GIVING BACK
Accelerating progress and creating opportunities
How our global alumni community is turning generosity into access, discovery and lasting impact.
Philanthropic giving has the power to make a far-reaching difference for generations to come. For our alumni community, giving back is often highly personal and a way to acknowledge and celebrate how their Heriot-Watt experience helped shape their futures.
Opening doors…
Double alum, Stuart Brodie, has built an extraordinary global career across engineering, research, and technology, with roles in Germany, Scotland, and the United States, including leadership positions at STMicroelectronics, OpenAI and at Apple, where he worked on the camera sensing technology that many of us use every day. His decision to make a significant philanthropic gift to Heriot-Watt is rooted in his experience of completing both his undergraduate and doctoral studies at the University.
“My time at Heriot-Watt genuinely changed my life,” he comments. “The University opened doors for me, gave me opportunities I might not otherwise have had, and helped shape the person and professional I became.” As the first person in his family to attend university, Stuart credits the support he received with giving him “the skills, confidence and opportunity to build a career I had never imagined”.
Through the University’s Shaping Futures campaign, Stuart is helping provide that same opportunity to others. His gift will establish scholarships across undergraduate and MSc programmes within Mechanical Engineering, alongside a comprehensive research internship programme. “I wanted to give back because I feel a deep sense of gratitude for my Heriot-Watt experience,” Stuart explains. “I hope my support will help students realise their full potential by giving them opportunities they might not otherwise have had. Most importantly, I hope it allows them to focus on learning, growing, and improving themselves, so they can make the most of their time at University.”
Through his support, Stuart is turning personal opportunity into future possibility, helping talented students access an education that can open doors, while strengthening the pipeline of researchers and engineers equipped to tackle tomorrow’s challenges.
My time at Heriot-Watt genuinely changed my life. I hope my support will help students realise their full potential.”
Stuart Brodie
Supporting aspiration…
Richard and Roslyn Cunningham met while studying at Heriot-Watt and graduated together in 1989 with degrees in Business Organisation. Based in the United States, Richard is currently Chairman of Global Markets and Global Head of Senior Relationship Management at Barclays Corporate & Investment Bank in New York. The Cunninghams have supported a number of Heriot-Watt initiatives, most recently contributing to a Biomedical Engineering Masters scholarship. Together with five other US-based alumni, as members of American Friends of Heriot-Watt University 501(c)(3), they are supporting the development of skills needed to drive innovation in healthcare and biomedical industries and supporting students to gain the interdisciplinary expertise required to address complex healthcare challenges.
“We are both very grateful to Heriot-Watt for the education we received and the platform the University provided as we embarked on our careers,” Roslyn explains. “We believe it is our responsibility to help where we can. We want to ensure students today are afforded similar opportunities to those we experienced. In a world of constant evolution, students need to be well prepared and adaptable to thrive, and the University is striving to prepare them. We hope our support means students can achieve their goals academically so they can go on to enjoy lives of purpose and meaning.”
For the Cunningham’s, the formation of the American Friends of Heriot-Watt University has “enabled us to stay connected with the new developments at Heriot-Watt” Roslyn comments. American Friends provides a way to make philanthropy part of a wider US-based alumni community. Alum, Bryan Milton, current President of American Friends, explains that the organisation helps donors “ensure their giving aligns with their philanthropic plans while connecting them with peers who share a commitment to Heriot-Watt”. Bryan and his wife Rachel chose to support scholarships through an endowment. “The impact this has on the students we sponsor has been quite humbling but so rewarding,” he explains.
The impact this has on the students we sponsor has been quite humbling but so rewarding.”
Bryan Milton
We want to ensure students today are afforded similar opportunities to those we experienced.”
Rosyln Cunningham
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Benefitting future generations…
Other alumni choose to think further ahead. Alum, Roger Murray, who graduated with an MEng in Petroleum Engineering in 1978, describes his Heriot-Watt education as enabling “a wonderful career”. After nearly 30 years with BP, including as Senior Technical Director, Roger has continued to support the University through roles on the University Court and the University Audit and Risk Committee, as well as gifts including support for the 1821 Maths Gym project. Most recently, he has pledged a legacy to Heriot-Watt. Legacy gifts offer a powerful way to create lasting impact, providing long-term support for scholarships, research and campus developments that can benefit future generations.
Roger is particularly motivated by the need to develop future leaders in the energy transition. “I believe that the world, and specifically the UK, needs high quality and practical scientists and engineers,” he says, adding that those who have built successful careers in these fields have a responsibility to “engage with, inspire, and support the next generation”.
These stories demonstrate that there is no single reason to give, and no single way to make an impact.
Giving back does not have to mean gifting financial support: alumni can mentor students, share career expertise, speak at events, offer internships and placements, support recruitment and employability, volunteer their time or simply share their story to inspire those following in their footsteps.
Those who have built successful careers have a responsibility to engage with, inspire, and support the next generation.”
Roger Murray
Every act of giving back strengthens the Heriot-Watt community – and helps ensure that we continue to make a positive impact on the world.
www.hw.ac.uk/alumni/giving-back
If you have any questions or would like to discuss your charitable goals with us, please email
