Golden Robes @ Leeds Beckett Students' Union

In the lead-up to Golden Robes, we are celebrating the work of shortlisted colleagues. We will be showcasing different categories and nominations each week.

BEST ACADEMIC ADVISOR

Dr Simon Woodward
School of Events, Tourism, & Hospitality Management

Simon’s nomination is for his inspirational, motivating and supportive work, encouraging students to be the best version of themselves and to love their chosen field.

As an Academic Advisor, Simon has been on the end of the phone whenever a student needed support, motivation or “a witty joke to get me through” and has even visited students during placement, an action that they describe as evidence of his care for his students, despite his own commitments and responsibilities. When one student had lost their passion for the tourism industry, Simon recalled a conversation from when they first met and reminded them. With his support, guidance and compassion, that passion has returned.

Dr Nicola Worrillow
School of Health & Community Studies

Nicola is described as a ‘fabulous’ Academic Advisor who is an “absolute credit to the school”, instilling confidence and responding well to the needs of students. She is always a phone call or text away, offering a safe place to chat and share which is welcomed, especially in relation to placement where students can sometimes experience difficult situations.

For Nicola, there is no such thing as a stupid question and students feel that she regularly goes above and beyond for them, including the provision of reassurance and support whilst students have struggled with their own wellbeing.

In the words of one student: “Without Nicky’s support I would probably have carried on struggling. I can’t thank her enough for everything she does, we all appreciate her massively and without her, our university experience would have been a lot different.”

Dr Alexandria Bradley
Leeds School of Social Sciences

Alexandria is an Academic Advisor who truly cares about the wellbeing of her students and goes out of her way to help them reach their full potential.

Students value how she makes them feel comfortable and how she always takes the time to check that they are taking care of themselves. Students feel “very lucky” to have her as an Academic Advisor, with one student commenting that: “Without her support I would be really struggling to get through the final year.”

Dr Ros Brownlow
School of Health & Community Studies

Ros always makes herself available to her students, offering genuine support, advice and guidance that has helped them through challenging times. A great listener, Ros provides inspiration and motivation for her students, constantly working to address problems that arise. She is always willing to help those in need to the best of her ability, supporting students both in campus and on placement to ensure that everything is going well for them.

Dr Emily Williams
Carnegie School of Sport

Emily is a welcoming, engaging and caring advisor who has genuine interest in her students and how they are doing. Students highlight how the “little things” like consistent check ins help to improve their confidence and describe feeling “genuinely excited” when they see that their next lecture is with Emily. They put this down to the firm, but caring way in which she engages with them all. One student notes that Emily “treats us like people” and “acknowledges us as adults” helping them to feel comfortable going to her with any issues or questions that arise.

Ben Bolton-Grant
Leeds School of Social Sciences

Ben is someone who will never fail to give up his time to help his students, dropping everything to talk to them when they have a bad day, and supporting them through all years of their course.

As an Academic Advisor, Ben has been described as “a rock”, supporting each of his students no matter what challenges they faced and providing the boost they need when they struggle with the challenges of University

LEADER OF THE YEAR

Dr Helen Fawkner
Leeds School of Social Sciences

Helen’s many nominations recognise her supportive, conscientious and enthusiastic attributes. She regularly goes above and beyond expectations, consistently providing wonderful support and advice for both students and staff. Colleagues highlight that in her roles as Manager, Course Director and standing in as Head of Group, Helen has been superb; always ensuring that staff feel valued, appreciated and supported. Helen has also been described as an incredible ambassador for the University through her involvement with Applicant and Open Days. Colleagues also recognised Helen’s contribution in achieving the highest undergraduate course NSS score in 2019.

Bea Marshall-Ngan
Leeds Beckett Students' Union

Bea is an inspirational and considerate manager who cares deeply about the members of her team. Her ability to support and encourage staff through training and development has been recognised. Colleagues highlight her passion for volunteering and supporting charities, describing her as “championing” these in many areas including: societies, volunteering, the Beckett Award, student-led projects, campaigns and the campus-based social enterprises. In her role as LBSU Activities Manager, Bea’s approach to managing change, which includes establishing and creating new procedures, being open to new ways of doing things and listening to suggestions, has also been praised.

Louise Hartley
CARES

Louise’s takes a dedicated and professional approach while leading the CARES cleaning and portering teams. Louise’s desire to continually provide the best possible service and to support staff has been highlighted; in particular her ability to deal with challenges and implement changes. Louise is trusted by colleagues who recognise that she always does her “very best.”

