Student Awards 2018

Last night, students and staff gathered at Stamford Court for our annual Student Awards- where the individuals, groups and societies who have made exceptional contributions to the University and the wider community over the past year are celebrated.

During the evening, performances were provided by talented students from the University’s dance and music societies, followed by food and drinks. Dr Suzie Imber, who last year won BBC Two’s ‘Astronauts: Do You Have What it Takes?’, also gave a speech to the students on the importance of seizing opportunities.

From sports champions to ambassadors, community-minded societies to volunteering individuals, we are proud of our students and the fantastic way that they have represented the University of Leicester.

The 2018 winners are:

• Student Staff Member of the Year: Jonny McGrath

Jonny has been a student ambassador for the past four years and has represented the University at over 100 events. Having trained extensively to ensure that he can deliver almost every role open to an ambassador, Jonny has now reached a point where he is supporting and developing his peers as a trainer and team leader.

• Campaign of the Year: Nightline

Nightline’s Awareness Week included cake sales, craft days, and visiting Shabang and Let’s Disko. Through their social media, leaflets and publicity volunteers, Nightline raised awareness of their listening, support and information service.

• Fundraiser of the Year: Galaxy Radio and Leicester Marrow

Their 69-hour radio show fundraiser was a huge success with over £1,000 being donated to Anthony Nolan and Galaxy Radio and Marrow being invited to the National Societies Awards in recognition of their achievement.

• Inspirational Achievement Award: Corinne Crosbourne

Corinne has demonstrated strength and resilience to battle through extremely challenging situations whilst studying for her degree. She has gone above and beyond to live her University life to the full, whilst inspiring those around her. 

• Leicester Award Gold: Jennifer Frimpong

Jennifer realised that completing the Gold Award was a great opportunity to develop her personal and professional skills and made the most of the opportunity. Jennifer successfully articulated and recognised how these skills would assist her to achieve her future goals and aspirations.

• Leicester Award: Amy May Wood

Through the programme, Amy has successfully reflected on her substantial volunteering experience to enhance her self-awareness to develop her skills and build an excellent CV. As a result, Amy has secured a project management volunteering placement abroad to support her future career plans in the charity sector.

• Student Group Event: Sikh Society

In February, Langar on Campus took over Queen’s Hall to feed students during lunchtime. After months of careful planning, training and liaising with members of staff from across the Students’ Union, the community and Leicester Services Partnership, the event was a great success and educated all who took part about the values of Sikhism. 

• Student Group: Netball

Alongside the society’s innovative social media campaigns and presence at University events, they have also shown initiative throughout the year- adapting to any difficulties they had whilst running their own events and fundraisers including a pub quiz, tour, old girls weekend and a charity match. They also contributed to the University’s RAG week events with their own sponsored 24-hour shootout.

• Academic Rep: Aysha Ahmed

Having represented her peers since her first year, Aysha has gone above and beyond in this role. She recently organised a session for students in the year below, allowing them to seek advice from finalists and staff on a selection of final year projects.

• Outstanding Commitment to Professional Development: Chloe Birkett

Chloe has proven herself to be a driven, committed and exceptionally competent young professional. Dedicated to putting herself forward for a huge variety of opportunities, both within the University as well as external opportunities, to develop herself as a professional and gain critical experience in the competitive legal field.

• Sports Achievement: Sam Cranswick

Sam has achieved monumental success, helping to achieve the longest unbeaten run by any Team Leicester team in recorded history and elected as Men’s Rugby Union Club President for the 2017/18. He also has been working alongside the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Equality and Diversity Dr Kate Williams to promote HeForShe.

• Student Support Champion: Katie Sinfield

Katie is a fantastic ambassador and leader for change around student support on a national level, working with organisations such as Student Minds and the National Union for Students to promote the highest standard of support.

• Student Group Innovator of the Year: Computing Society

With an innovative social media rebrand accompanied with a series of engaging events and collaborations throughout the year, this group has sought to transform the meaning of an academic society. The result has been a close-knit community, easily identifiable on campus through their merchandise and their presence in intramural sports.

• Pomerance Prize for Music: Adrian Dawati, Anisa Hashmi-Culling, Ben Kingston, Brennan Alleyne, Catherine Bird, Claire Constance, Faye Balcombe, Fiona Kuribayashi-Coleman, Liam Karai, Lucy Spencer and Martha O’Sullivan who is representing Big Band.

This annual prize is given to one or more students at the University of Leicester as recognition of talent, interest or performance skill related to music. 

• Teaching Partnership Awards: Hannah Lerman and Johnathan Goldney

The University’s Teaching Partnership Awards celebrate excellent contributions by students who teach and/or significantly enhance the learning experience of their peers. The awards recognise students as partners in their own learning and as partners in improving the broader learning and teaching culture.

• Frank May Cup for Community Impact and Volunteering and President and Vice Chancellor’s Award: Helen Kuht

Helen has volunteered for winter night shelters and introduced new ways of engaging with the homeless by organising ‘morning walkabouts’ in Leicester and in Birmingham. She has utilised the skills gained through her experiences of working with the homeless to inspire new volunteers. Her inspirational contribution has made an enormous difference to the causes she has been supporting.