The Student Impact Awards recognise and celebrate the incredible ways alumni and students are giving back to their communities in Portsmouth and beyond.
A student who has protected orangutans in Borneo, a graduate who supports vulnerable community members, and a cinematographer who filmed Netflix’s award-winning series Adolescence were celebrated at the Student Impact Awards.
The awards recognised students and alumni for their impact on local, national, and global initiatives including volunteering, research, fundraising, and launching new businesses, often on top of their studies or full time work.
Organised by the University of Portsmouth and the Students’ Union, Laura Saunders, John Ryder, and Matthew Lewis were among the 14 award winners recognised at the event held at Fratton Park.
Dancing to belong
Transforming dance into a tool for community-building, inclusion, and cultural celebration to support Black History Month celebrations and local businesses while giving students a space to belong: meet Fidelia, winner of the Arts and Culture Impact Award.
Fidelia has taken the Afro-Fusion Dance Society to new heights, from performing at the student-led Pride & Power 2025 Black History Month celebration to choreographing and planning events at local Black owned restaurants and businesses. Fidelia has expanded the society’s impact beyond campus into communities across Portsmouth to promote cultural diversity and belonging, all while working towards her Computer Science degree.
Psychology in Portsmouth to orangutan conservation in Borneo
Turning a passion for wildlife conservation into action, the winner of the Global Impact Award spent her placement year protecting sun bears severely impacted by wildlife crimes. Laura dedicated herself to promoting local and international conservation awareness, delivering educational programmes and studying sun bear behaviour for her thesis.
As a Masters and PhD student, Laura continued this work and conducted a further year-long field study of the rehabilitant Bornean orangutans in Malaysia. Here, she developed a release-readiness assessment which empowers the Forest Reserve staff’s knowledge to improve the survival chances of the rehabilitants.
Laura’s rehabilitation assessment method has already been applied by rehabilitation centres and contributed to training of staff to make informed release decisions within the Bornean rainforests.
Breaking the cycle of harm
John’s dedication to his city includes pioneering the impressive challenge to walk the coast of Portsea Island, Walk the Island, which has raised over £100,000 for local charitable organisations which support some of the most vulnerable people in Portsmouth.
As CEO of Every Charitable Act Supports Someone, John has combined lived experience with academic insight to deliver trauma-informed support in areas including domestic abuse, mental health, addiction – experiences which impacted John’s own childhood.
Over more than 20 years of voluntary service, mentoring, and leadership, John has transformed personal adversity into community leadership, demonstrating that lived experience paired with academic insight can drive lasting change.
The awards celebrate the positive impact the University’s students and alumni continue to have on Portsmouth and beyond, recognising and reaffirming the University’s commitment to leading positive change at every level.
This year, I was delighted to award Matthew Lewis with the Vice-Chancellor’s Civic Impact Award for his innovative work in TV production including the Emmy-award winning Netflix series Adolescence. Matthew’s work on this internationally acclaimed and socially resonant narrative has established him both as a leading figure in British cinematography and as an inspiring example of where a Portsmouth degree can take our graduates.
I continue to be inspired by our students and alumni who give back to their communities in incredible ways.
Workshop bench to inspiring award
This year’s winning award design was submitted earlier this year by second year BA (Hons) Architecture student Ranad Almajed.
The awards have been made at the University of Portsmouth, overseen by Ranad herself and Nicola Crowson, Associate Head (Students), Portsmouth School of Architecture, Art & Design.
The awards use sustainable materials, including reclaimed timber from old wood working benches first used in 1968 in university workshops.
Ranad’s initial design draws on her own architecture studies and reflects the city’s skyline, history, and centenary.
Following Ranad's initial drawing, a prototype was made by the University's Technical Resources team based in the Eldon 3D Workshop.
The awards were made by the Technical Resources team in the Eldon 3D Workshop and presented to the Student Impact Award winners.
We are delighted to sponsor this year’s University of Portsmouth event. We understand the event has grown significantly to become bigger and better than ever, and at Stepnell, ‘investing in the future’ isn’t just a slogan - it’s a core part of how we operate.
For many of us at Stepnell, this support is personal. We all have children of our own, so we truly understand the unique pressures and excitement that come with university life today. We know that the University of Portsmouth is a fantastic place to learn and grow, and we feel genuinely inspired by the ambition of the next generation.
By bridging the gap between industry and education, we hope to play a part in the incredible work with the University.
Meet the Student Impact Award Winners 2026
Alumni Impact Award
John Ryder
BSc (Hons) Criminal Justice and Criminology, 2020
John Ryder has dedicated over 20 years to community leadership and advocacy, founding Climb Nova Consultancy and leading ECASS to deliver trauma-informed support. John has also helped raise significant funds for local causes that support vulnerable individuals and strengthen community services across Portsmouth.