BEST COURSE DIRECTOR

Dr Jacqueline Campbell
School of Built Environment, Engineering & Computing

Jacqueline’s is a Course Director who is involved, encouraging and supportive, helping students to feel settled at university from their first arrival to their final year. The impact she has on students as a Course Director often goes unnoticed, but Jacqueline’s students feel that her ongoing support and the way she champions them has helped them to grow as individuals. Jacqueline “knows her students, their issues, their talents, she cares, she's ever present and always available to help.”

Of particular note has been the support and interest Jacqueline has paid in the development of the Computing Society, providing constant support, which students claim has had a massive impact on them and “touched their hearts”. It has been described, quite simply, as like “having a proud mother”.

Dr Pip Trevorrow
School of Built Environment, Engineering & Computing

Pip is described as an “outstanding” Course Director and in a short time has made a great impression on her students. Her students appreciate the work she does more than she knows.

As Course Director, Pip has a high workload but always finds the time to chat with students and to be there for them when they need it, making an incredible effort to enhance communications during the COVID-19 outbreak. Nothing is too much for her and students recognise that she goes the extra mile for them.

Lisa Gorton
School of Events, Tourism & Hospitality Management

Lisa’s many nominations describe a Course Director who is well thought of and respected by her students. Her passion and endless enthusiasm to improve the course for both staff and students is highlighted as a key strength that even cemented one student’s decision to study at Leeds Beckett. As Course Director, Lisa has continued to develop and improve all aspects of the Course, including assessments, teaching methods, educational trips both abroad and within the UK and always has students’ opinions at the top of her priorities before making fundamental decisions.

Students regard Lisa as extremely supportive, engaging and helpful and “truly believe there is no Course Director like her, with such a major focus on delivering the very best student experience”.

Hugo Smith
Leeds School of Arts

As Course Director, Hugo has created an engaging course that inspires and his passion for the subject is evident. Students highlight how Hugo consistently seeks feedback in order to continue fine-tuning the course and identify what else he can provide to keep them engaged, educated and happy during their time at university. He is also commended for his genuine interest in his students as people, always taking the time to listen to them. One student noted that Hugo is “just a good guy” and “never lets you down”, always replying to emails or offering support and helping students to feel comfortable and at ease.

CONTRIBUTION TO DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Sherry Iqbal
Leeds Beckett Students' Union

Sherry is the Education Officer at the Students’ Union, where she has made huge contributions to diversity and inclusion during her time in office. Colleagues nominating Sherry note her work to grow the Black Asian and Minority Ethnic ambassador scheme with support from the BAME Rep, recently securing increased funding for the project from the university. Sherry is “dedicated to diversity and inclusion” and is “always striving to make sure every student has a positive experience whilst at Leeds Beckett University”.

Pippa Wood
Libraries and Learning Innovation

Pippa's nomination in this category describes the positive, proactive steps she has taken over the last year since taking on a new role in the Libraries and Learning Innovation team. Over the past 12 months, Pippa has made continuous improvements to the student experience. Results of this include improving independent access to reading lists for visually impaired students. The work is described as “pioneering across the HE sector”, receiving a large amount of positive feedback from students.

Dr Glen Jankowski
Leeds School of Social Sciences

Glen is passionate about equality and aims to treat everyone he meets with the same amount of respect. The nomination describes Glen actively arranging sessions to give spotlight to issues that are sometimes shied away from, and as a colleague who brings hope to those around him.

Rob Moore
IT Operations

Rob is a colleague who cheers others on and provides encouragement and opportunities to help support the groups he is passionate about. His participation in campaigns such as the Pride parade and willingness to stand up for people of many backgrounds is also noted. Rob’s nomination calls him “the most valuable champion we could wish for”. His colleagues feel he deserves this award to recognise how much he contributes to equality and for his whole-hearted commitment to diversity and inclusion.

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO INNOVATION

Sana Waliyat
School of Built Environment, Engineering and Computing

Having recognised that the City Campus was lacking greenery, Sana had the idea which led to the City Campus Wellbeing Garden project. Sana’s nomination recognises how she innovatively found a solution which turned the empty space of the Northern Terrace Courtyard into a green space to be enjoyed by students and staff. The garden was officially opened by Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Slee in December 2019.

