Chemistry students shortlisted for UG of the Year Awards

Two students from the School of Chemistry have been named as finalists in the TARGETjobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards 2016.

Fraser Turner, a 3rd year MChem Chemistry student, has been shortlisted in the Future Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Undergraduate of the Year Award category sponsored by ACCA. Samuel D’Angelo, MChem Chemistry with a year abroad, is a finalist in the Public Interest category, sponsored by the Bank of England. The 2016 awards ceremony will take place on Friday 22nd April in Canary Wharf, London.

The TARGETjobs Undergraduate of the Year is a competition that takes place annually with the aim of finding the best undergraduates in the UK. Each award category is sponsored by leaders in industry or multi-national companies and the list of prizes extends from work placements to exclusive overseas trips.

Among the winning criteria for the Future CFO of the Year category, students are asked to demonstrate ambition, innovative and forward thinking. This year’s prize is an exclusive trip to Europe where the student will visit ACCA’s key offices, meet with CFOs of major organisations and gain insight into different business sectors with lots of networking opportunities.

Criteria for the Public Interest Undergraduate of the Year Award include a passion for public service and a desire to further the public good. The winner will embark on a six week paid internship at the Bank of England. Samuel, our candidate for this award, was intrigued by the opportunity: “I applied for the Bank of England Public Interest Undergraduate of the Year Award because the workings of the Bank greatly interest me. Especially in terms of the great impact they have on our everyday lives. I could see the Award would provide a fantastic opportunity to find out more about the Bank.”

To be shortlisted for these Awards is a major achievement, as students must complete a rigorous application process and assessment day in addition to studying for their degree programmes. It’s a great opportunity for undergraduates to stand out to future high-profile employers and make a step towards securing a graduate position in your field of choice. Samuel has enjoyed the experience: “I’ve now experienced a fast-paced, challenging assessment day. This is something I am likely to do again whilst applying for internships and graduate career opportunities. The application process has made me more prepared for these future challenges. It was an invaluable opportunity for me and I very much enjoyed it.”

The nomination of several students from the School highlights the transferrable nature of the skills we impart throughout our undergraduate programmes and the real-world value of a Chemistry degree, even if you decide not to enter the profession. We wish both students the best of luck for the Awards Ceremony on Friday.

To find out more about our undergraduate degrees, please visit our study pages.