SU AWARDS 2022 Programme
Welcome to the 2022 Students’ Union Awards!
These awards recognise the efforts and achievements of our most outstanding students who have gone above and beyond to shape your student experience in this strange year. It’s been a privilege to represent you all this year and reading all of the nominations made us incredibly proud to be your Presidents. From balancing in-person and online opportunities to ensuring that your feedback is considered by both universities, your committee members and representatives do so much and it’s only fitting that we take a moment to thank them for all of their hard work. Thank you to the university staff and SU Trustees who made up the panels - they had such a difficult time shortlisting the nominations - and to the SU and Princess Pavilion staff who have helped to organise the ceremony. We are so excited to be able to host an in-person awards ceremony and we hope you all enjoy the evening, either in person or via our live stream.
Ben Statham-Wilkins
Charlotte Agnew
Stevie Preece
Ellie Ricks
President Falmouth
President Welfare & Inclusivity
President Exeter
President Student Experience
Contents 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Teamwork in Representation Falmouth Course Rep Exeter Course Rep of the year Exeter Subject Chair of the Year Falmouth Department Rep of the Year Outstanding Committee Member Award Sports Club of the year Society of the year
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Event of the Year Fundraising Award Sustainable Award Inclusivity Award Dedication to the Students’ Union The Andy Hocking Award
Winner of Winners 34
The Daniel Palmer Award
Teamwork in Representation Teamwork is at the heart of what student representation aims to achieve. Groups of Student Reps and staff members are eligible for this award, which aims to recognise the achievements that can be made by working together. The winners of this award will have: •
Worked closely together on an issue and will have communicated constructively whilst sharing experience and knowledge to reach a common goal.
The shortlisted nominees are...
Renewable Energy SSLC The elected members of this year’s Renewable Energy SSLC worked tirelessly to deliver year-round activities to connect and benefit the students they represented. The collaboration and teamwork between this group is slick, supportive and uplifting which shows in their incredible successes. This year they have organised a Renewable Energy buddy scheme, improved careers and networking opportunities by liaising with Career Zone, created a module fair to inform peers about the options available to them, connected international students through regular coffee mornings, and increased feedback channels through embracing Discord, Whatsapp, ELE and more.
Women in Engineering For International Women’s Day 2022, a group of Renewable Energy students produced a video celebrating the importance of women in engineering. The video includes sound bites from a diverse group of students, occupying lab spaces and outdoor spaces on the Penryn Campus. If you’d like to watch the video, you can find it on the Renewable Energy SSLC Facebook Page.
Humanities SSLC Reps and subject chairs you sit on this committee have seen course closures and staff strikes alongside other issues. Working together, the group tackled these issues in a collaborative and inclusive manner, considering the opinions of all the students they represent. Their teamwork and clear communication through Facebook, Instagram, Teams and emails has resulted in issues and queries being resolved quickly and to a high quality.
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Falmouth Course Rep of the Year This award recognises a Falmouth Course Rep who has contributed to academic improvements by working in partnership with the University and SU. This should be evidenced through: • • • •
Proactive attendance at university/SU meetings (SSLG/ department forum/UGM etc) Innovative work to increase student engagement with academic representation activity Partnership work with their academic course staff, Department Rep/Subject Chair, or fellow Course Reps Effecting change that has a positive and tangible impact on the academic experience of their peers
The shortlisted nominees are...
Amy Alford Amy is a shining example of how a rep for an online course can create community spirit. Gathering feedback from students across the country studying the online BA Creative Writing, Amy has contributed to real change on the course and at The SU. Amy has received positive feedback from the people she represents and the course tutors. Her nomination really highlighted her tenacity, positivity and huge growth in this role.
Tom Jackson Tom has been committed to his role as a course rep for three years. He is pro-active with suggestions, works well with the course tutors to make change happen and is an incredibly reliable course rep. Most significantly, Tom has balanced his role as course rep with leading and developing the student radio station, Surf Radio.
Alice Warren Alice is an tenacious supporter of her course. Her work alongside Ben Statham-Wilkins, President Falmouth, for the annual Fashion and Textiles Institute fashion show was impressive. She is an inclusive course representative, ensuring that everyone’s opinion is considered and remaining an approachable and friendly individual to everyone.
