Report inspires student benefactor

Kevin Malone: Generous benefaction

A man who left school at 14 is giving Oxford University $500,000 (£340,000) for a scheme that helps poorer students to study there.

Kevin Malone, 80, who lives in the United States, made the offer after seeing a BBC News report about Oxford's bursaries.

The report - by BBC education correspondent Mike Baker - was shown on BBC World, Mr Malone's news service of choice at home in New Jersey.

"I had no-one really to leave the money to and I thought this would be useful," he told Mike Baker when they met in Oxford on Wednesday.

See the original report.

The bursaries scheme - announced a year ago - is open to undergraduates whose tuition fees are paid by their local education authority, because their family's annual income is below £20,000.

Telling prospective students about Oxford life

They can apply for support worth up to £2,000 for three-year courses or £2,500 for four-year courses.

Oxford reckons this will benefit about 400 students next year. It expects to pay out about £750,000 a year and is raising funds to continue the scheme.

The vice-chancellor, Colin Lucas, said the university wanted to get the brightest and best students, irrespective of their backgrounds.

"Benefactions like that so generously made by Mr Malone are important in enabling us to meet our commitment to less well off students," he said.

National Service

Kevin Malone was born in Nottingham, England, and did not attend university.

He said he always "sailed through" tests at school and easily qualified for a grammar school education.

But his family was Roman Catholic, the state grammar school was not, and "between the priests, the nuns and my mother" he was not allowed to go.

He left school at 14 and after serving in the RAF during World War II he went on a photography course, then to work for a commercial photographer.

He moved to New York in 1956, and made his money selling a photographic process.

"The reason for my success - and I would say this to any young person - I knew my subject. I worked at it and knew it backwards," he said.

Quick work

Last year he had already considered sponsoring bright youngsters through higher education but was not sure how he could set up such a scheme - when he saw the BBC report about Oxford's effort.

Sophie Archer: Money concerns

"It was a perfect match," he said.

He sent Oxford a letter and within the week they were in touch and "delighted to make my acquaintance", he said.

"They moved."

As he was visiting Oxford another of its projects to open up the university experience to students from a wider range of backgrounds was taking place.

Target Schools is a student-led initiative by which school pupils visit colleges to get a feel for the place.

Prospective students

One of them, Sophie Archer from Cardinal Newman Catholic School, Brighton, said everybody contemplating university these days was concerned about the cost.

Surveys suggest they will graduate with at least £10,000 of debt.

James Ogram considered staying closer to home

"It's reassuring to know that there's something there," she said of the bursaries scheme.

"It's vitally important that everyone has the opportunity to go to university."

James Ogram - who, like Mr Malone, is from Nottingham - said his family had encouraged him to see what Oxbridge was like.

"The cost of going to university is without doubt one of the most important considerations for me," he said.

He had thought about going to his local university so he could live at home to save money - but a bursary might make the difference.

He said Kevin Malone's gift was "fantastic".

"That's just what someone like me is looking for."

Mr Malone said he thought it was important that young people should realise the opportunity was there.

"It takes a lot of money - that's being provided - but then the will to do it," he said.