Graduate of the Year (UK)
Encyclopedia
Graduate of the Year is a national competition in the United Kingdom
. It is held annually and recognises students who have made the most of university life, whether in an academic or extracurricular context, such as showing exceptional teamwork, charity or volunteering work, taking part in leadership projects and so on. Every year thousands of high-calibre students from across the country compete in several rounds for this prestigious award, with national press coverage and large cash prizes. It is run by Real World magazine, the UK's biggest student careers publication and the founding sponsor was the UK's largest accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers
. The awards are now sponsored by Enterprise Rent-A-Car
.
Founded in 2004, over 2004-07 the format was one 'Graduate of the Year' with two runners-up and two-finalists. Since 2008 they have split into individual awards for the most entrepreneurial, socially conscious etc. students.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is held annually and recognises students who have made the most of university life, whether in an academic or extracurricular context, such as showing exceptional teamwork, charity or volunteering work, taking part in leadership projects and so on. Every year thousands of high-calibre students from across the country compete in several rounds for this prestigious award, with national press coverage and large cash prizes. It is run by Real World magazine, the UK's biggest student careers publication and the founding sponsor was the UK's largest accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers
PricewaterhouseCoopers
PricewaterhouseCoopers is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest professional services firm measured by revenues and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms....
. The awards are now sponsored by Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Enterprise Holdings, Inc. is a privately held company formed in 2009 to operate rental car subsidiaries: Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, Alamo Rent A Car, WeCar and its commercial fleet management, used car sales, and commercial truck rental operations.Enterprise Holdings was formed as...
.
Founded in 2004, over 2004-07 the format was one 'Graduate of the Year' with two runners-up and two-finalists. Since 2008 they have split into individual awards for the most entrepreneurial, socially conscious etc. students.
2008
- Joel Raffel (Oxford) and Sean Nuzum (Southampton) jointly won the Contribution to University award.
- Jonathan Francis (Nottingham) won the Entrepreneur of the Year award.
- Rob Smith and Nick Ellison (Warwick) won the Club and Society award (Skydiving), for their focus on running charity events alongside club activities. They now run their own charity experience and event management company.
- Chris Skilton and Laura Sterling jointly won the Socially Responsible award.
2007
- Winner: Alexander McLean (Nottingham) was involved in setting up his own charity whilst at university, African Prisons ProjectAfrican Prisons ProjectAfrican Prisons Project is a charity working in Africa to improve the welfare of prisoners through education, health and justice. It was founded in 2004, by then 18-year-old Alexander McLean, who is now its director.- Organizational history :...
, as well as being Vice-President of the University branch of UNICEF. He hopes to work as a barrister in Africa in the future. - Runners up: David LangerDavid LangerDavid Langer is an Internet entrepreneur, blogger and a former national table tennis champion for England, as well as having featured on UK TV game shows including ITV1's The Krypton Factor, Channel 4's Countdown and Channel 5's BrainTeaser.- Career :David read Mathematics at St Anne's College,...
(Oxford) was President of the university table tennis and motor racing teams and ran a start-up; he is now a full-time internet entrepreneur. Xin Hui Chan (Oxford) has been involved in healthcare campaigning; she is now a doctor. http://www.herecomestheboss.com/rwa/langer.phphttp://www.herecomestheboss.com/rwa/chan.php
2006
- Winner: Kirill MakharinskyKirill MakharinskyKirill Makharinsky is an internet entrepreneur. His work has been featured in The New York Times Inc., The Daily Telegraph and BBC World News....
(Oxford) was President of Oxford Entrepreneurs, the 2nd largest society in Oxford University, ran several businesses, was a concert pianist, played several sports at university level and achieved a double first in Mathematics. He is now working in Moscow, Russia on an e-travel start-up Ostrovok.ru, which he co-founded in 2011 after successfully founding YouNoodleYouNoodleYouNoodle is a San Francisco-based company providing a networking website for small businesses. It has received particular attention for its "startup predictor", which aims to use mathematical models to predict the success of a new business based on information about its concept, finances, founders...