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Exeter Course Rep of the Year This award recognises an Exeter Course Rep who has contributed to academic improvements by working in partnership with the University and SU. This should be evidenced through: • • • •
Proactive attendance at university/SU meetings (SSLCs/ SCWG/UGM etc) Innovative work to increase student engagement with academic representation activity Partnership work with their academic course staff, Subject Chair, or fellow Course Reps Effecting change that has a positive and tangible impact on the academic experience of their peers
The shortlisted nominees are...
Matt Copp Matt is an exemplary rep for our BMBS community at the Truro Campus. He demonstrates commitment, enthusiasm and reliability in all his duties, especially commended as he is also in the final year of his clinical degree. Matt faces the challenge of representing a cohort who are rarely ever physically together, overcoming this through well-used group chats to share information and gather feedback. Matt’s efforts truly show that his course peers are at the heart of everything he does: when fuel prices rose, he lobbied the programme to increase placement subsidies; when creating the programme for WRAP sessions, Matt was instrumental in researching and refining topics that his peers wanted to cover as well as negotiating the date to ensure international students could travel home earlier than expected. Matt’s nomination included a clear and well-deserved “thank you” for all of his efforts as a rep.
Adam Wrigley As a Renewable Energy rep, Adam has made an overwhelmingly positive difference to the student experience. He has used informal events to effectively gather feedback and build course community and implemented clear systems to allow staff to report back on changes made to the course from their feedback. His multiple nominations outline his efforts and dedication to ensuring that the student voice is heard and highlight his ability to deliver constructive and clear feedback.
Jessica Cattanach As a first year rep, Jessica has embraced the role: remaining dedicated to attending meetings and gathering feedback. As a course rep for both Politics and Humanities SSLC, Jessica has engaged two courses of students to raise relevant and important points at SSLC meetings. Her role with both SSLCs has directly contributed to supporting staff to improve the academic experience for Combined Honours students as both departments could work to address and resolve feedback.
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Exeter Subject Chair of the Year This award recognises a Subject Chair (or pair of Co-chairs) who has contributed to academic improvements by working in partnership with the University and SU. This should be evidenced through: • • • •
Proactive attendance at university/SU meetings (SSLC, Student Partnership Board, Subject Chair Working Group) Innovative work to increase student engagement with academic representation activity at a subject level Partnership work with their Course Reps, SU President and Education Officers, or Director of Education Effecting change that has a positive and tangible impact on the academic experience of their peers.
The shortlisted nominees are...
Isabella White and Harry Whiteley
This subject chair team have worked tirelessly to make Geography a subject with fantastic community spirit. Their nomination described them as reliable, consistent and effective leaders who provide useful feedback to develop student identity and experience.
Genevieve Midworth and Lauren Taylor
Receiving multiple nominations, Genevieve and Lauren have hown clear commitment to their role. As returning subject chairs, they have managed difficulties around the pause in recruitment for the English programme, working with students in this unsettling time. They also lobbied and secured society membership for all first years, paid for by their course, an initiative that has helped to build course community and engagement. Their efforts have seen better engagement with the rep system by first year students, well-attended society events, and improved communication with the students they represent.
Lara Cripps and Jinkai Chan
Closing the feedback loop is a specialty of Lara and Jinkai’s. They know how to make sure students know their feedback was heard and what changes were made because of it. Their ability to communicate with and engage their course community is impressive. Lara and Jinkai have implemented a buddy up scheme to support students after the Covid-19 pandemic, enhancing the connection between students and tutors. Their commitment to the role is evident in the variety of projects and initiatives they have been involved in this year.
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Falmouth Department Rep of the Year This award recognises a Department Rep (or pair of Department Reps) who has contributed to academic improvements by working in partnership with the University and SU. This should be evidenced through: • • • •
Proactive attendance at university and SU meetings (SSLGs, Department Committee, Department Forums) Innovative work to increase engagement with academic representation activity at a departmental level Partnership work with Course Reps, SU President and Course Leaders, as well as Departmental Directors Effecting change that has a positive and tangible impact on the academic experience of their peers across the Department.
