On Friday 31 May 2019, Kent Union and the University celebrated outstanding co-curricular student achievement at the Kent Student Awards Gala Dinner.
Over 170 nominations were received in 12 categories, with the entire shortlist being congratulated for going above and beyond in a number of activities and initiatives that benefit others.
Professor April McMahon (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Education) and Aaron Thompson (Kent Union President) hosted a fantastic night where the winners of each category were announced alongside a three-course gala dinner. Students, staff and community guests came together to celebrate the amazing achievements of students in each category, culminating in the two final overall awards chosen from the winners of the other categories.
Student of the Year
The overall ‘Student of the Year’ award was presented to Daniel Rozenberg, a Law and Criminology Student who won the Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community award.
Daniel won for providing free legal assistance to vulnerable people on the community. Daniel volunteers with the Young Lives Foundation, an independent children’s charity based in Kent, to ensure that the legal process is followed when young people or vulnerable adults are in custody. He also works with the Domestic Abuse Volunteer Support Service to advocate for victims of domestic abuse in court. On top of that, Daniel is a caregiver for an elderly resident in Whitstable.
Group of the Year
Having been awarded the joint Outstanding International/Multicultural Initiative of the Year award, the Kent Caribbean Society was awarded the additional honour of being named ‘Group of the Year’ by judges. This is for running events that represent and share Caribbean culture. They have hosted speakers on a range of relevant issues including Windrush, ancestry and mental health. They were also commended for their work to connect BME students with career mentors to help students achieve their career aspirations.
The full list of all the winners and the runners-up can be read on the Kent Student Awards website.