Barnsley College students shortlisted for national awards

Barnsley College (@barnsleycollege) students Alisha Shepherd, Evar Jawhar and Elizabeth Ashton have been shortlisted at the Association of Colleges (@AoC_info) Student of the Year awards.

The AoC Student of the Year awards is a national ceremony which celebrates the achievements and successes of exceptional students who stand out from the crowd.

Alisha, Barnsley College’s Level 3 Business Administrator Apprentice, has been shortlisted in the Apprentice of the Year Award sponsored by NOCN. She was nominated for her commitment to her studies whilst providing support to the College’s Teaching and Learning department during Covid-19. She also made the top four for the Colleague of the Year Award at the Barnsley College Staff Star Awards and played a vital part in the Barnsley 2030 Campaign, a project celebrating and championing the borough and its communities.

Evar completed his Foundation Learning studies last year at Barnsley College and has been shortlisted for Young Student of the Year (16 to 18-years-old) sponsored by the Edge Foundation. He came to the country as a refugee and with dedication throughout the year to his learning journey, Evar has gained the results and skills he needs in order to progress. Evar volunteers in a community group where he helps to translate for Kurdish refugees and also leads a weekly fitness class in the same community group to help the refugees meet each other, develop friendships and feel more confident accessing the community.

Elizabeth, a former BA (Hons) Fine Art Practice student, has been shortlisted for the Higher Education Student of the Year Award sponsored by Shakespeare Martineau for impressing the judges with her dedication and enthusiasm for the course. Whilst completing her degree, Elizabeth worked as a nurse and supported her fellow students through the pandemic.

Yiannis Koursis, Principal and Chief Executive at Barnsley College, said:

“Students across the country are committed to working hard to achieve success and we are committed to the transformational impact that Further Education can have on the individual. Alisha, Evar and Elizabeth are a true inspiration to us all and we are very proud of them and what they have achieved throughout their time with us. These are prestigious national awards and to be shortlisted is a great achievement.”

Finalists will be announced at the AoC Annual Conference in November. The winners and runners up will be announced in Spring 2022.