The shortlisted nominees are...
Sophie Pratt and Ella Smith
A dynamic duo who really care about the students they represent, they have been dedicated to their role throughout their final year. They are highly regarded by course staff, SU staff and senior staff at Falmouth University for their useful feedback and enthusiasm to help where they can. The final point in their nomination was quite simply: “both would have been great Presidents, but I know they will be great in whatever they do next.” A real reflection on the impact they have had this year.
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Outstanding Committee Member This award is for an outstanding committee member of a club or society who has demonstrated: • • • • • • •
Excellent club engagement and enthusiasm, inspiring others and leading by example Excellent leadership and management Excellent organisational skills Promotion of membership and participation Excellent listening and communication Great enthusiasm, encouragement and willingness to improve the group Outstanding commitment and attendance at sessions
The shortlisted nominees are...
Seb Thompson
Seb is a committee member for EcoSoc, BeeSoc and Marine Watch. As President of EcoSoc this year, he has led the society in running over 100 events for 225 members, including leading on his own specialist workshops like mushroom identification and spider identification. His role on each committee has led to exciting collaborative projects with other student groups and the university as well as reinvigoration of legacy projects, such as Naturewatch. Seb also found the time to work with senior lecturer Professor Andy Pye on Slide Project, a science communication project creating educational resources on microbe identification and information, offering the opportunity to photograph microbes and edit and create scientific resources that will hopefully be available to the public and used by the CLES department.
Catherine Smith Committee member for Cheerleading, Ballet and Jazz, Catherine has shown clear commitment to ensuring all sessions run by these groups are welcoming, friendly and inclusive to all. Her passion to create a positive and energetic atmosphere for members of these groups was celebrated in her nomination. No job or task is too big for her to take on: she choreographs, supports, organises, celebrates, fundraises, assists, books, plans and motivates. All this amongst completing her degree and co-ordinating a campaign for a president role. Her contribution this year has created a clear impact on the groups resulting in record-breaking attendance and memberships.
Elena Kirwan Enthusiastic, passionate and dedicated were three words that stood out in Elena’s nomination. As MedSoc president this year, she has galvanised Truro Campus students to engage in society activities and socials, working around strict Covid-19 restrictions in place for BMBS students. From art exhibitions and cultural food gatherings to nights out and a mini freshers fayre, Elena has had a hand in almost every initiative for Truro Campus students. Her efforts mark her out as an inspirational student leader who has made a huge impact on the student experience.
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Sports Club of the Year This award is for an outstanding sports club who have gone above and beyond to provide an excellent experience to their members. A nomination for this award should consider: • • • • •
Demonstrations of the club’s achievements, in line with constitutional aims and objectives Club organisation Provision of high-quality events, competitions and activities Positive engagement with The SU and involvement in campaigns and initiatives Membership numbers and members’ satisfaction
The shortlisted nominees are...
Fusion Cheerleading
An active and inclusive sports group, Fusion train twice a week and have impressive commitment from their team. Their members train in dance, tumbling and stunting. This year they have organised fundraising events for their competitions, raising over £650 to help them compete nationally in Manchester and Derby. The group is entirely student-led with students taking on the roles of coaches, captains, committee, and organisers. At national competitions they placed 5th and 6th against highly competitive (and much larger) cheer teams. Their impressive contribution to the student experience is an example of how offering non-competitive and competitive options can work and benefit the whole membership.
CSM Netball
The Bottle Match saw CSM Netball defeat the Royal School of Mines in an 82-5 win, an impressive score given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on all our student groups. The committee this year have focused on having fun and building a supportive community, developing this community digitally on Instagram where their Reels have received over 100,000 views in total.
SU Tap Jam
The nominations clearly stated how fun it is at SU Tap Jam. The committee make everyone feel welcome regardless of your dance experience. Their effort and commitment has created a positive community spirit that brings people together and offers a break from the pressures of studying. SU Tap Jam also danced two numbers at the SU performance showcase, giving members an exciting experience to get back on stage after the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Society of the Year This award is for an outstanding society who have gone above and beyond to provide an excellent experience to their members. A nomination for this award should consider: • • • • •
Demonstrations of the group’s achievements, in line with constitutional aims and objectives Society organisation Provision of high-quality events, competitions and activities Positive engagement with The SU and involvement in campaigns and initiatives Membership numbers and members’ satisfaction
The shortlisted nominees are...
