave a lasting legacy to help future artists studying at the university. 

7. Widening participation with Santander Universities

This year we celebrated the third year of our partnership with Santander Universities who have donated over £175,000 to support our students since 2017. Since it launched, over 100 students have benefitted from transformative experiences through SME internships, enterprise and entrepreneurship bursaries, and global experiential learning opportunities.

This year, Santander's support included funding eye-opening travel to Botswana for 20 business students who worked with Botswanan Accountancy College, and providing start-up funding for young entrepreneur Emma Jackson. Emma is an MA Design Illustration graduate and her social enterprise, Story Drawing Club, inspires black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) children through creative workshops in primary schools across Sheffield, designed to inspire them to create unique illustrated stories that reflect their own diverse lives.