Enhancing academic and student life:
The impact of the US Foundation.
This year, alumni donations through the Annual Fund have supported 100 projects across the university. We are grateful to our alumni community for making this impactful work possible.
The University of Exeter US Foundation, established in 2015, has been influential in strengthening and promoting Exeter’s international profile by linking former students and supporters of Exeter who live and work in America.
Since its inception the Foundation has supported a range of projects including research collaborations, global scholarships and PhD studentships. The following are some key programs made possible by the Foundation.
We are incredibly grateful to Andy (Chemistry, 1974) and Jennie Hamilton (Chemistry, 1974) whose generous support is helping students embark on transformative year-abroad experiences in the United States. These opportunities allow students to immerse themselves in new cultures, expand their academic horizons, and develop invaluable global perspectives. More than 40 students have benefited from this support, enabling students to maximise their Year Abroad experience.
“This scholarship provided me with an invaluable opportunity to study abroad in the U.S. The experience was pivotal, and the lessons I learned will continue to inform my choices and objectives for years to come.” - Mollie Reeves, The Andy and Jennie Hamilton Award, 2024.
The Community Law Clinic provides free legal assistance to individuals who are ineligible for legal aid and unable to afford private legal advice. Under the supervision of qualified legal professionals, our law students offer services ranging from letter writing and form filling to comprehensive legal advice. The US Foundation’s support is instrumental in sustaining and expanding these efforts, ensuring that more individuals in our community can navigate the legal system effectively.
“Volunteering allowed me to gain practical legal experience while making a tangible impact in my community. The personal connections I made even led directly to two job interviews.” - Benjamin, Law Clinic Volunteer.
The University of Exeter US Foundation, established in 2015, has been influential in strengthening and promoting Exeter’s international profile by linking former students and supporters of Exeter who live and work in America.
Since its inception the Foundation has supported a range of projects including research collaborations, global scholarships and PhD studentships. The following are some key activities made possible by the Foundation.
We are incredibly grateful to Andy (Chemistry, 1974) and Jennie Hamilton (Chemistry, 1974) whose generous support is helping students embark on transformative year-abroad experiences in the United States. These opportunities allow students to immerse themselves in new cultures, expand their academic horizons, and develop invaluable global perspectives. More than 40 students have benefited from this support, enabling students to maximise their Year Abroad experience.
“My year at the University of South Florida was a once in a lifetime experience, where I got to experience American culture through friendships and travel, and choose a range of modules from different biology disciplines that help to build my confidence.” - Sophie Summers (BSc Biological Sciences, 2024).
Sophie Summers, 2024 Andy & Jennie Hamilton Scholar.
Exeter’s Community Law Clinic.
The Community Law Clinic provides free legal assistance to individuals who are ineligible for legal aid and unable to afford private legal advice. Under the supervision of qualified legal professionals, our law students offer services ranging from letter writing and form filling to comprehensive legal advice. The US Foundation’s support is instrumental in sustaining and expanding these efforts, ensuring that more individuals in our community can navigate the legal system effectively.
“Volunteering allowed me to gain practical legal experience while making a tangible impact in my community. The personal connections I made even led directly to two job interviews.” - Benjamin, Law Clinic Volunteer.
Exeter’s Community Law Clinic.
Aerial view of Lower Manhattan at sunset.
Spotlight on Margaux’s research
Margaux Marchant, a PhD student at the University of Exeter, is supported by alumnus and US Foundation board member, Howard Appleby (Economics and Statistics, 1980). In July 2025 she presented a poster on her research on planetary darkening at the Exeter Climate Forum.
Researchers are trying to figure out how sensitive the Earth’s climate is to greenhouse gases. Temperature records from the ground suggest the Earth might be less sensitive to greenhouse gases than some climate models predict. Satellite measurements of how much sunlight Earth reflects into space tell a different story. These measurements show the Earth has been getting darker over the past two decades, meaning it is absorbing more heat.
Because these two approaches do not fully agree, there’s still a lot of uncertainty about exactly how strongly the climate will respond. This inconsistency leads to a huge uncertainty in the sensitivity of the climate to greenhouse gases, which has been used to delay action.
Professor Peter Cox (Professor of Climate System Dynamics, Mathematics) with PhD student Margaux Marchant.
During her PhD, Margaux will investigate why the Earth is getting darker. She compares real-world satellite data with climate models to figure out if the darkening is caused by cleaner air (which would mean climate change is less severe) or by a loss of clouds (which would mean climate change is more severe).
Margaux and her supervisor Professor Peter Cox’s research posters on planetary darkening have been featured in the New Scientist. Peter shared, “Howard’s support has given Margaux an amazing opportunity to pursue research in this critical area. It is great to see press interest in the first year of a PhD, so many congratulations to Margaux!”
We would like to thank our Board members Graham Hill (Economics and Political Development, 1992), Howard Appleby (Economics and Statistics, 1980), Neill Nuttall (Politics, 1977), Doug Ebanks (Economics, 2014), Norah Odwesso (Finance and Investment, 1996), Kiryl Trembovolski (Mathematics, 2009), Anne Bentley (Accountancy Studies, 1986), and George Tidbury (Economics and Politics, 2014).
To mark the Foundation’s first anniversary, we were delighted to name the ‘America Room’ on our Streatham Campus in honour of its Board, recognising their commitment and generosity.
Graham Hill, President of the ‘University of Exeter, US Foundation’, unveiling the recognition plaque during the room naming celebration.
Share on social