Student Prizes
Additional Student Prizes and Awards
Congratulations to all students on their achievements.
Carys Flowers
Winner of the MA English (Contemporary Literature) Dissertation Prize
Carys wins this award for her insightful and well researched dissertation called ‘Naming Shame: Shame, Trauma and Hope in the Novels of Toni Morrison’. The judges of the award noted how Carys has produced an accomplished piece of research in which she successfully argues for the importance in reframing critical responses to Morrison’s work in light of recent developments in trauma theory and the significance of shame and shamelessness in Morrison’s novels.
Jana Nietzke
Winner of the School of Marketing & Hospitality Management Dean’s Award for Outstanding Dissertation in the Field of International Marketing
Jana worked tirelessly on her dissertation and produced outstanding research on the topic of ‘The Role of Personal Branding in shaping Sponsorship visibility and engagement in Formula One through Social Media’. Following the completion of her course she has secured an exciting role within an advertising agency that specialises in sports & entertainment marketing.
Thunwalai Pimtanom
Winner of the School of Marketing & Hospitality Management Dean’s Award for Best Dissertation in the Field of Digital Marketing
Thun wrote an outstanding dissertation exploring social media users perceptions and trust of AI-Generated Influencers. Her thinking and writing are on the cutting edge of this emerging field and we look forward to seeing her work published in the future.
Sameer Iqbal
Winners of the Diligence & Involvement Award
The Diligence and Involvement Award recognises individuals who consistently demonstrate hard work, perseverance, and active participation in their community, team, or organisation. Recipients of this award are noted for their strong work ethic, reliability, and willingness to go beyond basic expectations.
Emmanuel Sarpong
Winners of the Diligence & Involvement Award
The Diligence and Involvement Award recognises individuals who consistently demonstrate hard work, perseverance, and active participation in their community, team, or organisation. Recipients of this award are noted for their strong work ethic, reliability, and willingness to go beyond basic expectations.
Ujunwa Deborah Amu
Winner of the Student Leadership Award
Deborah has been a proactive advocate for her nursing cohort, raising concerns constructively, encouraging engagement, and directing peers to the correct university channels. She helped foster open communication, ensuring student voices were consistently heard. Beyond this, she represented the School at Open Days, supported student-to-student mentorship, and enhanced the University of Northampton’s visibility through her monthly Nursing Times articles. Her writing championed student nurses, promoted inclusivity and diversity, and highlighted the University’s positive impact—earning recognition from the Nursing Times editorial team and contributing to national and international engagement. She has also been nominated for an NHS England Award by her Personal Tutor for her outstanding contribution. Congratulations Deborah!
Deborah Babalola
Winner of the School of Nursing & Midiwfery Dean’s Award
While raising her family, Deborah has successfully conducted data collection in Nigeria. She used a mixed‑methods approach to explore health literacy across multiple languages among both health professionals and the general public. Her research captured both rural and urban areas of Nigeria. She has embraced the opportunities available here in the UK through the Centre for Health Sciences and Services, presenting at conferences, contributing to Café Scientifique, and proactively championing her research across a variety of forums. Her findings are helping to shape the future of health literacy, and we are confident that Deborah will go on to achieve great things both within the UK and Nigeria.
Sophie-Louise Bates
Winner of the Student Excellence Award in Children & Young People’s Nursing
Sophie joined the University as a quiet but determined student, always willing to work hard. She used every opportunity to improve her skills and made steady progress, especially evident in her final project. Assessors consistently praised her punctuality, presentation, and excellent attitude toward learning and supporting others. She has shown herself to be a conscientious, motivated, and mature learner who takes responsibility for her development. Sophie has been a joy to teach, and the whole CYP team agrees she is highly deserving of this award. As the first in her family to attend university, she has made them proud, and we wish her every success in her nursing career—she will be an asset to any team.
Kezia Bull
Winner of the Physiotherapy Academic Excellence Award
Kezia has consistently demonstrated an outstanding level of academic achievement and received excellent feedback from all practice placement modules. The course team would like to congratulate Kezia for her achievements on the course, to thank her for her contributions as course representative and to wish her all the best in her career as a Physiotherapist
Sharla Cook
Winner of the Student Excellence Award
Starting their nursing journey with us as a nursing associate, it has been a pleasure to observe and nurture the personal, professional and academic developments of Sharla. Sharla has achieved a consistent high standard in both academic and clinical work. Sharla’s time as a student has not always been easy, with the added personal challenges they faced. Sharla always overcame everything life threw their way so well, and never let these obstacles deter them. This demonstrates great personal resilience, determination and confidence to achieve the goal of becoming a Registered Nurse.