Natalia Gordon, Vicky Oakworth, Sue Smith, Rachel Thornton, Pippa Wood
Libraries and Learning Innovation team

This cross-team group of colleagues within Libraries and Learning Innovation have implemented a solution to radically reduce the time it takes to make materials available in accessible formats. This has significantly improved the quality and consistency of the experience for students with a visual impairment. The solution includes creating an accessible version of online reading lists for modules and use of the Royal National Institute of Blind People’s book share library of UK-published accessible materials. The nomination highlights how this has ‘transformed a previously labour and time-intensive process’. The numbers show that students are now receiving real-time delivery of their reading lists, which a student claimed was ‘life changing’. This impact is also evidenced by the interest the work has attracted from within the sector.

Alex Webster
Leeds Beckett Students' Union

Alex, who works in the Students’ Union Activities Team as the Student Voice Co-ordinator, was nominated for the Outstanding Contribution to Innovation for his work leading the student-led allotment project. The nomination highlights how the project, run by student volunteers, supports sustainability and wellbeing, as well as bringing people together to learn and share experiences on food growing. Alex has helped to generate awareness and interest in the allotment and has helped organise a range of activities including plant sales and planting sessions.

Laura Torenbeek
Leeds School of Arts

Laura is a Northern Film School Production Coordinator. Laura has been nominated by her colleagues for her integral involvement in leading the Green Impact awards in film production within the Northern Film School. This led to achieving a Platinum Level award from the Green Impact scheme. In addition to this, Laura has been recognised for creating a sustainable filmmaking toolkit which promotes a green approach.

BEST FEEDBACK

Dr Katie Dhingra
Leeds School of Social Sciences

Students have nominated Katie for this award as she always provides in-depth and personalised feedback on every assignment, helping students to feel like there is nothing stopping them getting a good grade, and making the resources they need available and accessible.

Her in-depth feedback is described as constructive and she provides support through one-to-one tutorials and looking over drafts, whilst also ensuring students feel they can go back and ask her about anything.

Sean Dodson
Leeds Business School

Sean is recognised by students for his highly personalised and unique method of providing feedback. One student highlighted that it’s not often someone could make them cry, but cry they did upon receiving feedback from Sean – in a good way. Sean had uploaded a video, talking through students’ portfolios and justifying their grades, which they felt was a really personal touch, whilst also offering the constructive criticism necessary for them to grow, and offset with “beautiful kindness”.

Jennifer McCloy
Leeds Law School

Jennifer’s nominations highlight valuable and insightful feedback alongside career and learning based opportunities, which encourage and build students’ confidence. Described as being “excellent at multi-tasking” her feedback gives students a solid foundation to grow across modules, supported by weekly updates on career and learning opportunities

Paul Nicholson
School of Health and Community Studies

Paul is a great example of someone in education who works to make a difference. Despite his own commitments, he is described as being “100% there” for students, providing advice and feedback on client work, bringing humanity & understanding to the cases. He is approachable and makes time for his students, who can tell he cares about turning out great counsellors as a result of the course.

Dr James Woodall
School of Health and Community Studies

James is nominated for the outstanding support offered to a student who was part way through their PhD, taking over as their Director of Studies. James has constantly and consistently provided feedback quickly, whilst being honest and challenging, building student confidence and enabling them to reach the point of submitting their thesis on time. One student highlights that “without his willingness to take me on and to be so committed, I would not have been able to complete.”

BEST MODULE

Community History Workshop

The Community History Workshop module has allowed students to truly explore the topic in a unique way. Described as “a project like no other”, the workshop allowed students to explore unseen diaries from a World War Two soldier and create a piece of public history from them, presented to the soldier’s family at the end of the project – a highly rewarding experience.

Students highlighted this module as an “exciting new concept” and described it as the favourite module undertaken across their three years on the course, gaining invaluable experience in research and working to a brief, but also learning to write for both an academic and public audience.

Prison: Learning Together

The Prison: Learning Together module has empowered students to be the best that they could be, developing their confidence along the way.

The module is labelled as an “incredible asset” to the university, offering a once in a lifetime opportunity for final year Criminology students to study alongside students serving at HMP Full Sutton, providing valuable insight of lived experiences and promoting equality in the process. Students feel that their confidence has grown since partaking in the module and they feel more empowered by the chance to help others who have not always had the opportunity of a positive education experience.

