27 April 2026
Four runners from the University crossed the finish line at the world-famous London Marathon yesterday, raising £6,150 for the University’s Futures Fund.
Alumni Andrew Rogers and Anthony Corbett, former colleague Laura Kerry, and current University of Sunderland in London student Maria Budakova successfully completed the 26.2-mile course alongside a record-breaking field of 59,000 runners.
Anthony, Andrew, Laura, and Maria took up the marathon challenge to support the Futures Fund(opens in new tab), which, since 2003 has empowered students, staff, and alumni by supporting excellence, enabling opportunities, and boosting employability across the University community.
The funds raised will help provide financial, educational, and career development assistance to those students, alumni, and staff who need it most.
‘Giving back while doing something I love’
For Maria Budakova, who is studying Business Management BA (Top-up)(opens in new tab), running for the Futures Fund provided extra motivation to reach the finish line.
“I’ve seen, first-hand, how valuable support like the Futures Fund can be.” she said. “Raising money for something that directly helps students is a brilliant way to give back while doing something I love.
”The London Marathon was an incredible experience from start to finish - the atmosphere, the support from the crowds, and the sense of achievement crossing the finish line made it truly unforgettable.
“It was both a physical and mental challenge, but one I’m very proud to have completed.”
You can still support Maria by going to her Enthuse Fundraising Page(opens in new tab).
Friends and Family Cheer our Runners
The iconic marathon route, from Blackheath to Buckingham Palace, passes by the University’s London campus, near Canary Wharf, where friends, family,and colleagues gathered at a dedicated cheer point to enthusiastically support runners at the 17.6-mile mark.
This year’s marathon also saw the world records broken, with Kenya's Sebastian Sawe becoming the first marathon runner ever to officially log a sub-two hour finish at 01:59:30.
