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A reception organised by the Office of Alumni and Development to thank donors to the Student Opportunities Fund was held at 170 Queen’s Gate on Monday 5 October.

A reception organised by the Office of Alumni and Development to thank donors to the Student Opportunities Fund was held at 170 Queen's Gate on Monday 5 October. The rector welcomed around 50 alumni, thanking them for their support of Imperial ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ and introducing scholarship recipient Farhad Timuri to say a few words to the assembled guests.

Farhad, currently embarking upon the second year of his undergraduate course in biomedical engineering, explained how the Fund had helped him to realise his dream of going to university which began eight years ago when he came to the UK, unable to speak more than a few words of English, as a refugee from Afghanistan.

The Student Opportunities Fund was established in February 2003 to provide scholarships to exceptionally talented ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ who might otherwise be prevented from coming to Imperial because of financial need. Since that time around 500 alumni, staff members and friends have contributed to the Fund and the current total donated stands at almost 1500,000. To date, nine undergraduates and five postgraduate ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ have been awarded scholarships.

It is intended that the donor reception will become an annual event in the Imperial calendar as support to the Fund grows. For further details about the Fund, please visit http://www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni/supporting/sof

View   from the event.