Global South

Global South is a module that is kept interesting, fresh and engaging by module leader Dr Elisa Burrai, who constantly seeks feedback on her teaching and lectures in order to fine tune the delivery of the module. Students’ opinions have been actively taken on board and actioned, such as including short videos in lectures and arranging a weekly quiz with prizes. Every student in Global South genuinely looks forward to classes.

Law Clinic

Students undertaking the Law Clinic “cannot express enough gratitude” towards xxx, who run the module. This module provides plenty of valuable practical experience, with students able to implement areas of law they had previously studied in other modules. Students welcome the hands-on nature of the module and feel it allows for a real and actual experience as opposed to the more academic modules. They “thoroughly enjoyed every moment spent at the Law Clinic” and “could not recommend it enough to any other students that are considering their elective choices.”

BEST DISSERTATION SUPERVISOR

Lewis Simpson
Leeds School of Social Sciences

Lewis has made a big impact on students’ work ethic and confidence from the day he was appointed their dissertation supervisor, offering constant support and ensuring that they can achieve their full potential. As a dissertation supervisor, he is supportive and sympathetic, and students feel that they can reach out to Lewis. They value how quickly he responds to them, which is evidence of how much he cares about their success.

Dr Alexandria Bradley
Leeds School of Social Sciences

As a dissertation supervisor, Alexandria is professional, persistent and engaging. Understanding the stresses and strains of university life for her students, no problem is too much and she does her utmost to make students to feel comfortable, being described by one student as “a really supportive friend”.

Students feel that Alex deserves this award as she always goes above and beyond to help, working hard and caring for both their academic achievement and their wellbeing, and also striving to help them stay positive and reach their potential. They feel lucky to be supported by Alex and recognise her as a “great role model”.

Nicola Groves
Leeds School of Social Sciences

Nicola’s nominations describe a dissertation supervisor who is supportive, motivating, personal and professional, going above and beyond to support students with their dissertation and making the process a lot less daunting.

Students highlight how she strives to help them to do their very best, making them feel comfortable from day one and always checking in on their progress. They describe her as “an inspiration to women” providing real insight into the extent of inequality and value both her professional and moral support.

Dr Mhairi Beaton
Carnegie School of Education

Mhairi is described as someone who is consistently encouraging, providing honest but well-articulated feedback, and never appears deflated or discouraged. As a dissertation supervisor, she has been supportive of students’ progress, even providing support on PhD applications, pushing students to the potential that she recognises in them and helping them to always come away feeling optimistic and ready to go.

Students highlight her approach as being compassionate and caring whilst at the same time being very honest without sugar-coating anything. She is incredibly respectful and supports students to improve on their limitations, while amplifying their strengths. She “gives you time, options, a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on – and when you’re ready to get back up, she’s ready and waiting”.

Professor Ruth Robbins
School of Cultural Studies & Humanities

Ruth’s nominations describe someone who is passionate, infectious and “the most amazing human”, supporting students through tough situations when they have felt like giving up – she truly cares about what she does.

Ruth has ensured that this is not an option and supported students through fast and efficient responses to queries. She makes the dissertation writing process less daunting with her unique approach that has led students to become truly passionate about their chosen subjects. She motivates students to achieve the best grades so they can show her how much of an inspiration she has been.

Dr Donna Johnson
School of Clinical & Applied Sciences

Donna is nominated because of the outstanding support she offered to a student when their previous supervisor took last minute leave. Without hesitation, Donna provided an opportunity for the student to undertake a new project alongside her and a PhD student, providing them with the best possible experience. Despite the additional workload, Donna has gone above and beyond, answering several emails every single day, meeting with the student and offering support, even being there when needed for some 6am starts! Donna has changed their experience from “a stressful non-starter into a career defining experience.”

BEST COURSE TEAM

Biomedical Science

Students feel that the Biomedical Sciences course team are clearly invested in ensuring that they get the most out of their studies. All members of the team provide support to students, even nominating some students for external awards due to their hard work, which has helped to boost confidence.

The understanding and supportive nature of the team is highlighted, supporting students and treating them fairly when personal matters may impact upon their studies. Students really appreciate the efforts this course team go to in order to provide a great university experience.

Youth Work & Community Development and Young People, Communities & Society

The course team supporting students on both Youth Work & Community Development and Young People, Communities & Society are clearly well respected and admired. They take the time to understand each and every one of the students and go above and beyond expectations.

