Eugene Reynolds - a life of dentistry, success and generosity

Eugene Reynolds was born on 26 October 1947 in Longford, Ireland. At a young age he moved to Birmingham, where he spent most of his childhood, before eventually coming to Sheffield to study Dentistry in the late 1960s.

Eugene cherished his time studying here, and made great lifelong friends along the way. He was always a proud Sheffield alumnus, and maintained a deep connection with the University of Sheffield long after his graduation in 1971. He regularly spoke with students, sharing stories of his own time in Sheffield, as well as his life and career journey following university.

The dedicated work ethic Eugene disaplayed both during and after his degree reaped impressive rewards. He went on to own two successful dentistry practices in Birmingham, at Selly Oak and Sheldon. He had a real tenacity for life and his work, and after retiring would often remark on missing the regular interactions with his patients.

Outside of dentistry, Eugene was an avid sports fan, and even played for Aston Villa under 16s as a youth - a love of football he continued to pursue during his later studies, by representing the University of Sheffield team. In his retirement years, he picked up even more sporting hobbies including squash, racquetball, running and also cycling. He would often plan day-long cycles with friends, enjoying the sunshine and chat.

Eugene was incredibly generous to the University during his lifetime, making donations in support of Parkinson’s disease research and also to help support students facing financial hardships. These kind gifts were typical of his of his wonderfully philanthropic character, something he showed in abundance right through his life.

In his Will, Eugene left donations to multiple health charities, as well as a further generous gift to the University: a legacy that will support Sheffield students to complete a year or semester abroad as part of their degree.

His kindness will have a huge impact on the lives of students and the wider University community, and will enable real tangible changes to be made for some of the people who need it the most. 

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I would never even have considered New Zealand as an option for study if funding had not been made available to me. The only way I've been able to afford such an expensive location is due to these incredible grants.

They helped to relieve the financial stress I would've been under, and gave me the independence to access so many amazing experiences over here. I will be forever grateful for the funding provided by the generous supporters of the University of Sheffield."

Sam Gallagher

University of Auckland, Department of Chemistry

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Studying abroad is a hugely rewarding experience, helping students to gain new academic and personal perspectives, explore another culture, increase their confidence, and build a global network of friends and contacts. The lasting effects - expanded cultural awareness, increased willingness to try new things, and proven resilience in unfamiliar circumstances - are all attributes that employers value highly.

All of this comes at a cost, though, and can be a particularly challenging experience to navigate for students in the post-Covid economic landscape. Eugene’s generosity will reduce the financial burden of studying abroad for Sheffield students who would otherwise struggle to access it, and empower them to focus on making the most of their overseas opportunity.

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This funding allowed me to book my initial flight tickets, as I didn't have the spare funds at the time. Without that help, I wouldn't have been able to kickstart my year abroad, and probably would have ended up having to back out of the whole program."

Choi Yun Yu

National University of Singapore, Sheffield Methods Institute

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The University is deeply moved by Eugene’s continued connection to his alma mater, eternalised by his generous legacy gift. His kindness to Sheffield and beyond will always be remembered.