University remembers Solent alumna, Lisa Wilson

Tuesday 15 November 2022 saw the University and Wilson family officially launch the Lisa Wilson Business and Law Suite. The suite provides a breakout space for students in the Spark, with comfortable new furniture and a refreshment point, and is named in memory of Lisa, who graduated from Solent University in 2001 with a Second-Class Honours (First Division) in Business Management. Full of positivity and willingness to succeed, like many of our Solent community, Lisa was the first in her family to go to university. Lisa was living her dream to travel the world when she died in a car accident whilst travelling to Uluru (Ayers Rock) in Australia in November 2002.

Following Lisa’s death, the Wilson family started a charity to enable other young people to access higher education when they may not have been able to otherwise. The Lisa Wilson Scholarship Fund has been available to Solent University students who have either overcome adversity or demonstrated the need for additional financial support with their studies. Thanks to the generosity of her family and supporters of the charity, over 100 students have benefitted from Lisa’s legacy, enabling them to follow in her footsteps and fulfil their ambition to study at the same university that she did. In 2019, Lisa was awarded a posthumous honorary degree of Master of Business Administration for work in her name in the community.

The space will provide a lasting legacy and was launched at a private event attended by the Wilson family, supporters of the trust, and friends of the family.