. - Runners up: Jonathan Bailey (Oxford) worked in debating, drama and journalism. After a 2 year stint at McKinsey he now works for Tony BlairTony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
. Jennifer Lambert (Leeds) produced international guidelines on child abuse; she is now a doctor. http://www.herecomestheboss.com/rwa/lambert.php http://www.herecomestheboss.com/rwa/bailey.php - Meanwhile, finalist Harjeet Taggar (Oxford) went on to sell his internet start-up for $5m http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2008/080507b.html.
- Finalist Adam Taylor (Warwick). Adam Taylor ran several business and funded himself through university whilst achieving a First class honours in Manufacturing Engineering. Upon graduating Adam joined Lehman Brothers investment bank and then turned internet entrepreneur to co-found PetShopBowl.co.uk. PetShopBowl is a home delivery, online pet shop. After the success of PetShopBowl Adam has now applied the same customer service and discount pricing to household and health & beauty products and launched Brandreill.co.uk August 2011.
- Finalist Shazia Saleem (Warwick) went on to study for a Masters in International Law before working for Dragons' Den star Peter Jones CBE. She is currently running two beach resorts in Cambodia and the account manager for international Thai developers Kutakarn.
2005
- Winner: Hazel Mowbray (LSE) was a music teacher at two schools, taught piano, played in University of London's orchestra, was a legal caseworker, rower and Disabilities Officer who has worked in Ecuador and Ethiopia, along with getting a 1st class degree. She now works for the United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
World Food ProgrammeWorld Food ProgrammeThe World Food Programme is the food aid branch of the United Nations, and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger worldwide. WFP provides food, on average, to 90 million people per year, 58 million of whom are children...
in Malawi. http://www.moloneysearch.com/news.php?id=21 - Runners up: Anjool Malde (Oxford) worked for BBC and held 20 university positions; he was a stockbroker at Deutsche BankDeutsche BankDeutsche Bank AG is a global financial service company with its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. It employs more than 100,000 people in over 70 countries, and has a large presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and the emerging markets...
until his death. Lauren Buchanan (LSE) raised £25k for Habitat for Humanity and ran a Methodist Society. http://www.herecomestheboss.com/rwa/buchanan.phphttp://www.Anjool.co.uk - Finalists: Shaun Delaney (Leicester) coordinated and overhauled the student telephone help line, Nightline, as well as leading a variety of other student groups. Joanna Odds (Glasgow) resurrected the Student Charities Appeal and took on the sabbatical role of Senior Vice President. http://www.moloneysearch.com/news.php?id=21
2004
- Winner: Conall Watson (Nottingham) was Environment & Social Justice Officer, who organised One World Week, got the student union to boycott NestleNestléNestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
, co-founded the Tibet Society and worked at the Fair TradeFair tradeFair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
cafe; he is now a pharmacist. http://www.pharmj.com/editorial/20040515/news/p598graduateoftheyear.html - Runners-up: Nicholas Fernie (Lancaster) was college charity rep, raised money for OxfamOxfamOxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
, a homeless shelter, organised a marathon, dance lessons, and was Treasurer and Press officer for Amnesty InternationalAmnesty InternationalAmnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
. Hannah Marder (Bristol) voted in Union elections, attended the AGM, read the student paper, drunk in the student bar and wore the University sweatshirt. - Finalists: Ahsan Shah (London Metropolitan) founded National Black Youth Forum, worked on TimeBank and has done anti-racism work. Katy Standish (Durham) has volunteered for Tees Valley Wildlife Trust and worked in Indonesian rainforests.
External links
- Real World Awards 2009
- Full-time students - The Guardian article on 2006 awards
- "You really can do it all" - The Independent article on Hazel Mowbray, 2005 winner
- Choose a Challenge - website started by the 2008 Club and Society award winners.