Brigette Gouda
Winner of the Faculty of Health, Sport & Behvioural Sciences Postgraduate Research Community and Belonging Award
This Award recognises a Postgraduate Research student in the Faculty of Health, Sport and Behavioural Sciences who has made an outstanding contribution to fostering belonging, community, and connectedness. This year’s recipient, Dr Brigette Gouda, exemplified these values throughout her doctorate on dental care education for young children and their carers.Despite significant personal challenges, Brigette consistently strengthened research culture within and beyond the University. She has worked extensively with schools, practitioners, service users, and policy partners to translate her research into meaningful impact. She continues to collaborate with the Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board to widen access to dental care education.A registered DCP with the General Dental Council, Brigette received the UK Society of British Dental Nurses’ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025 for her contribution to the profession and advanced practice. She also serves as a Trustee of the International Dental Organisation.
Zaighum Javed
Winner of the Outstanding Progress Award
This award is presented to Zaighum Javed in recognition of his remarkable academic growth and achievement.Over the course of his studies, Zaighum showed impressive development in his academic performance. Through determination, hard work, and a commitment to learning, the quality of his work improved significantly, demonstrating a strong desire to improve and succeed. This dedication resulted in a notable transformation, leading to the attainment of a Distinction in MSc Public Health.Zaighum’s achievement is a testament to the power of continuous improvement and sustained effort, ultimately leading to academic excellence.Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition, and we wish him every success in his future academic and professional endeavours.
Hakim Kamara
Winner of the Physiotherapy Team Award
The course team would like to award this prize to Hakim for the dedication, resilience and determination that he has demonstrated throughout his period of study. Hakim has encountered many challenges along his journey and the course team are proud to attend his Graduation and we wish him all the best as he enters the Physiotherapy profession.
Beatrice Kwarteng
Winner of the Public Health Academic Excellence Award & Winner of the Student Champion Award
These awards are presented to Beatrice in recognition of her outstanding academic achievement and exceptional contribution to the student community. She consistently excelled in her studies, earning a Distinction in her MSc in Public Health, and demonstrated dedication and high standards throughout. As Course Representative, Beatrice represented her cohort with professionalism and integrity, working to enhance the student experience. Her ability to balance academic excellence with committed student advocacy reflects her leadership and character. Congratulations, Beatrice, on receiving these awards. We take great pride in your achievements and extend our best wishes for the future.
Debbie Knight
Joint Winner of the Julie Quilter Award for Commitment to Midwifery Excellence
Debbie is a highly deserving recipient of the Julie Quilter Award for Commitment to Midwifery Excellence. She has demonstrated exceptional dedication throughout the midwifery programme, excelling academically and clinically while consistently upholding the values of the NMC Code. Debbie shows strong leadership through her active engagement with the student voice, advocating professionally and constructively for her peers. She is a positive role model who promotes high standards of care, professionalism, and teamwork in all settings. Her passion, commitment, and positive attitude have been consistently recognised by both university and clinical staff, reflecting her readiness to contribute meaningfully to the future of midwifery.
Diana Sarkyova
Joint Winner of the Julie Quilter Award for Commitment to Midwifery Excellence
Diana is an outstanding example of commitment to midwifery excellence. She consistently demonstrates compassion, professionalism and an infectious enthusiasm, supporting women, families and colleagues with warmth, kindness and integrity. Diana combines strong clinical competence with truly woman centered care, creating safe, supportive experiences reflected in consistently positive feedback. She is a dedicated and resilient practitioner who actively seeks opportunities to develop her skills and broaden her impact. Beyond clinical practice, Diana represented the University at the 31st Florence Network Annual Meeting in Greece contributing internationally through leadership and collaboration. Her dedication, positivity and professionalism make her truly deserving of this award.
Winners of the Public Health Academic Excellence Award
The Academic Excellence Award is presented to students in recognition of their outstanding academic performance on the MSc Public Health, culminating in achieving a distinction for their hard work. The distinction reflects their dedication to learning, integrity & strong academic ability.
