Going above and beyond to support our students
Unwavering enthusiasm for – and commitment to – our students has been officially recognised in a prestigious awards scheme.
More than 2,800 nominations were received for this year’s Leeds Partnership Awards
In the latest of our regular feature series – profiling winners in all 14 categories of this year’s prestigious Partnership Awards – we are highlighting the outstanding accomplishments of recipients of both the Mentor and Personal Tutor accolades.
The coveted awards celebrate those people who truly put into practice the Leeds Partnership – an agreement setting out our shared commitment to work together to support all aspects of our University community.
Anna France, who won the Mentor Award
Mentor Award
Guidance and support of mentors encourages and nurtures others to develop their skills and prospects for the future, helping them grow and progress, either personally or in their learning.
Mentors take many guises, but share the quality of going above and beyond their usual remit to help others to achieve. And it was clear from the nominations in this category that the impact and importance of exceptional mentors cannot be underestimated.
This year’s winner is Anna France, Professional Development Officer with LUBS. Anna has been recognised for all her hard work and commitment to the Nurturing Talent Mentor Scheme, which does a phenomenal job pairing up students with mentors and supporting them in this role.
Alice Shepherd, Associate Professor in Accounting and Finance, was among those to nominate Anna for the award. She said: “Anna was responsible for getting our Nurturing Talent Mentor Scheme off the ground a few years ago, and it has been expanding ever since.
“We're now in the position where alumni of LUBS, who were mentees while undergraduate students here, are now some of the mentors, so it’s a sustainable community. This success is largely attributable to Anna's hard work and championing of the scheme.”
Anna said: “I am delighted to have been recognised by the Leeds Partnership Awards for my work with students in the Business School.
“The Nurturing Talent Mentor Scheme appropriately matches Business School students to industry figures and supports mentoring relationships in order to help the students develop their skillsets, confidence and support their employability, something I feel really passionate about.”
Dr Anthony Herbert, who won the Personal Tutor Award
Personal Tutor Award
This award recognises someone who does their utmost to support their students, promoting engagement with academic and co-curricular activities, and facilitating their personal development.
This year’s nominations highlighted the inspirational force of personal tutors and commended them for the difference they make to the experiences of their students
The 2020 award winner is Dr Anthony Herbert, a Lecturer in Medical and Biological Engineering. He has been recognised for his kind and approachable nature, as well as the fact he shows unwavering enthusiasm and belief in his students.
Zoe Hancox, an MSc Medical Engineering student, was among those to nominate Dr Herbert for the award. She said: “No problem is too little or too big for this lecturer – he constantly puts students first and always has a smile on his face when he does so.
“Dr Herbert is a fantastic person, who goes out of his way as a lecturer and a personal tutor. If everyone were like him, the world would be a better place.”
Dr Herbert said: “I am delighted to have won this award.
“I feel truly privileged to have been considered worthy of selection, never mind to have won it! I cannot thank my nominees enough – their statements were heart-warming.
“I remember my days at university very well, so I know how stressful and demanding it can be on students. I have been there, too. So, if I can help make those demands more manageable in any, I will always try to do so.”
Further information
More in-depth profiles of each of the winners will appear on the For Staff website during the coming weeks. These will also be promoted via the fortnightly All Staff enewsletters and the Staff Twitter account.
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