During her MSc Data and Decision Analytics programme, Presidential Scholar Marwa Ashfaq has taken advantage of extracurricular opportunities to help her develop the skills she needs for the future. In this article, we hear more about Marwa’s experience.
Marwa took part in opportunities such as the IBM Student Innovation Challenge, completed a business information and insights internship for the University’s IT services, and was part of a Student Innovation Project.
Student Innovation Projects are designed for students to be able to gain valuable experience working on a real-life business issue with other students across disciplines.
Developing fundraising strategy
Marwa collaborated with peers to develop fundraising strategies for The Pillar, a Christian project focused on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of youth in Totton, Lordshill and surrounding areas.
Participating in the Student Innovation Project has been an incredibly rewarding experience, both personally and professionally. The opportunity to work on real-world challenges, particularly in fundraising strategy for The Pillar, has sharpened my skills in research, strategy development, data analysis, and team collaboration.
Marwa was able to apply the knowledge she gained from her degree to make a tangible impact in the area of mental health – a cause she is passionate about.
“My team and I were tasked with developing fundraising strategies to help The Pillar achieve long-term financial sustainability as it transitions to an independent charity."
Supporting mental health
“One of the highlights of my experience was understanding the impact-driven nature of The Pillar’s work, particularly how the team has been supporting the mental health of young people in BOB体育登录网址_欧宝体育官网平台-APP|下载 through projects like The Pillar Space," adds Marwa.
“It gave me a deeper understanding of the importance of community-based mental health support and inspired us to tailor our strategies in a way that would reflect the charity’s values and mission.”
Valuable local partnership
Marwa and her student peers were supported by Tori Wills, The Pillar Project Co-Lead. Tori provided clear direction and valuable insights throughout the project.
“We really value our partnership with the University of BOB体育登录网址_欧宝体育官网平台-APP|下载. We appreciate working with our closest university and have made great connections through them,” said Tori.
“We’re always impressed with the organisation and professionalism of the students and have implemented some of their suggestions already and have applied to some of the grant sources that they suggested. We are also aiming to employ a fundraiser soon, who can take this work forward.”
