2022 Outstanding Alumni Award Winners

Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr S Chelvan (BSc Politics and Law, 1998)

Dr S Chelvan practices as an immigration and asylum barrister, attracting national and international acclaim. He is well known for his prominent and policy-oriented advocacy for minority and, particularly, LGBTQ+ rights. He is considered the leading legal expert in the UK on LGBTQ+ asylum law. As of 1st September 2022, Chelvan also serves as a visiting professor at the Research Centre for International Law and Globalisation at the University of Southampton.

“As an Advocate, Activist, and Academic, who fully owes my undergraduate years at Southampton for providing me the safe space to ignite my passion for social justice, the Lifetime Achievement Award has been life-changing. Awarded in recognition of my work in Refugee, and LGBTQ+ rights, I also returned to Southampton from last September as a Visiting Adjunct Professor of Law, at the Centre for International Law and Globalisation.

This new role provides me an opportunity to share with students a symbiotic approach to strategic litigation, policy development, and academic research. I look forward to inspiring students, by sharing the fact that they too can be living their dream and be positive change-makers.”

Dr S Chelvan BSc Politics

and Law, 1998

Rising Star Award winner, Dr Kizanne JamesMcCarthy reflected on the connections she made during her time at the University. “I’m really humbled and grateful for this award, it means a lot. Southampton is a very prestigious university, so I feel honoured.

I have so many fond memories of my time at the University because we just got so much support here! Julie Cullen, who was one of my lecturers on my master’s in Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care, and her colleague Yvette ran sessions for international students and every week we would talk about our cultures and adjusting to life in the UK. We would bring different things from our countries, and it was such a warm environment.

I built such strong relationships. I now have a very good friend from Lebanon; she’s based in the UK now. I have friends in Egypt and all sorts of different parts of the world. I wouldn’t have made those connections if it wasn’t for being here at Southampton.”

Dr Kizanne James-McCarthy (MSc Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care, 2018)

Dr Kizanne James-McCarthy is a multi-award-winning leader, Chevening Scholar, women’s rights and health activist and physician with a passion for global health. She promotes family planning through activities including voluntary talks on sexual health at prisons and other institutions and developing digital services giving information about contraception.

Alumni Service Award

Jim (BSc Economics, 1956) and Monica Hubner (BA German, 1955)

Jim and his late wife Monica met as students at Southampton in the 1950s, and since graduating stayed closely connected to the University. Jim and Monica, who sadly passed away last year, were both active members of the University Council over many years. They both had a strong belief in the importance of the alumni community and its power to build meaningful relationships beyond graduation.

James has been a passionate supporter of a wide range of projects and priorities across the University, using his time, expertise and energy to help develop volunteering, mentoring, advocacy, enterprise and engagement in support of our students, research and infrastructure.

The University was well-represented in the British Council Study UK Alumni Awards, with finalists and winners in the Business and Innovation Award category in Jordan, India and Nigeria, as well as at the Global Award level.

Global finalist, Yeshwanth Raj Parasmal credits his time at Southampton as key to the success of his education management company in India.

Annalle Abuammar (MSc. Artificial Intelligence, 2020)

Finalist, Business and Innovation category

India

Rohit Mukul (LLB, 2017)

Winner, Business and Innovation category

Yeshwanth Raj Parasmal (MBA, 2007)

Finalist, Business and Innovation category

Nigeria

Oluwafemi Adedipe (MSc. Business Strategy and Innovation, 2016)

Winner, Business and Innovation category

Damilola Teidi (MSc. Business Strategy and Innovation, 2014)

Finalist, Business and Innovation category

Global Awards

Yeshwanth Raj Parasmal (MBA, 2007)

Finalist

“My mentor and guide from the Education DepartmentProfessor John Taylor - was pivotal in helping me start my entrepreneurial journey. University staff went above and beyond what I could ever have expected. Even after completing my studies, I still have an active connection with Southampton which says something about the University’s commitment to students and alumni. With my first start-up, Strategum Eduserve, I set out to transform India’s education sector. Through my education management company, I have already established over 50 schools, colleges and universities across India … My vision is to encourage and provide the new generation of learners with first-rate learning tools for an affordable, well-rounded and joyful education.”

Yeshwanth Raj Parasmal, Global finalist