Described by some as ‘heroes’, the effort put in by this course team displays the standards and ethos which make Youth Work what it is – passion, understanding, a drive for equality & diversity, high levels of empowerment and the biggest hearts around.
Students feel that this team cares about them and believes in each student. They describe a “family network” within each year group and as a whole, creating a space where people can talk and feel supported – no matter your background, your history or your views this team will always have your back. They allow for every single moment of university to be enjoyable and educational, whilst displaying the utmost care and confidence in their students.

PG Dip Counselling & Psychotherapy

The PG Dip Counselling & Psychotherapy course team have made a big impact this year to turn the course around, refreshing and renewing content and paying attention to student feedback that was raised last year.
The team has delivered a fabulous course that is crisper, more cohesive and more straightforward for students to understand. They are also described by the students as having been very supportive throughout with regards to lectures, tutorials and personal development.

Physiotherapy

The Physiotherapy course team are described as “ a unique mix of really lovely people” who are committed to ensuring that students do as well as they can.
Students highlight that without them, many on the course would have struggled in the current climate and praise the way the team have worked above and beyond to ensure students are supported through this challenging time. Being a highly practical course, relying on face-to-face contact and placements to meet the requirements of their degree it has been a shock to accommodate moving online but students have felt supported, reassured and know the team are always there to help.

Adult Nursing

The Adult Nursing course team are described by students as “absolutely fantastic”. Students describe a team where they can go to any team member if they need support or a chat, with them always supporting their students both personally and professionally.
Highlighted in their nominations is the unprecedented situation we all currently face, but one which affects this student body quite drastically. The students feel that this course team have been exemplary in their response. At a time when there is a lot of uncertainty for student nurses and little clear communication from official organisations, the course staff - both academic and non-academic - have put students at ease and deserve recognition for this.

COLLEAGUE OF THE YEAR

Aidan Whitehouse
Digital team - University Recruitment

Aidan is described as an outstanding colleague and “a rising star of the future” in his nominations. The nominations tell of his significant impact both in his team and on the university's international success over the past year. His creative ideas and digital talent have led to a series of impressive international campaigns. Highlighted in the nominations is Aidan’s approach to colleagues around him, he is described as always willing to support others and does so with 100% enthusiasm, consistently going the extra mile and providing an outstanding, responsive service. His strength of forging relationships with teams across the university is highlighted along with his ability to be a central point who connects enquirers with the support needed. Aidan's characteristics of boundless enthusiasm and passion for Leeds Beckett shine through in his nominations.

Beth Roberts
IT Services

Beth’s many nominations highlight her as a fantastic, solutions-focused and dedicated member of the IT Service Team. Colleagues nominating Beth believe she deserves this award because of her attitude towards helping others and describe her as “an absolute star”. Beth’s strength in providing high quality customer service and her friendly, patient and understanding manner are reflected in her nominations, along with her excellent knowledge in her subject area. She is described as a colleague who “works really hard, a great example of someone who genuinely cares about service and gets why it is important”.

Caroline Thomas
Registry team

Caroline’s many nominations highlight characteristics of a colleague who is organised and always professional and positive. Caroline nominations describe her as “a godsend”. Her colleagues feel she deserves this award for working tirelessly to make academic timetables work in the face of adversity. Her “exemplary” approach helped minimise the impact on students, with timetables provided a week earlier than proposed.

Ruth Newby
Food Services and Hospitality - CARES

Ruth is described by her colleagues as “an amazing asset” to the coffee shop at Headingley Campus. She is always upbeat and “greets everyone warmly, with a friendly smile”. Her calm and professional manner towards providing high quality customer service, even when faced with busy periods shines through. Ruth is described as a colleague who works inclusively, and is as equally welcoming and thoughtful to regulars as to newcomers.

Chloe Dickinson
Leeds Beckett Students' Union - Student Voice and Insight Team

Chloe is described in her nominations as an “invaluable member of the organisation and an absolute gem”. Her enthusiasm, compassion and friendly manner comes across in her nominations. Colleagues highlight Chloe’s care for the student community with the introduction of course rep socials and welfare rooms during the election period. She has made a significant impact by “providing exemplary one-to-one support for school reps and equality reps”.

Dr Ian Lamond
School of Events, Tourism & Hospitality Management

Ian has been nominated for his hard work and significant impact on a student project this year. He is described as taking a contemporary, student-focused approach which reflects industry and academic trends. Ian has made a significant impact on the creation a new range of online materials to support module delivery. His new format has helped to “engage and inspire those students who would normally be intimidated by academic writing”.

