The SU Awards 2023 Winners
A massive thank you to everyone who attended The SU Awards 2023! The Awards happened at the Princess Pavilion in Falmouth on May 4th. It gave us the opportunity to show our appreciation and celebrate the successes of proactive and hardworking students who do so many incredible things beyond their studies.
Congratulations to everyone who was nominated and shortlisted. You can read about all the shortlisted candidates here. With that being said, here are the 2023 winners!
Teamwork in Representation
Renewable Energy SSLC
Renewable Energy SSLC have taken proactive steps to strengthen the renewable energy community at Penryn through events such as research and module fairs, and international student lunch clubs, among many other things. They are also a very effective SSLC who promote change for their cohort.
Falmouth Rep of the Year
Jake Wolf Cunliffe
Jake has incredible enthusiasm and has consistently motivated his cohort in the school of Film and Television to come together and achieve their best. His work championing for different events and supporting graduation projects across the university shows great commitment to student collaboration and community.
Exeter Rep of the Year
Amy Berry
Amy’s work as a rep has led to the inclusion of sensory information forms for all practical assignments, which has been celebrated by staff and students. This change is an innovative and inclusive step in making bioscience degrees more comfortable for students with sensory issues.
Campaign of the Year
End Fossil
End Fossil has put the climate crisis at the forefront of the conversation, not just for students and the SU, but for the universities as well, which is a massive achievement. Their willingness to try out bold and innovative ways of engaging students and staff has been inspiring this academic year.
Fundraising Award
Surf Radio - 24-hour live for Student Minds
Starting at 11am on the 25th March, Surf Radio began a broadcast of 24 hours live on the radio to raise money for Student Minds. Throughout the broadcast, they spoke candidly about mental health, took part in games and quizzes, and even did a live interview on BBC Radio Cornwall’s Breakfast show. Bringing together society members, students, alumni, and the local community, they raised £424 for Student Minds.
Outstanding Committee Award
Jake Bowler
Jake has dedicated his time to three different committees, each with their own challenges and objectives. Across his different roles, he has coordinated multiple large events working cohesively with the campus community, supported students with their concerns, has increased the number of weekly shows for Surf Radio, among many other achievements – there are too many to list! Overall, he has gone above and beyond by putting in countless hours to ensure he provides the best possible experience for society members.
Sports Club of the Year
Volleyball
As the only SU sports club to compete in the BUCS League, Volleyball have had an incredible year with national success. The women’s competitive league finished their season in first place and will be promoted to the highest tier in the league – the first time the club have achieved this. Both the men’s and women’s competitive teams took home the BUCS Western Conference Cup, a tournament in which 12 other teams participated. With a thriving competitive and recreational membership, they support members of all abilities in multiple, well-run weekly sessions.
Society of the Year
Asian Society
The Asian Society have gone from strength to strength this academic year. With the intention of providing a safe space for the Asian student community, they have done this and so much more. Through celebrating all major holidays and festivals, such as Diwali, Lunar New Year, and Holi, and by raising awareness of the cultural significance behind these occasions, they have represented and supported the Asian community. By celebrating their culture and holidays, and through ‘Check-in with Chai’ sessions, they have ensured students feel at home in the community they have created.
Event of the Year
Asian Society
For centuries, Indians have celebrated the victory of goodness and love by celebrating Holi, and the Asian Society brought this festival to campus as the biggest event held in Asian Society history. The day began with a collaboration with the Stannary kitchen, dishing up a celebration feast of authentic Indian cuisine. The celebrations continued with playing Holi, which is throwing coloured powder and paint, and concluded with an afterparty at Grapes in Falmouth. The daylong event represented Asian culture to a larger audience and spread awareness of the festival.
The Sustainability Award
Ella Metcalfe
Ella has been a dedicated leader and founder for the Climate Confidence project and spent a lot of time researching, organising, writing, and editing to bring all the work together. A staple piece for this year's magazine, has led to a 10-page document on the Anthropocene and the effects of humans on the environment and the rights of nature.
The Inclusivity Award
The Asian Society
This group have made an active effort to demonstrate and implement inclusivity on campus by bridging the gap between the two worlds that come with being an Asian student in Cornwall. They have facilitated an inclusive environment for Asian students to celebrate their culture and non-Asians to share and participate in the festivity. ‘Check In with Chai’ sessions have been established as a safe space exclusively for Asian students to check in with one another.
Dedication to The Students’ Union
Madeleine Fabusova
Madeleine has given so much of her time to the Students’ Union and other extracurricular activities. As a rep and subject chair, she done an incredible job advocating for students – she has gone above and beyond to provide feedback to course leaders, survey her peers, and engage with wider meetings to represent the student voice. She is also very involved in EcoSoc and has spent many years on the committee, planning and sharing details of upcoming events. Madeleine has been reliable, dedicated, and proactive in these roles, and it has been hugely appreciated by all who work with her.
The Andy Hocking Award
Elizabeth Chandler
Elizabeth has unwavering encouragement to all students and staff pondering the idea of entrepreneurship offering advice and resources, volunteering her time with enthusiasm. She is uniquely involved in both the Falmouth and Exeter startup-ecosystems, Launchpad and SetSqaured and she inspires many other students to get involved. She presented an ethical robotics and AI demo at the Metaverse Conference held in 2023 on campus, contributing to the academic side of ethical AI on behalf of the university and using her Innovate UK grant to provide materials to use at volunteered talks and workshops on ethical tech in schools, across Cornwall and the South West.
The Daniel Palmer Award
Elizabeth Chandler
We are absolutely in awe of everything Elizabeth has done. She is a committee member for the Women in Business society, Business Subject Chair, and has done a ton to support the local community and enhance the student experience. She received multiple, detailed nominations in four different categories, each of which expressed her dedication to a different area of the student experience and the local community. She has balanced her studies with her extracurricular activities within the SU and establishing a start-up company called the Good Robot Company which aims to make AI more ethical.
Alongside this, she has used her personal candid experiences to educate and raise awareness on autism, specifically linking this to working in the tech industry. She has managed to make a meaningful difference through her SSLC and has consistently ensured that the voice of her course mates is genuinely heard. From getting more clarity on assignment briefs and marking criteria, ensuring extra sessions are held for students to understand lecture content, and always encouraging students to share feedback with open-mindedness and compassion.
Thank you so much to everyone who nominated, attended and performed at the ceremony. You really brought the energy that we love and it was a night to remember!