University of Hull: History, Place and People

The University of Hull was founded in 1927 thanks to a financial gift of £250,000 and a donation of land from local philanthropist and entrepreneur, Thomas Ferens. The following year the Duke of York, later King George VI, laid the foundation stone during a prestigious ceremony which shows how at the time the founding of the University wasn’t just a big event for the immediate area but the whole country. The doors opened to approximately around 39 students, 16 academics, 2 assistant teachers, and admin staff. The University motto, Lampada Ferens (‘carrying the light of learning’), honours the ambition of the founding father. Only two buildings existed on the campus when the, at the time, University College of Hull opened to students on the 11^th of October 1928. The University of Hull has been recognised as one of the top performing universities in the country for it’s contribution to local growth this is due to not only the students from Hull but also international students that aid the local economy by both earning and spending money in the area of the university. Over half of students that attend the University of Hull and graduate also decide to remain in the Hull and Humber region which keeps the economy thriving and strengthens the local workforce. When thinking of the primary target audience for the University of Hull’s century anniversary campaign, I first thought the most interested would be graduates from different decades who may want to revisit memories and have a reunion to reconnect with former classmates or help support the University’s future. Not just current students and past graduates crossed my mind but also the local residents and communities of Hull who might not have studied at the University but have felt it’s benefits in the local employment, culture and education.