XCEL STUDENT OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2008
Alexander Rose
University of the Arts, London
WINNER OF
Xcel Student of the Year & Xcel Creative Arts and Media Student of the Year
Interview with Xcel Student of the Year 2008
From all of our exceptional winners, Alexander Rose was selected as the overall winner of the prestigious Xcel Student of the Year award. Alexander, who is from a council estate in South London, is studying a BA in Graphic Design and Media at the University of the Arts, London. Alexander also won the Xcel Creative Arts and Media award.
Alexander has channelled his energies not only into securing a place at a top art school but also into the STOP campaign against gun and knife crime. Alexander uses his artistic talent to create fashionable T-shirts and materials that appeal to young people to carry STOP’s anti-violence message. Alexander also works with young people in schools, colleges and youth groups who are directly affected by the lifestyle surrounded by gun and knife crime.
My family always knew that I was onto a winning path when I decided not to follow the street life and to focus on my talents that are graphic design and fine art.
How does it feel to be the Xcel Student of the Year 2008?
I was blown away when Colin from Barclays Capital called out my name as the overall winner. I was so happy that it kind of felt like a dream. I don’t work hard to win awards; I just do it because it’s the right thing to do. I want to succeed and go far in my life whilst encouraging others to do the same.
I dedicated that award to my mum who works hard day and night to give my brothers and me a platform to excel and God because they are both a constant presence in my life and form the drive to my success. I also what to thank all the organisers of the Xcel awards because they have worked hard behind the scenes to ensure that good role models who are progressing get recognised and that alone deserves an award. I can’t wait to see who wins next year!
Winning these awards makes me feel like all the extra hard work I’ve put in working those long nights on designs for my course, for clients or for the STOP campaign I’m working on were justified. But it came to me a bit unexpectedly.
Are you excited to be here?
Actually being here today and knowing that there are other people, other students that, like myself, are going above and beyond, knowing that they are also being recognised is great. I was more excited about meeting them!
Sometimes you can feel like an outsider. With the work that I’m trying to do in my area, I’m constantly regarded as an outsider or a snake or someone that you don’t want to talk to. So I guess actually meeting other people that are going out, above and beyond, regardless of what their subject is that are putting that extra bit in - that for me is the thing that made me feel really excited about the event.
I think an event like this where you’re bringing people together, people within industry and students who have worked hard, it gets industries to open up their doors a bit more and encourages young people to work a bit harder – that way we can all go even further.
What does your family think of you winning your award?
I think my family were surprised at how prestigious the award is. It wasn’t until I’d done my research about the awards that I actually realised how prestigious the award was.
I think my mum has always been happy about the decisions that I’ve made. There was a time when I was receiving death threats about the work I was doing with the campaign when my mum was a bit scared and told me to hold back.
However, I think bringing my mum here today is another sign for her to see that I’m following the right path. My family always knew that I was onto a winning path when I decided not to follow the street life and to focus on my talents that are graphic design and fine art which I really pursued that and channelled all my energy into rather than the road life. And this awards ceremony today is just another big statement to say that I’m going in the right direction.
The awards are inspiring to those who haven’t won because it’s a sign for them of overturning the negative stereotype that we’ve got in today’s society of young people and students.
Do you think the awards ceremony will inspire other students?
From the background that I grew up in and being in a venue like this now – I really wish that the people that I grew up with were able to see where I’m sitting right now.
I think being in a place like this, knowing that there’s so many external people, maybe from different countries that you’ve never met, have come down to show their support for someone who is going above and beyond in their field to excel will inspire anyone to work harder for next year. I know winning the award is going to do that for me and I can just imagine what it would do for anyone else.
It’s inspiring to those who haven’t won an award because it’s a sign for them of overturning the negative stereotype that we’ve got in today’s society of young people and students.
I think coming down here, seeing a bunch of young people that are really excelling is going to challenge some stereotypes but also inspire us to keep doing what we’re doing. For the sponsors to keep supporting young people who are coming through and to keep opening doors for them is really important.
I think an event like this where you’re bringing people together, people within industry and students who have worked hard, it gets industries to open up their doors a bit more and encourages young people to work a bit harder – that way we can all go even further.
STOP Campaign: http://www.bebo.com/stop_campaign
Interview by: Emily Crane
