The Spring Telephone Campaign at City St George’s can mean the difference between a student finishing their degree or having to drop out. We spoke to some of the students and recent alumni who are working on the campaign and gaining important skills while raising life-changing funds.
“I think it’s something City [St George’s] should be really proud of,” says Christina Bunziak, “The fact that City has these programs which are so important and beneficial.”
Christina is an MA International Politics and Human Rights student at the School of Policy & Global Affairs, and her favourite part of being a Student Fundraiser on the 2025 Spring Telephone Campaign is raising awareness of the different projects the funds go towards.
“Most alumni, if they haven’t been called about this before, don’t know about it,” she says.
This year, the money donated by alumni benefit three specific areas: Student support, which offers financial aid to students who might otherwise not be able to complete their studies; City Cares, a programme supporting care leavers, estranged students, and other care experienced students, who often face additional challenges at university, and the Aphasia Clinic, a project that allows the University to carry out cutting edge research into new therapy techniques that help those who have lost vital communication skills because of aphasia, often as the result of a stroke.
For Kit Sinclair, a final year MSc Language and Speech Therapy student at the School of Health & Medical Sciences, the opportunity to raise money for the Aphasia Clinic was a deciding factor.
“I liked the fact that I could fundraise for a project that felt meaningful to me,” she says, explaining that not only does the Aphasia Clinic do important research but it also offers placements to current students who are looking to observe, learn and engage in the workplace. “It’s nice to know I’m indirectly helping people who are going to be on this course after me.”
Kit is also open about the fact that she loves to have a natter with people, and the aim of the telephone campaign is not only to raise funds, but also to give current students and recent graduates the opportunity to talk to alumni and gain from their advice and experience.
Adenike Adejuwon, who graduated in 2024 with an MSc Health Management degree at the School of Health & Medical Sciences, knows first-hand how beneficial the conversations can be. Adenike took part in the Campaign in 2023 and made connections that helped her secure an internship, which then led to her first job within the NHS, and she didn’t hesitate when she got the opportunity to participate again.
“It kind of helps you to project into the future and [understand] what you should be thinking about,” Adenike says. “It’s good to get the perspective of people at different stages of their lives: somebody who is not even thinking about family life yet and is still hustling out there trying to get their career right; to somebody who is starting their family and now merging that with their career; or somebody who is having a career change at the moment, or has had a career change, and navigating that process.”
This year, the conversations have helped Adenike to think outside the box when it comes to her career.
“I’ve learned about different non-clinical roles that medical people can go into that don’t have to be clinical, and it’s just very eye-opening,” she says.
Peter Wu, a first-year student studying BSc Investment and Financial Risk Management at Bayes Business School, isn’t looking for a full-time job just yet, but has been taking the opportunity to ask questions like,
“How did you feel transitioning from university into the workplace? What did you learn? What shocked you when you entered the workplace at first, and what was it like back then compared to how it is now?”
He’s happy his work can help others, and he also reflects on how the role has offered him opportunities to challenge himself, balancing his studies in the day with the campaign in the evenings, and navigating calls that may or may not lead to a pleasant conversation or potential donation.
“What I’ve learned about this journey is that I can test my mental strength,” Peter says. “… You always have to keep your head up high, no matter if it’s a bad call or a good call.”
Jason Barlow, Regular Giving Manager at City St George’s, is impressed by how the 2025 cohort of fundraisers is handling themselves.
“This year’s group of student fundraisers are an absolute delight: enthusiastic, intelligent and engaging.”
Jason has been leading on the annual telephone campaign for several years and seen first-hand what a life-changing difference alumni can make by giving either a one-off donation or pledging to contribute monthly.
“These donations received over the telephone often are the difference between a student finishing their degree or having to drop out,” he says.
Receiving a phone call from an unknown number can feel stressful or daunting, but Jason hopes alumni will also experience the benefits.
“Whilst we appreciated that our alumni have very busy lives – and sometimes might be, at first, reluctant, to receive these phone calls – I’m always struck by how quickly a call like this can turn into the best part of someone’s day, reminiscing about their time here, and in the process imparting amazing and invaluable advice to our current students.
“The communication skills that our students are picking up really help them when they go out into the wider world and embark on their chosen careers. To start an interesting and engaging conversation with someone who is essentially a complete stranger can be a real challenge, but it’s something that will aid them massively in the interview process.”
Having returned for a second campaign, Adenike Adejuwon agrees and gives the following advice to anyone who would like to participate in future campaigns and help those in need of financial support:
“I would say it builds you, so don’t be afraid. If you’re an introvert, for example, it helps you to get out of yourself and learn ways to communicate, to connect with people. You see what others are doing and you try to emulate that, so it’s not something to be afraid of. It’s something to embrace.”
A big thank you to all City St George’s and Bayes alumni who have donated to the 2025 Spring Telephone Campaign and previous campaigns. The current campaign will run until Thursday 15 May. And thank you to the students and graduates for their dedicated work.