On 18th September we held our fifth annual Alumni Celebration event, with our Alumni Awards given out by two of our new Co-Chairs of our Alumni Leadership Board – Emily Gissing (Summer School 2014) and Mary Osofisan (Pathways to Law 2013). This year saw the highest number of nominations we’ve ever received, and entries were at an incredibly high standard. We were kindly hosted by Sutton Trust supporter Nuveen Global, in their London offices.

For the first time this year, alongside our event, we were proud to display the creative exhibition – A Collection of Anecdotes curated by our ALB Co-Chair Jack Winterton, and featuring submissions from alumni. Read more about Jack and his project, and watch this space for updates on the collection. 

Part of Jack’s creative exhibition ‘A Collection of Anecdotes’.

“An amazing evening bringing together alums, and such a valuable opportunity to network. We heard inspiring stories and highlighted amazing achievements, providing well deserved recognition to our alumni. We also saw a great addition to the evening from Jack, with such a thought-provoking exhibition. Thanks to all who attended for such a fantastic evening.”

– Emily Gissing, ALB Co-Chair

Co-Chairs of our Alumni Leadership Board, Emily, Jack and Mary (left to right).

Many of the awards were then presented by our 2023 winners who were invited back to share what winning meant to them last year. Each category showcased a range of alumni doing great work in so many areas. A huge congratulations from the Sutton Trust for their achievements, and grateful to our donors and supporters who support our work. 

Here are the winners and runners-up, along with comments from our judges:

Outstanding achievement award (alumni 5+ years since their programme)

Winner: James Till

“James has been selected for his ‘full circle’ achievements as a teacher and leader, and for his dedication in inspiring disadvantaged pupils. James chose to teach engineering at a challenging school, and subsequently became Executive Head after helping to lead the school out of special measures.  James’ dedication to the education of others, particularly those who are growing up in disadvantaged environments, makes him a worthy winner of the outstanding achievement award.” 

Runner-up: Hannah Govier

“Hannah has been recognised for her work in disability activism.  Hannah has worked to improve educational accessibility for disabled students through engagement with various external organisations, and through organising events on topics including neurodiverse leadership and the challenges of socio-economic deprivation and mental health.  We applaud Hannah for activism in this area.” 

Rising star award (alumni 0-5 years since their programme)

Winner: Sumaiyah Patel

“Described as a “star ambassador and valuable volunteer” Sumaiyah has achieved the Rising Star award for volunteering on widening participation activities at the University of Warwick and as a Sutton Trust alumni volunteer. Sumaiyah has dedicated significant amounts of her own time to numerous activities, including acting as a Team Leader for over 150 Pathways students at conferences, organising campus activities, and strengthening stakeholder relationship.” 

Runner-up: Yasmin Khalid

“Yasmin has been recognized for her work as a teacher and for her volunteering activities.  Combining the two, Yasmin established an after-school law club to provide students with an interactive and collaborative platform to explore real-life cases and engage in mock trials.  We hope Yasmin continues in her commitment to shaping young minds.” 

Social mobility award

Winner: Riyadh Rehman

“Riyadh was nominated by various individuals for founding non-profit organisation, Young Asians in Finance, which represents and helps over 1500 young Asians across the UK.  Young Asians in Finance mobilises young Asians to connect through education and mentorship and foster a culture of ambition and excellence.  We hope Riyadh continues to inspire and empower the next generation of finance leaders.” 

Runner-up: Emily Gotch

“Emily has been selected for her role in founding the Microsoft UK Social Mobility Network, which has reached 1000s of state school students UK-wide.  Emily has grown the network into a 300-member organisation, which is now a core part of Microsoft’s UK Diversity & Inclusion initiatives.  The Network covers a range of valuable outreach, including mentoring, educational webinars and improved inclusive hiring.” 

Volunteer award

Winner: Kiera Riddy

“Kiera has been recognised for her various contributions as an alumni volunteer to The Sutton Trust’s Pathways to Law programme and other widening participation initiatives at the University of Exeter. Kiera has been involved in numerous volunteering activities, including mentoring, engagement in careers fairs and has helped to facilitate connections between law firms and The Sutton Trust.” 

Runner-up: Loren Chachati

“Loren has been selected for her role as a Sutton Trust alumni ambassador.  Loren is the only Dentistry ambassador on the Trust’s online STO Chat programme, which connects students with alumni.  Over the last year, Loren has answered hundreds of questions from students and has sent the highest number of messages by any alumni on STO Chat. We found the “invisible” labour of online interactions to be very worthy of recognition.” 

Some of the winners and runners-up of our Alumni Awards for 2024.

We’ll be opening nominations for our 2025 awards early in the new year, so watch this space and our website for how you can nominate! In the meantime, take a look at our library of alumni stories or our Alumni Leadership Board to be inspired and learn about our alumni community.