Dr Mahmoud Abubaker
Leeds Business School

Mahmoud, a Lecturer in the Leeds Business School, is described as “absolutely the most reliable person I have ever worked with; meticulous in his preparation and delivery of teaching and research”. Supportive of both his colleagues and his students, Mahmoud “goes the extra mile to help them achieve their goals, while ensuring that we together maintain standards that contribute positively to the University's mission”. His positivity and dedicated support are captured in his nomination.

Tunji Akinsehinwa
Leeds School of Arts

Tunji is described as “always such an inspiration to our students”. A talented cinematographer who loves teaching and gives the students so much time and energy, Tunji is encouraging and guiding with his support to students through their film projects. He is noted in nominations as having a significant impact on the quality of work from students under his supervision. A constant source of good energy, his friendly, welcoming and approachable manner towards students and his passion shine through in the nominations. He is regarded as someone who makes the university “a happier place to study and work”.

Jennifer Cant
Leeds Business School

Jennifer is described as very supportive, helpful, friendly, and “generally an outstanding person to work with”. She is recognised for the significant impact she is having during the current situation, taking on a large workload to make sure the Business School continues to operate at a high standard. Thanks to her outstanding organisational skills, it does.

Kate Grafton
School of Clinical & Applied Sciences

Kate is labelled as “an amazing colleague, a brilliant teacher and a lovely person”, from her presence and her smile, to her encouraging nature which help others to be at their best. The level of support she gives her colleagues, and the impact on others’ wellbeing comes across loud and clear in Kate’s nomination.

UNSUNG HERO

Chloe Dickinson
Leeds Beckett Students' Union - Student Voice and Insight Team

Also nominated for Colleague of the Year, Chloe’s hardworking, kind and supportive nature makes her deserving of this award. She inspires students to be the best that they can be and gives up a lot of time to help them work on their projects and ideas.
Despite having only joined the Students’ Union in July, Chloe has worked hard to improve the experience for students, developing welfare rooms for election candidates and inspiring representatives to work harder and be the best version of themselves.

Julie Noble
Business Engagement team

Julie’s nominations highlight a colleague who is committed to student wellbeing, going above and beyond to follow up with students. Students regard her as one of the kindest and most selfless people they’ve met. Having someone like her to contact regarding any matter makes any problem seem smaller and it is clear that students are appreciative of her support.

Dr Carine De Marcos Lousa
School of Clinical & Applied Sciences

Described as “outstanding” and “remarkable”, Carine has gone out of her way to support students at very difficult times in their studies. In the past year, she has gone above and beyond to bring herself up to speed in order to ensure students are supported to progress through their course and overcome any issues they may face, even when she has not previously been involved with their projects.

Richard Whitehead
School of Health & Community Studies

Richard’s many nominations describe a colleague who is always on hand to provide help and support, going the extra mile to put students first, listening to their problems and solving teething issues on the course. Students highlight how any issues or problems that arise are handled efficiently, with Richard always taking time for any question. He is always there to lend a helping hand and students feel that without him, the course simply would not run in the same way.

Dr Thomas Muskett
Leeds School of Social Sciences

Thomas is described as always encouraging his students to reach out for support, taking time to speak to each student in his seminar groups individually and always delivering the most engaging sessions. His friendly, approachable and caring manner has encouraged students to seek out his support when they’ve struggled with their own wellbeing and he has continued to check in with students to identify where more support could be provided. His kindness and support makes a huge difference to students, helping them to continue on the course and keep up with their studies.

Jesse Lewendon
Leeds Beckett Students' Union

Jesse has only recently joined the Students’ Union team but has been nominated for the high level of support he offers to students. Jesse is always prompt in responding to students and ensuring they are up to date with important information. He answers all queries to the best of his ability, giving societies a strong understanding of their role and responsibilities. Students highlight how “he is always cheering us on even if it’s a quick good luck email and he's always interested to know how events have gone for us.” Jesse truly makes running a society as stress free as he can.

