Meet Liss – aspiring stand-up comic and student telephone fundraiser

Posted Tuesday 11 June 2013

As a student of Kingston University and a member of the student telephone fundraising team, I've been asked to write to you guys to say thank you for helping us raise more than £70,000 on our spring telethon, the biggest total yet!  

As an actual recipient of a Student Hardship grant, one of the things that we raise money for, I really wanted to give something back.  And when I saw the position come up for Annual Fund student fundraiser a few years ago, I didn't hesitate in applying.

Those first telephone calls to you all were scary. Far more scary than doing stand-up comedy, believe me (that's me incidentally sharing the same bill as Eddie Izzard... alright, it's not, I've just stalked him in order to have my photograph taken). Anyway, you might get the occasional thing thrown at you when you're doing a gig – pieces of rotten fruit, sausage rolls... thanks, but I'm a vegetarian! – but striking up a conversation with a complete stranger and asking them for money? A totally different ball game!  But here's the thing. The amount of positive feedback, advice, interesting discussions about art and books and literature and films and what to do when you've finished your degree, was incredible. And even though I was initially sceptical, you are also prepared to put your hands in your pockets and help the University out.

And they really are great causes that we raise money for. Not just Student Hardship, but Postgraduate Scholarships, Research, and the Opportunities Fund, making sure our students get to take part in the more practical aspects of their course. Anyway, here's what we are supporting this year. Take a look and let us know what you think.

Or have a chat with Jason Barlow, the Annual Fund manager either on j.barlow@kingston.ac.uk or 020 8417 3112.

And as I'm just about to graduate, let me say once again thank you, not only for changing my life, but changing the lives of many other students at Kingston.

Liss Hand, Drama BA(Hons) student

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