Annual Students' Union Awards recognises academic and support staff at London Met, as well as outstanding student achievement
Date: 4 June 2014
Members of staff at London Metropolitan University received a warm thank you from students this week at the annual London Met Students’ Union Awards.
Held in the magnificent surrounds of the Rocket theatre at Holloway campus, the awards recognised excellence among academic and support staff in the University. Outstanding students were also celebrated at the event, with prizes awarded in categories ranging from sports clubs to volunteering.
“It is always good to celebrate the great efforts and hard work of the students and staff at London Met,” said Jason Jackson, President of the Students’ Union (METSU). “This was a fantastic event and we hope the University will carry on providing this well-deserved recognition for years to come.”
More students than ever before participated in this year’s awards by voting for staff members who they felt deserved recognition. Over 80 members of staff were nominated, across all four faculties.
“The best accolade”
Tim Mills, Principal Lecturer and Learning & Teaching Facilitator in Law, won the Outstanding Lecturer award for the Faculty of Business and Law. He said: “I am thrilled that the students are so appreciative of my work. This is the best accolade I could have received, a crowning achievement of nearly 35 years' service and a very valuable recognition of the importance of learning and teaching support.”
In the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, the Outstanding Lecturer accolade was won by Trevor Norris, Course Leader in English Literature. “Thank you very much for this award,” he said. “I'm very grateful for the enthusiasm, commitment and hard work of so many students in English Literature and Creative Writing. This is reward enough in itself.”
There was a particularly loud cheer when the Outstanding Support Staff award for the Faculty of Life Sciences and Computing was announced. The Tower Building Reception Team won the prize, much to the delight of Campus Services Assistant Kim Pite, who joked: “It’s taken them long enough – I’ve only been here 18 years!
“But in all seriousness, it’s nice that we have been appreciated in this way. To know that students have taken the time to think of us and vote for us is really rewarding.”
Student success
Students were also recognised in the awards for their achievements over the last year. The Society of Life Sciences was the biggest winner, taking home both the Society of the Year and Society Committee Member of the Year prizes, both collected by its president and founder, Gabriele Butkute. The Society has hosted numerous popular events during the year and is now one of the biggest societies at London Met. It won the Society of the Year award in 2013, despite only being founded months before.
“I am delighted and honoured to have won two awards at this year's ceremony,” said Gabriele, who studies BSc Biomedical Science. “It is a wonderful feeling to be appreciated for all the work the Society has done this year, as well as me personally. There are many people who contributed to the success, from friends who would help out with events, to the Students' Union staff, Alistair McKay, Shamim Ahmed and Jason Jackson in particular, who were always very supportive and helpful. I wouldn't have been able to do it without them.
“Founding and running the Society for two years has been a very exciting part of my university experience. London Met will always remain very close to my heart because not only was I able to meet many wonderful people, but also make my dreams and ambitions come true.”
Full list of winners at the London Met Students’ Union Awards 2014
Staff Awards
Outstanding Lecturer: Andrew Hewish
Outstanding Tutor: Kaye Newman
Outstanding Member of Support Staff: Mick Battley
Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
Outstanding Lecturer: Trevor Norris
Outstanding Tutor: Elena Moschini
Outstanding Member of Support Staff: Stuart Isaacs
Faculty of Life Sciences and Computing
Outstanding Lecturer: Chris Bax
Outstanding Tutor: Paul Matewele
Outstanding Member of Support Staff: Tower Building Reception Team
Outstanding Lecturer: Tim Mills
Outstanding Tutor: Lisa Day
Outstanding Member of Support Staff: Mohamed Lahrar
Student Awards
Student Academic Representative (StAR) of the Year: Monica Daswani
Student Council Member of the Year: Marco Brunone
Society Committee Member of the Year: Gabriele Butkute
Outstanding Contribution to Verve Media: Tola Stewart
Sports Club of the Year: LMU Mets Cheerleaders
Society of the Year: Society of Life Sciences
Reach Volunteering Award: Humeira Patel