Dr Cliffe Schreuders
School of Built Environment, Engineering & Computing

Cliffe’s nomination is for his hard work to constantly improve the Hacktivity online learning workspace, ensuring its stability and always keeping the student experience in mind. He never seeks praise for his hard work, and as a result often goes underappreciated. Students consider Cliffe to have gone above and beyond, making a huge difference to both local and distance learning courses and enhancing their learning experience.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR

Ben Bolton-Grant and Jo Sandiford
Leeds School of Social Sciences

Ben and Jo were nominated for Highlight of the Year for leading a team of ten student volunteers from the Speech and Language Therapy course on a trip to India. Highlighted in the nominations is the effort Ben and Jo dedicated to the planning of the trip and their insight, support and encouragement throughout. The project, run in partnership with the Tibet Relief Fund charity, involved working in schools, focusing on supporting communication and specific students' needs. The trip has had a significant, long-lasting impact on both the schools and the student volunteers, who recognise the invaluable knowledge and experience gained. Ben and Jo have since presented their experience within the university and at a national conference, promoting the importance of speech and language therapy, and there is hope the project can continue for future years thanks to the relationships they developed.

LBSU Give or Take Foodbank
Leeds Beckett Students' Union

The Give or Take Foodbank, run by the Students’ Union Activities Team, was established as an extension to the existing EcoSoup enterprise and the Thrift Shop, to support students with financial worries. Relying on donations, the foodbank is commended for offering a safe space for students in need. Highlighted in the nomination is the Students’ Union’s dedication to reducing food waste, supporting students and improving the student experience.

Psychological Therapies and Mental Health Team
School of Health & Community Studies

Divine Charura and four students visited Puthisastra University in Cambodia, where they co-facilitated teaching on the country’s first ever counselling course. They also attended and made significant contributions to a student conference, including a keynote speech and facilitating workshops. Divine describes the students as ‘excellent ambassadors’ for the university and their fellow Leeds Beckett students. The student feedback demonstrates the impact the trip had, describing it as “the most amazing experience, it will help you learn so much about yourself, develop relationships and learn about trauma and difference from within another culture, benefitting you and your clients. It was truly, a 'once in a lifetime experience' which has inspired me to do more...’

BEST LECTURER

Alan Smith
School of Health & Community Studies

Alan’s nominations describe an engaging and motivating lecturer who is incredibly supportive of his students. He has an impeccable awareness of issues outside of the classroom, helping students to thrive both academically and personally.

One student highlights that Alan “literally saved me and my education”, recognising their struggles and seeking support for them personally. He values the life experiences and opinions of all students and is considered a real asset to the university.

Dan Craddock
Leeds School of Arts

Funny, outgoing and helpful, Dan strives for the best for his students, who feel comfortable around him and are never afraid to ask for help.

Despite always maintaining a positive outlook, students feel that Dan has pushed them to their limits and it has certainly paid off, creating a hardworking and comfortable working environment with informative and exciting lectures. Apparently, he’s also great at impressions.

Dr Akbar Sheikh-Akbari
School of Built Environment, Engineering & Computing

Akbar has been nominated as Best Lecturer thanks largely to his ability to help students understand concepts and break things down. When students have not understood any aspect of the course, Akbar has helped them by showing examples, explaining and breaking down each step until it was clear. This was noted in many of the nominations he received.

Akbar's energy and commitment makes him a role model for hard work and self-motivation. No matter how busy he is, he always takes the time to support anyone who needs help, often working outside of his normal hours. He is someone students look forward to seeing and who they are not afraid of being honest with.

Mekala Soosay
School of Built Environment, Engineering & Computing

Mekala’s nominations highlight a lecturer who has had a tremendous impact on her students, easing them through the transition into university and teaching them how to embrace feedback in order to develop and grow.

Mekala has encouraged students to do their best, making them feel like success is within their grasp even when they are struggling. She has a desire for every student to achieve their full potential and is willing to set aside time outside of class to help those who may need a little extra assistance.

Marc Turu Porcel
Carnegie School of Education

Described as a credit to the course with impeccably high standards, Mark has left many a positive impression on his students, including personally seeking support for them during difficult experiences, always providing answers to queries with the utmost clarity and ensuring that every students follows and understands the content of the lecture.

Mark is further described as a friendly and approachable lecturer who provides numerous opportunities for personal and professional development. He inspires those around him to strive to do their best and “without him I feel I couldn’t have succeeded as far as I have”.

Dr Simon Woodward
School of Events, Tourism, & Hospitality Management

Simon has been labelled as “an exceptional lecturer”, not only providing students with ongoing academic support throughout their degree but inspiring them to work to the best of their ability, believing in them “at times where I find it hard to believe in myself.”

