Chancellor’s Award 2013 The University of Reading is committed to rewarding and celebrating talent, hard work and achievement across its student community. We are therefore delighted to present our 2013 Chancellor’s Award winners. Those featured in this yearbook represent our brightest and best students from across the University’s broad range of academic disciplines. Award recipients are those students who achieved the highest results in their subject at the end of either their first or second year of study. We are extremely proud to be able to showcase such an inspiring group of individuals. 3 Chancellor’s Award | 2013 Student profiles List of all recipients of the Chancellor’s Award 2013 Below is a list of all those Part 1 and Part 2 students who have received the 2013 Chancellor’s Award for outstanding academic achievement. Only around 80 awards will be given each year, to those students who received the top marks in their subject area. Jennifer Agnew Ian Cho Kim Jackson Poppy Small Kate Alexander Kristina Chu Anup Kocheril Kurian Lucy Spencer Stefan Andreas Lucia Crowther Ryan L W Lee Laura Spencer Daniel Angelov Nicola D’Alessandro Ailsa Linnell Todd Spiers Louise Astill Georgia de Rohan Peter Loveland Stefanos Stefanov James Barnett Isobel Dench Robert Lowe Gemma Stobie Lucelia Barrand Albert Edwards Phil Marks Ravi Surendralal Simon Beck Tom Elliott Rachael McLaughlin Katie Swann Leanne Beveridge Paul Fairall Siobhan Monk Jonathan Tanner Tom Birdsell Anna Frey Laura Moody Minh Hieu Tran Chelsea Bond Daniel Gardner Annie Morton Liam Vale Matt Brown Daniel Garrow Thomas Pressland Katharina von Oltersdorff Natasha Bruce Kate Goudsmit Kate Rankine Charles Wadsley Bryony Buckmaster Aidan Hallett Samantha Riley Louise-Jayne Watts Lydia Burnhams Lee Head Emily Russell Mark Wells Chloe Chalmers Alex Heavens Ankita Shanker Felix (Yun Jie) Xiao Kevin Chau Ngoc Phuong Uyen Ho Juvereya Shoab Olga-Maria Zenon Hristo Chipilski Willis Homden Aaron Simpson Chunxin Zhou 4 5 Chancellor’s Award | 2013 Student profiles What inspires you about your chosen subject of study? On the following pages are Without day to day communication and comprehension, Jennifer the world would not be as we know it. In fact I believe it a selection of profiles of this could potentially crumble around us! Agnew For those individuals who struggle to develop typical communication skills, or lose them due to illness or year’s Chancellor’s Award Bsc Speech and accident, life can be a struggle. Those of us fortunate Language Therapy enough to have typical speech and language often take these complex skills for granted, therefore by studying recipients which describe British to become a Speech and Language Therapist, I feel I will be able to aid these individuals and increase their their individual experiences communicative skills and quality of life. Why did you choose to come to Reading to study? of studying at Reading, their The facilities available at Reading University for the Speech and Language Therapy programme stand head and shoulders above any of the other universities I looked highlights and ambitions. at during my selection. There are Speech and Language Therapy Clinics on site whereby students can be gradually introduced to therapy techniques in a safe and reassuring environment before going out onto their first placements. Alongside this, the staff in the school of Clinical Language Sciences are motivating and inspiring, making the course very appealing. What was the highlight of 2012/13? The highlight of 2012/13 would have to be my first examined clinical placement. I was finally able to really put my theory into practice and experience life as a Speech and Language Therapist. What do you see yourself doing in five years time? In five years time I hope to be in a stable job as an adult Speech and Language Therapist. What’s the best thing about life at Reading? Life at Reading provides a range of environments. The university campus is quiet and tranquil with the lake and open green fields, however at night it takes on a feel of excitement as students head to the Student’s Union! A short walk from the Whiteknights campus is Reading town centre, providing fantastic retail therapy after a long week of lectures! 6 7 Chancellor’s Award | 2013 Student profiles What inspires you about your chosen subject of study? What inspires you about your chosen subject of study? One of the things I love about Philosophy is that there is Accounting and Management is a subject that allows me never a simple answer to the questions that we ask. I like to use both my logical and numerical ability in a way that the fact that when we discuss these subjects with our I find enjoyable. The process of producing and analysing lecturers, it is not a case of being taught facts and having financial statements is of strong interest to me and the to memorise them so that we can recall them in an exam. course is constantly furthering my understanding of this When we have a debate, it feels like we are being guided process. I am particularly appreciating the challenging by our professors but we are doing lots of the thinking for nature of the course as it is continually contributing to ourselves. Before I studied philosophy I never really had to my self-development, personally and professionally. do this, as whenever I didn’t know an answer I could ask my teacher, or look it up in a book or on the internet. I also love Why did you choose to come to Reading to study? the fact that once you study Philosophy you realise how I chose to study at Henley Business School because it inescapable it is in daily life! is highly respected amongst employers. When visiting the university, I was impressed with the positive feedback Why did you choose to come to Reading to study? from students, the school’s facilities and the enthusiasm I was aware that Reading had an outstanding Philosophy of staff. Reading University was also ranked as one of the department, so this set it apart from lots of other top universities for my subject area, and I am pleased to Universities I was considering. Really the thing that made say it has been a great place to learn. Kate me so desperate to come here was what I saw on the Open Stefan Day campus tour. It was a beautiful day, and we walked What was the highlight of 2012/13? Alexander past Park Bar and saw loads of happy students sitting in the Andreas My highlight of the year was achieving a first in part 2 of sunshine with a drink. I decided I had to be one of those my studies and being awarded this award for the second BA Philosophy students. Coincidentally some of these people I had seen BA Accounting consecutive year. I didn’t expect to receive the award two ended up living with me in Windsor Hall in my first year and and Management years in a row, given the high calibre of students on my British becoming some of my best friends. course and I am pleased that my hard work has again been British recognised. What was the highlight of 2012/13? The highlight of my academic year would have to be getting What do you see yourself doing in five years time? my results for Part 2. I was sitting in a field at Glastonbury In five years I hope to have qualified as a Chartered Festival when I found out. I was incredibly relieved and it set Accountant, working at a company where I can progress me up for a brilliant weekend of celebrating! and put my knowledge into practice. After gaining some experience, I would also like to start my own business. What do you see yourself doing in five years time? I would love to still be studying. I can’t imagine leaving What’s the best thing about life at Reading? university anytime soon as I love the atmosphere here and There are many aspects to university life that I have enjoyed, how everyone is so passionate about what they are doing. from the people here to the course I am studying. Overall, Hopefully I will either be on track for a PhD or I will have it has been a great experience. Reading University is a found a job that I love. fantastic place to learn and the atmosphere here has made it an ideal place to study. What’s the best thing about life at Reading? How close you become to the people you live and study with. I am so pleased I chose a campus university because you become so much closer to the people around you. I love that you can chose to live in halls after your first year; I am living in university accommodation again now and absolutely loving it. I am involved in two societies (Tap and Modern and PhilSoc) and love the feeling of being part of such a close-knit group. 8 9 Chancellor’s Award | 2013 Student profiles What inspires you about your chosen subject of study? What inspires you about your chosen subject of study? I have always been interested in subjects that require Law as a subject is challenging and constantly evolving, a great deal of creativity. When I realized my childhood I find it stimulates not only the intellect but also the dream of being an astronaut is nearly impossible to imagination, requiring abstract thinking as well as practical accomplish, I decided to be a magician. However, not the problem solving.