Hayley Hooper came to Balliol in 2008 to do her BCL, and went on to study for an MPhil and a DPhil in Law here too. She has been a member of the 1263 Society as a valued regular donor for many years, supporting students through the Area of Greatest Need Fund.
I did three degrees and spent five years at Balliol, including two years working as the Junior Dean, so I have many memories of my time there. It was a formative period in my life and there were good and bad moments – I am sure everyone else would say something similar.
I have no doubt that Balliol had a huge impact on my life; I would not be an Associate Professor of Law at Oxford today without the College. I would not have many of my closest friends, and I would not be doing the job I have today. Overall, I am hugely grateful for the whole range of experiences I had during my time at Balliol.
I give to Balliol hardship funds because I want other talented students to have access to the same opportunities that I had. I think if everyone gives a little, we can achieve a lot. There are so many intangible benefits that you can’t pay back what you received, but you can pay it forward.
I had to rely on Balliol’s generosity to make it through my studies, so I am proud to be able to help Balliol students in the same position today. Balliol is focused on attracting talented students regardless of financial background, and as long as College continues to commit to this, I’ll be happy to continue to donate.
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