Lavinia's Story

“Queen’s University Belfast was always a place I wanted to go to when I was at school but my parents weren’t all that well off and it was more important that I get a job and help on the family farm.

However many years later I was able to fulfil my ambition for further study through an Open University course, where many of the classes were held in Queen’s lecture halls. Following this, I was accepted onto a Masters degree course at Queen’s and have since completed numerous qualifications, including my PhD.

I took time out from my career and studies in 1995 to care for my mother who suffered from epilepsy and heart problems and it was during her illness that we decided to leave a bequest to Queen’s to facilitate the hugely important work of the University and Belfast City Hospital into world-class research of neurological diseases such as epilepsy.

I am now working as a tutor at Queen’s University Management School and can see first-hand the transformational impact that the University has in the areas of education, healthcare, business and arts and culture. Not only locally, but also on a global scale.

I am very proud to be associated with Queen’s University and I choose to support the continuing good work of Queen’s through a legacy gift that will make a positive lasting difference to future generations.”