XCEL STUDENT OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2009
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XCEL AWARDS OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2009
The Xcel Student of the Year awards (2009), were held at the Tower Hotel in central London (21st January 2010). The gala dinner and award ceremonies in the ball-room were preceded by the welcome, held in the riverside suite overlooking the Thames, with views of a floodlit Tower Bridge and the Tower of London itself.
The winners had been selected from individuals nominated by universities, employers and organisations up and down the length of Britain; and were awarded ‘Student of the Year’ in a variety of categories. Whatever the topic, whether ‘Performing Arts’ or ‘Engineering’ or any of the almost 20 categories, all the awards were received by students who had achieved outstanding success.
Konnie Huq again compered the evening, which was attended by the winners, their guests and sponsoring leaders from business, academia and entertainment. Those attending heard about young adults overcoming a wide range of challenges, both physical and emotional, in order to pursue their dreams. These winners had often experienced prejudice, abuse, family separation and a range of events that anyone might find challenging. But they were all positive about what they wanted to do, to achieve.
Amongst all this success and achievement, Tara Webb having already been declared ‘Xcel Law Student of the Year’, was declared overall ‘Student of the Year’. Slightly tearful but fully composed, she accepted her award from sponsor Barclays Capital and she inherits the title first won by Alexander Rose (who achieved international notice for his ‘STOP:Gun and Knife Crime’ campaign). The evening ended with new Brit-Asian star Jaya singing her hit, ‘DJ do it again’.
Widening participation for women, multi-ethnic and disabled students can often be perceived by the press, public and commercial world as worthy but often boring. Too often the subject is negatively reported in terms of sexism, racism or prejudice.
Xcel and the ‘Student of the Year’ awards were deliberately founded to celebrate success and encourage others to emulate and achieve. The winners of the Xcel Student of the Year awards almost exclusively do not regard themselves as outstanding or special. All of them see themselves as ordinary young adults. What was really being celebrated was indeed ordinary young people, but doing extraordinary things. What a great evening with a great bunch of people.