Surf Radio
Bursting back on to the scene this academic year with amazing momentum, Surf Radio have delivered a huge amount of programming and events for both musicians and music-lovers alike. The society have collaborated with Radio Cornwall, a Manchester-based record label, the Falmouth Anchor, Songwriters Society, Clunk Magazine and the Student Radio Association. Throughout the year they have delivered regular radio programming alongside high quality live music events, podcasts and regular society socials. The committee have worked so hard to bring in new members as well as creating engaging events for the wider community. Finally, they have worked with the Content Director of Virgin Radio UK to plan the next steps of Surf Radio, an exciting opportunity for all involved!
EcoSoc One of the largest and most active societies on campus, EcoSoc has 225 members from the University of Exeter, Falmouth University and the general public. Throughout the year they have run a breath-taking variety of events, including moth trapping, pond dipping, bat walks, rockpooling, pitfall trapping and PhD student talks. They have collaborated with external organisations and other student groups to diversify what they can offer to members. EcoSoc have also continued the co-production of Nature Watch with Wild Doc Soc and assisted with the planning and organising of BioBlitz Penryn 2022.
Women in Business Society Inspiring and connecting women, the Women in Business Society boasts an incredibly successful year. The membership of the society has grown from single figures last academic year to a thriving community. The committee have organised and hosted a range of events, including large-scale collaborative events with guest speakers from the Eden Project and Cornwall’s SpacePort. They’ve also developed smaller workshops focusing on confidence and body language as well as supporting the SU Women’s Officer’s International Women’s Day event.
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Event of the Year This award is for an innovative and engaging event or project run by a club or society this year. The event should demonstrate inclusivity and be open to all members or the wider student community. This award will consider: • • •
Positive feedback from participants Evidence of positive impact as a result of the event/project, including on participants’ wellbeing Involvement of a wide range of participants from The SU community
The shortlisted nominees are...
Surf Radio: Fern Presents Live Gig Series After a return to something close to normality after the Covid-19 pandemic, Surf Radio embraced the new opportunities available for events and activities by connecting with members and listeners in a way they never had before: live music events. The newly rebranded ‘Fern Presents’ (previously known as ‘Fern Sessions’) has taken Falmouth by storm, creating a strong community by bringing together folks from across the Falmouth music scene. The events have help Surf to achieve the highest membership numbers in the station’s history and have garnered interest from Clunk, a South West creative blog and magazine, increasing the reach of the event beyond the student community.
MedSoc: Welcome event for BMBS students Open to all BMBS students, the welcome event was a brilliant opportunity to connect the medical student community with the Falmouth and Penryn area, encouraging students to broaden their opportunities beyond Truro. The Medic Family Treasure Hunt connected students across year groups and gave them plenty of opportunity to explore Falmouth and Penryn. The event facilitated connections between staff and students and was an incredibly fun day out for all involved.
Women in Business Society: The Female Experience The Female Experience was an event run for International Women’s Day. The Women in Business Society secured high profile guest speakers, including the Head of Cornwall’s SpacePort, Director of Cornwall-based business Oh So Social and an Exeter Business School lecturer with experience in HR and consulting. The event attracted a mix of people and delivered an inspiring, fun and engaging evening!
Su Showcase
An annual event in the SU calendar, the SU showcase 2022 featured 11 societies and over 20 high quality performances and was a great success. The event this year was jointly organised by the Ballet and Jazz & Contemporary groups with added collaboration from a selection of performance groups. Each group got the opportunity to show off the hard work they’ve put in this year which brought together the enthusiastic and exciting community after the difficulties they faced during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Fundraising Award Open to any individual or group who has displayed excellence in fundraising. This can be through: • • • • •
Great enthusiasm and ability to motivate others to get involved. Significant individual endeavour in fundraising Original and inventive fundraising Inspires others and leads by example Inclusive events open to a wide range of students
The shortlisted nominees are...