Always responding quickly to student enquiries, Simon is highlighted for his supportive, caring and considerate nature, teaching like no other lecturer and genuinely caring about every single one of his students. He has a great way with students that keeps lectures interesting and lively, ensuring that no student wants to miss one.

Helen Young
Carnegie School of Education

Helen has made a positive impact on her students in the short time she has been teaching. Students claim to have learnt so much from Helen and cannot wait to see what else she brings to the lectures in the future. She is always considerate of student feedback, asking how she can improve, and students leave her “informative and instructive” lectures feeling confident in what they have learnt, with one nomination stating: “I have absorbed more information being taught and guided by Helen than ever before.”

Donna Brown
Leeds Law School

Donna is a lecturer who has the power to engage a full room in the eyes of her students.

With her “positive, energetic and happy vibe”, she inspires students to believe in themselves through in-depth and informative lectures, delivered with a passion and genuine desire to see students do well, which is reflected in the grades that they achieve.

RESEARCHER OF THE YEAR

Lydia Isherwood
Leeds Beckett Students' Union - Student Voice and Insight Team

An “amazing researcher”, Lydia’s many nominations reflect the significant impact her work has on the Students’ Union. She is recognised for her high quality, in-depth research, focus groups and data analytics. Colleagues have praised her dedication and commitment in her work on this year’s Strategic Plan, in bringing together the views of staff, stakeholders and students.

Lydia has been involved with major campaigns including Zero Tolerance and the Student Experience report which influenced the University Access & Participation Plan (APP) and led to University-wide reflection of the engagement and inclusion of BAME students. Colleagues value Lydia as very hard working and always willing to go the “extra mile.

Dr Andy Daly-Smith
Carnegie School of Sport

Dr Andy Daly-Smith's nomination describes his tireless passion, commitment and outstanding relationships with colleagues at LBU and internationally. Andy has been integral in the development of the Creating Active Schools Framework and has led the regional development of the Knowledge Exchange for Physical Activity.

TEAM OF THE YEAR

Security
CARES

Colleagues feel that the Security team deserve recognition both because of the year-round support they provide to all Leeds Beckett University colleagues and because of the specific support they have provided during lockdown. The Security team are also described in one nomination as “heroes” because they combined haste and efficiency with calmness and reassurance when a colleague faced a potentially life-threatening situation due to illness. Their teamwork was also highlighted in this nomination, as they worked together to provide continuous support to the colleague and his wife throughout the incident.

Academic services team - Psychology
Leeds School of Social Sciences

The “amazing” and “outstanding” support given by the Academic Services team to both students and colleagues is consistently highlighted across nominations. Colleagues feel that the team deserves this award because they are always happy to help, never “drop the ball” and provide a seamless, student-centred service. The team’s commitment to supporting students with emotional or mental health issues is described in glowing terms in several nominations. The fact that all members of the team work cohesively to provide the best possible service, despite increasing student numbers and new responsibilities, shines through the nominations.

Procurement
IT Services

Rob Moore and Clare Jacklyn are described as demonstrating “excellent collaborative skills” when working with colleagues to deliver major projects. Their knowledge, expertise and professional judgement have been highlighted as key characteristics which are highly valued by colleagues and other stakeholders. There is a strong sense that anyone who has the experience of working with Rob and Clare knows that their project is in safe hands and they can have “peace of mind”. Their enthusiasm and humour are infectious, leading to enjoyable and productive projects.

Service desk & other ITS colleagues
IT Services

The Service desk team is described as thoroughly deserving of this award for responding so positively during the coronavirus pandemic. Their hard work in supporting colleagues to work at home and teach remotely was highlighted as crucially important. They have provided such a comprehensive service that colleagues now have everything needed to adapt to home working.

The Hive Teams
Leeds Beckett Students' Union

Colleagues feel that the Hive teams deserve this award as they are a vitally important part of campus life. Highlighted in the nominations is the fact that as well as providing visible spaces for students to “call their own”, they also provide a behind-the-scenes service to students, including keeping students fed. The teams have made a significant impact on university life.

Politics and International Relations Team
Leeds School of Social Sciences

The Politics and International Relations team has made a significant impact on past and present students. Their commitment to providing opportunities for personal development is highlighted, as is their willingness to provide continuing guidance to their students. They are determined to “go above and beyond” for their students, particularly when it comes to showing faith in them and encouraging them to believe that they are capable of anything.