Community Gateway Partnerships Manager Ali Abdi wins Rising Star Award

Community Gateway Partnerships Manager Ali Abdi has won Professional Services Rising Star at the Cardiff University Celebrating Excellence Awards.

The winners of the Celebrating Excellence Awards 2022 were announced at an in-person ceremony on 3 March. The ceremony was hosted by Damian Walford Davies, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, and Claire Sanders, Chief Operating Officer.

135 individuals and groups were nominated across 16 categories. The Awards are an opportunity for all staff to celebrate individual, team and collaborative achievements of excellence in a range of categories.

Ali was nominated by academic lead for the Community Gateway project Professor Mhairi McVicar who said:

"Ali is an incredible person who connects so many people to make positive change across many areas on the Community Gateway project...he gives absolutely everything to all that he does."

One of Ali's biggest projects for Community Gateway is the annual Grangetown Careers and Role Model week that raises aspirations in the local community by offering the people of Grangetown careers advice, guidance on how to get to university, how to apply for jobs and coaching for interviews. Ali plays a pivotal role in the week, bringing senior university professional services and academic staff directly into Grangetown to personally meet young people and their families.

Ali said: "I'm buzzing to have won the Cardiff University Rising Star Award at the annual Celebrating Excellence Awards. Community Gateway has played a huge part of my life over the past 8 years - such an incredible journey. Huge thanks to Mhairi McVicar for the nomination."