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What would Jeremy do?

13 March 2013

On Thursday 28 February UCL students took part in its first ever 'Global Student Engagement and Philanthropy Day' and created a Pop-up Jeremy Bentham Photo Booth in the South Cloisters.

photo booth 2

The event recognised and celebrated the financial support that UCL staff, students and societies have received from thousands of generous UCL alumni.

Alumni donations have supported UCL students through scholarships, bursaries and the student hardship fund. They have enabled UCL to invest in fantastic new facilities including the Print Room Café, popular venue space the Richard Mully Basement Bar and the redeveloped Lewis's Building. In addition these donations have provided funding for a range of student activities, societies and sports teams.

The pop-up photo booth was a chance for the UCL community to say thank-you for the difference that alumni gifts have made to the student and staff experience. More than 200 staff, students and alumni had a 'Thank-you!' photo taken with their very own replica Jeremy Bentham paper head. Amongst them were members of the snowsports, handball and ice hockey teams, the UCLU Boat Club, the Knitting Society, Cornish Society and the student radio station Rare FM.

Students were joined by staff from UCL Libraries and Special Collections, the Bloomsbury Theatre and UCL Museums and Collections. Student Activities Officer Abdul-Ahad Akbari who works with the 200 plus clubs and societies at UCL said, "It's a wonderful event. The donations that have been given to our clubs and societies for them to achieve what they have over the year are fantastic, and they are showing their appreciation today."

The queuing crowd were entertained by a student magician as they waited to have their picture taken. A student ambassador team, including scholarship and bursary recipients and student telephone fundraisers, were on hand to discuss the impact of philanthropy at UCL as well as serve plenty of free tea, coffee and cake to passing visitors.

The event was part of a series of global celebrations happening across Europe and North America to remind students of the vital role that the philanthropy of others plays in their educational experience. More than 100 universities and colleges took part; the University of Birmingham created an online Twitter tour of alumni funded buildings and facilities labelled with giant tags.

You can see an album of the best shots from Jeremy's pop-up booth on Flickr.

Image: UCL PhotoSoc