Lauren Woodley Lauren took part in a running challenge to raise money for the mental health charity Mind, raising over £150 and running over 27 miles. In the process of fundraising, Lauren raised awareness about student mental health and how Mind can help those struggling. Well done!
Wenna Craze Wenna decided to run the Falmouth half marathon to raise money for West Cornwall Search and Rescue and encouraged the PHEMSOC community to join her. What started out as an individual challenge to raise £300 quickly turned into a group effort that raised an impressive £2000. Wenna took on her own training while also organising runs for those who wanted to take part, creating a training plan to cater for beginners. Around 25 people did the half marathon, including one of the AMU doctors! Wenna’s enthusiasm was described as infectious and her multiple nominations clearly show the positive impact of her efforts.
Phoebe Ranger As Vice-captain and fundraising officer of Fusion Cheerleading, Phoebe has been a true force in securing the funding for the travel, competitions, and uniforms needed to make a truly unforgettable cheer year. Her events are incredibly popular, selling out every time, and the funds have taken Fusion to two national competitions this year. Even now, Phoebe is planning an end of year ball for the team to raise funds for next year which, as a final year student, she will not directly benefit from. Her optimism and enthusiasm will be missed by the Fusion team.
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Sustainable Award Open to any individual or group who has displayed significant passion and drive for campus or community sustainability efforts. This can be demonstrated by: • • • • • •
Significant endeavour in sustainability projects Great enthusiasm and ability to motivate others to get involved Original and inventive ideas to engage students in sustainability actions Inspires others and leads by example Inclusive sustainability events open to a wide range of students Raises awareness and educates others in sustainability
The shortlisted nominees are...
Libby Challoner Collaborating with Cornwall Council STEM coordinator Janine Bisson, Libby delivered numerous ‘bioplastic from seaweed’ workshops at schools. Libby’s work is interdisciplinary, taking her background and interest in chemistry and applying it to product design. Her workshops inspired young people to seek opportunities for science and design based careers with a clear focus on sustainability. To create these experiences for students while completing her final year is a impressive and inspiring feat.
Amy Bray Amy has shown her commitment to the environment and the planet we live on throughout this year. Running her own conservation charity, Another Way, alongside her studies is extremely challenging but Amy has managed to spread awareness on important environmental issues throughout this year. She has been to COP26 and taken part in protests, been into schools to do education sessions, and appeared on national television including Good Morning Britain and Countryfile talking about the climate crisis, plastic pollution and what we as individuals and communities can do to become more sustainable.
Green Committee The Green Committee are an elected student-led committee who work together to create green initiatives and make green changes to student life. Their nomination specifically mentioned the efforts of Sam and Rada. This year the whole committee have organised Christmas food collections, food and catering surveys, tetra pack waste recycling in the SofT building, sustainability week, Earth hour and more. They work collaboratively with a range of people across our campuses enhancing their ability to make change happen
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Inclusivity Award This award is for any individual, group, campaign or project which has shown a commitment to inclusivity. This can be demonstrated by: • • • • • •
Significant endeavour and dedication to inclusivity Enthusiasm and ability to motivate others to promote inclusion through the university communities Original and inventive ideas to engage students in inclusivity initiatives Inspires others and leads by example, raising the bar for others Inclusive sustainability events open to a wide range of students Raises awareness and educates others in inclusivity
The shortlisted nominees are...
Pole Fitness Society With a strong ethos that “pole is for all bodies and everybody – no matter their gender sexuality, size, shape, disability, race, colour, beliefs and everything else”, the pole society has grown their membership to a strong 115 members this year. Member feedback is overwhelmingly positive about how welcome they feel. The committee empower members by creating an encouraging and safe environment for people to express themselves through pole, as well as increasing their strength, self- and body-confidence while creating an inclusive and supportive community.
Olufikayo Bright Working with the African Caribbean Society as Events Officer and as the elected Racial Equality Officer on the Liberation Committee, Olufikayo has created opportunities for ethnic minorities on campus to celebrate themselves and make genuine friends and connections.