Arts and Culture Impact Award
Fidelia Fidel-Turray
BSc (Hons) Computer Science student
Fidelia, President of the Afro-Fusion Dance Society, has played a leading role in building an inclusive creative community at the University, using dance to foster confidence, cultural celebration and connection across the city. Through performances, community outreach, and events such as the student-led Pride & Power 2025 Black History Month celebration, she has expanded the society’s impact beyond campus.
Degree Apprenticeship Impact Award
Ryan Diboll
Level 6 Civil Engineering Degree Apprentice
Ryan has played a key role in major infrastructure projects demonstrating strong technical
ability and professional growth while balancing work and study. Alongside his project contributions, he has supported organisational development by mentoring junior apprentices, delivering peer training sessions, and actively contributing to his team’s success.
Diversity Impact Award
Joseph Eguavoen
MSc International Business and Management, 2024
An Afrobeat, Hip-Hop and R&B artist, Joseph has performed at platforms like Word of Mouth and Pamodzi’s Black History Month events. Beyond music, he supports community initiatives such as Basketball4Buckland and cultural workshops. As founder of Coast Clear, he creates opportunities for emerging artists through showcases and mentoring.
Entrepreneurial Impact Award
Luca Frederick
BSc (Hons) Business and Management student
Luca founded LocalLinked, an app that connects students with local businesses, charities and community opportunities across Portsmouth. Through this platform, he has helped strengthen connections between students and the city, increasing visibility for local organisations while encouraging community engagement and volunteering.
Global Impact Award
Dr. Laura Saunders
BSc (Hons) Psychology, 2020, and PhD, Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, 2025
Laura has developed an innovative release-readiness assessment method for rehabilitated
sun bears and orangutans in Borneo, helping conservation centres to improve post-release survival. Through extensive field research, collaboration with conservation organisations, and the publication of her findings, her work has contributed directly to global conservation efforts.
Health and Wellbeing Impact Award
Luke Basford
MRes Science and Health, 2026
Luke is the founder of Solumnova, a mental health-focused startup aimed at improving access to support and encouraging open conversations among young people. Luke has also led creative wellbeing activities within the University of Portsmouth Students’ Union to foster supportive spaces that promote connection and reduce stigma around mental health.
Placement Impact Award
Anna Kennewell
BSc (Hons) Computer Science student
During her placement with Virgin Media O2, Anna demonstrated exceptional initiative by designing and delivering an automated roadmap tool to replace a previously manual process. Her innovation has improved efficiency and data accuracy while her professionalism and stakeholder management have made a lasting impact on the organisation.
Research Impact Award
Nadine Awad
BSc (Hons) Psychology student
Nadine’s research explores the under-examined relationship between Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and fibromyalgia, addressing a significant gap in understanding chronic illness and its impact on patients living with long-term pain and fatigue. Nadine’s work has already helped individuals feel heard and has the potential to inform improved care pathways.
Rising Star Impact Award
Holly Griffin
LLM, Corporate Governance and Law Grad CG, 2025
Holly has championed career development and inclusive workplace practices and led wellbeing programmes at her firm which have driven significant and lasting workplace change. Holly has also signed her firm up to national pledges such as Disability Confident and the Care Leavers Covenant and mentored students from the University’s legal clinic.
Student Achievement Impact Award
Illustration Society
El Roberts and Helena Woolley
BA (Hons) Illustration students
El and Helena founded The Illustration Society and built an inclusive, cross-disciplinary space with weekly arts activities which support creativity and wellbeing. Their leadership strengthened connections across courses and built a cohesive community. They organised events, secured funding and empowered students to lead activities and develop their own employability skills.
Sustainability Impact Award
Maria Xuereb
MA Architecture student
Maria has contributed to sustainable practice through her volunteer work with the
Sustainable Conservation Trust, promoting architectural conservation of historic buildings and adaptive reuse as alternatives to demolition and new construction. By advocating for repair and retrofit, she supports approaches that reduce embodied carbon while preserving cultural heritage.
Volunteering Impact Award
Charles Beckwith
Level 6 Degree Apprentice in Architecture
Charlie has demonstrated exceptional commitment to volunteering through international fundraising and humanitarian initiatives. Through leading large-scale fundraising campaigns, coordinating international teams, and supporting education and water projects in Kenya and Saharawi refugee communities, he has inspired collective action and delivered meaningful impact.
Vice-Chancellor’s Civic Impact Award
Matthew Lewis
BA (Hons) Film Production, 2017
Cinematographer Matthew’s amazing camera operation for the highly acclaimed Netflix series Adolescence has established him as a leading figure in British cinematography. His work on socially resonant narratives has further important conversations around themes such as violence, masculinity, mental health, and social media.