Students from study association Sirius of S&T and BMS faculties, including members from Health sciences, public administration, and other master programs at the UT, have continued the tradition of raising money for a good cause.
In honor of their late fellow student Jesper Benus, who passed away in April of last year, twelve fellow students locked themselves in the Sirius room in Technohal for 24 hours. This year, they raised money for the Foundation for Disadvantaged Children in the Netherlands (SKKIN).
Last year, fellow board members of Jesper also locked themselves up to raise money. At that time, an impressive amount of 18,500 euros was raised for an organisation dedicated to mental health.
Sophie Dijkstra and Marije Tempelman, committee members of Sirius and students of Health Sciences, organised this initiative together with the other committee members and the board of Sirius. This time, 12 students had access to the Sirius room, a spacious glass room measuring eight by fifteen meters
During their confinement, they organised a total of 10 different activities, including a music bingo, tapas dinner, and pub quiz, to raise money for SKKIN. They also arranged a live radio broadcast, where listeners could request songs by making a donation. In this way, they provided entertainment and connected with the outside world while supporting the good cause. Additionally, the owner of SKKIN visited the students to show his support and encourage them in their efforts.
Through this initiative, the students also raised awareness for SKKIN. Thanks to their efforts, they were able to help up to 1000 families in the Netherlands. Their dedication and involvement demonstrate the power of solidarity and community within the university.
The Sirius study association has announced that they intend to continue this Sirius Request initiative biennially, as a lasting memory of Jesper and as a way to increase student engagement with charitable causes.