Wren Argent Wren has championed the deadnaming campaign run by Pride Soc, ensuring that Pride Soc members have their voices heard. They campaigned tirelessly, emailing everyone they could to get issues sorted and ensure that affected students received an appropriate apology. Wren is a brilliant committee member who has made incredible change happen through their work.
Neo Stansby Since joining the Liberation Committee as LGBTQ+ Officer in September 2021, Neo has been a fantastic, passionate and committed representative of the LGBTQ+ community on campus. She continually supports LGBTQ+ students with understanding and maintains a good relationship with Pride Soc and the universities to ensure clear communication and action. She has shared her own experience as part of LGBTQ+ history month, attended Sexhibition as a representative of the SU and Liberation committee, assisted with the Trans and Non-binary survey, and actively shares new ideas and insights. Neo’s enthusiasm and hard work are clear in her many achievements!
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Dedication to Student Union This award celebrates students who have gone above and beyond in their dedication to SU activity during their time as a student. This could be as a Part Time Officer, Rep, Committee Member or simply as an engaged student working with others. As the range of ways that students contribute to the SU is broad, this criteria is a list of possible examples but is not exhaustive. The winner of this award may have: • • • • • •
Gone above and beyond the call of duty Inspired others and increasing participation through their involvement Shown inclusive practices which consider the importance of equal opportunities Been highly committed to their role and to finding solutions to problems they raise Engaged with relevant meetings and maintain contact with their peers, university staff, and The Students’ Union Otherwise shown extraordinary dedication to the student experience
The shortlisted nominees are...
Caius Datt A proactive and thoughtful member of our student community, Caius took on the role of Community Officer in his first year of a law degree alongside other roles. He also engages with the Violence Against Women and Girls group, regularly contributing considered points at suitable times. He is a wonderful example of a student who balances his time well and is always looking to further himself.
Amy Alford Amy’s contribution to the SU involves supporting her peers as a highly committeed student and student rep for the online BA Creative Writing. As a rep she gathers feedback from online students and works well with course tutors to make sure that student voice is heard. Alongside her rep role, Amy has also created a writing club via MS Teams, bringing together other online students to build community and support each other in extra-curricular writing endeavours. Her contribution is described as “fantastic and tenacious”.
Lara Cripps From Green Committee to Scouting and her role as Renewables Subject Chair, Lara is a natural ambassador for the SU. Her positive words about the students’ union and the Cornwall campuses encourage others to get involved, sharing her enthusiasm and passion.
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The Andy Hocking Award This award is for an individual who has given the most hours to community projects outside of The SU. This individual should inspire others and lead by example, actively seeking out additional opportunities to volunteer their time beyond those offered at The SU. A nomination for this award should consider: • •
Good relationships built within the community Positive impact on the student body and local community through volunteering
The shortlisted nominees are...
Libby Challoner Libby was selected for this award for her community efforts in educating and inspiring school age children to pursue science and design based careers, promoting sustainability at all opportunities.
Wenna Craze Her fundraising efforts for West Cornwall Search and Rescue make Wenna a worthy nominee for the Andy Hocking Award, bringing together her community to support an amazing cause.
Will Ellis Organising a 45 mile march across London carrying 32lbs of kit to raise money for the Mark Evison Foundation, Will has raised nearly £7000 so far which will make a huge difference to so many lives. Will spent 6 months preparing for the walk and plans to continue more work for the Foundation over the summer
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Winner of Winners The Daniel Palmer Award The Daniel Palmer Award is named in memory of a former student who supported and made a positive impact on The SU in many ways. This ‘winner of winners’ is selected from the nominees in all categories for the most outstanding contribution to the student experience Shortlisted nominees:
Wenna Craze For her community spirit and never-ending enthusiasm, Wenna stood out to the panel who selected this shortlist. Her ability to inspire so many people to help others is commendable.
Catherine Smith Selected for her incredible long-term commitment to Fusion Cheerleading and the students’ union, Catherine is an amazing example of how passion and joy for an activity can inspire so many to get involved.
Renewable Energy SSLC Their teamwork, initiative, creativity and drive made the Renewable Energy SSLC stand out, they are a leading example of effective and inspiring student leaders.