Princess Abu Bonsra
Princess has engaged fully with her studies, consistently achieving excellent results across all modules. She has shown integrity, resilience, and a positive attitude, inspiring those around her. Her achievements reflect her hard work, perseverance, and commitment to excellence. We are proud to recognise her outstanding contribution to our academic community and wish her every success in the future.
Eniola Ajibolade-Robert
Eniola’s achievement is a testament to her ability, determination, and perseverance. She has built a strong foundation for a promising future in public health, and we are confident that she will go on to make a significant impact in the field. Congratulations, Eniola, on this remarkable accomplishment. We are incredibly proud of you and wish you every success in your future endeavours
Alexander Egonu
Alexander demonstrated a strong passion for learning, coupled with dedication and commitment to academic excellence. Despite joining the programme later than his peers, he adapted quickly to the academic environment and excelled in his studies through determination and sustained effort. We wish Alexander every success in his future academic and professional endeavours. Congratulations on this impressive achievement.
Emmanuel Jarikre
Despite joining the course later than his peers as an overseas student Emmanuel adapted quickly to the academic environment and worked diligently to ensure he remained fully engaged with all aspects of his studies. Emmanuel’s achievement is a testament to his perseverance, adaptability, and academic capability.Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition, and we wish Emmanuel every success in his future academic and professional endeavours.
Vincent Okonkwo
Vincent’s academic journey reflects both sustained effort and significant intellectual development. This was evidenced in his dissertation project, which was well-conceived, rigorously developed, and effectively executed, demonstrating his ability to apply knowledge independently and produce work of a high standard.Vincent has shown a consistent ability to rise to academic challenges and deliver work of distinction level.Congratulations Vincent and good luck with the future.
Akosua Oteng
Akosua consistently produced high-quality academic work and showed a strong ability to engage critically with complex public health issues. Her achievement reflects not only her intellectual ability but also her perseverance and determination to succeed. Akosua’s achievements serve as an inspiration to her peers. We wish Akosua every success in her future academic and professional endeavours, congratulations on this achievement.
Uchenna Ozuzuma
Uchenna’s performance across all modules reflects strong intellectual ability, diligence, and a commendable work ethic.He approached his academic responsibilities with focus and determination, making valuable contributions to his learning and demonstrating the ability to apply knowledge effectively.Congratulations on this award, we look forward to seeing all you achieve in your future.
PC Holly Cunnington
Emerging Talent prize at the Society of Evidence-Based Policing (SEBP) Awards.
Holly went beyond requirements to carry out primary research in which she gathered her own evidence and built recommendations based on the accounts of over 100 serving officers.
Holly’s recommendations include improving data collection across forces, embedding mental health discussions into performance reviews, and fostering a more open, less procedural culture around wellbeing. Her work is now being considered for publication and has attracted interest from senior leaders across multiple forces.
Leah Grant, Bethany Hope, Holly Lewis, Aidan O’Brien
Winners of the Primary Science Enhancement Award (PSEA).
The PSEA has been developed by the Primary Science Teaching Trust and will start their career with increased competence and confidence to teach science.
Muhammed Hafiz
Student Leader of the Year category (Shortlisted).
In the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UCISA) #WeAreInternational Awards, Muhammed Hafiz, the Education Officer at the Students’ Union, was shortlisted in the Student Leader of the Year category.
N-Live Radio
Gold at the Community Radio Awards for Elections & Political Coverage of the Year.
The University’s partner station, NLive Radio, is a finalist in the prestigious national awards thanks to ‘VOTE WNC’, a dedicated six-hour programme planned, produced, and presented by Multimedia Journalism and Multimedia Sports Journalism students. The ambitious broadcast covered the West Northamptonshire Council election count in May this year, capturing the drama of local democracy as it unfolded
Read more about the Community Radio Awards 2025 winners.
Mellonia Gray
Finalist in the World of WearableArt awards.
Mellonia has gone from strength to strength, experimenting with her creativity and pushing the boundaries of avant-garde fashion, with shortlisting as a finalist in the 2025 World of WearableArt (WOW) show in New Zealand as her latest success.
Goblin Games
The Digital Champion award, Digital Northants.
This recognition celebrates the recent partnership between Goblin Games and West Northamptonshire Council (WNC), which commissioned the talented team to deliver a purpose-built arcade machine – accompanied by four mini games designed specifically for the event – as part of their build-up to the Women’s Rugby World Cup in August 2025.
