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International relations student wins contests and award

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The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC) final year international relations student, Michaelle Phoenix Yeo won two separate and prestigious awards in September this year. First, she won an all-expenses paid trip to the UK from the British High Commission in Malaysia. Around the same time, she was conferred with the University of Nottingham’s Jan Atkin’s Prize.

Her trip to the UK was a result of her winning the “#MYUK60: A Great British Adventurer” competition, organised by the British High Commission. The University’s Jan Atkin award was presented to her for her contributions to student community life.

“A British education provides a platform for our students to achieve their maximum potential not only in academia, but also in other endeavours such as sports and community engagement. Most employers are drawn to graduates who are confident, have high emotional intelligence, energy, academic prowess but who have also excelled outside of their field of study,” said University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus Provost and CEO Professor Graham Kendall.

“I am really proud of the achievements of our students and staff, who constantly challenge themselves to become the best in their chosen field. Michaelle exemplifies this, through her many achievements.” Professor Kendall said.

Her seven-day trip to London, Manchester, Edinburgh and out to the Scottish Highlands include meeting British MPs in Westminster and Malaysian students at the University of Manchester as well as feasting at Harrods for afternoon tea.

Phoenix will be documenting her trip to be shared on @UKinMalaysia social media channels.

Jan Atkin Prize

On 22 September, Michaelle was awarded with the Jan Atkin Prize by Professor Sir David Greenaway, who was then the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nottingham.

The award is presented to worthy students who have met both academic standards and who have made significant contribution to campus or to community life. The Jan Atkin prize was established in memory of Jan Atkin, the late wife of Emeritus Professor Brian Atkin, the former CEO and Provost of the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus. Three winners are awarded each year and each winner receives RM5,000. The 2017 winners are Yarminee Gonasagran from the School of Education, Michaelle Phoenix from the School of Politics, History, and International Relations and Lim Hong Chong from the School of Economics.

Phoenix was presented with the award for her leadership in various student-led initiatives at the University. This included organising the DoGood Festival; a youth-led initiative that championed the social inclusion of refugees, particularly refugee children, as an executive committee of an international conference hosted by UN Youth Nottingham and the chairperson of this event.

For the past two years, she has been running a social enterprise which uses underutilised crops to produce healthy meals for students and staff at the University. In the sports arena, she won silver medal in the women’s team at the Selangor Inter Varsity Competition this year.

“The Jan Atkin Prize inspires me to continue positively impacting my community, the way the Atkin Family continues to impact the lives of students in Malaysia. I am eager about my first trip to the UK because the campaign will enable me to humanise bilateral relations,” Phoenix said.



(Article image caption: Phoenix receiving the Jan Atkins awards from Professor Kendall)

(Thumbnail image caption: (from left to right): Yarminee Gonasagran, Professor Kendall, Lim Hong Chong and Phoenix at the Jan Atkins awards ceremony)

—Ends—

More information is available from Josephine Dionisappu, PR & Communications Manager at the University of Nottingham Malaysia on josephine.dionisappu@nottingham.edu.my, +6 (03) 8924 8746 

Notes to editorsThe University of Nottingham has 43,000 students and is ‘the nearest Britain has to a truly global university, with a “distinct” approach to internationalisation, which rests on those full-scale campuses in China and Malaysia, as well as a large presence in its home city.’ (Times Good University Guide 2016). It is also one of the most popular universities in the UK among graduate employers and the winner of ‘Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers’ at the Times Higher Education Awards 2015. It is ranked in the world’s top 75 by the QS World University Rankings 2015/16. More than 97 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is recognised internationally and it is 8th in the UK by research power according to the Research Excellence Framework 2014. It has been voted the world’s greenest campus for four years running, according to Greenmetrics Ranking of World Universities. 

Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest-ever fundraising campaign, is delivering the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future.

Posted on 13th October 2017

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