University of Westminster celebrates outstanding volunteers at inaugural Partnership and Impact Awards

The Westminster Partnership and Impact Awards (PIAs) are a celebration of the contribution alumni and industry volunteers make to the Westminster community. Through their contributions as speakers, mentors, hosts and ambassadors, Westminster’s alumni and industry partners empower current students and recent graduates with the insight, confidence and opportunities they need to fulfil their potential.

The awards ceremony took place at Zone29, the University’s new home for careers and enterprise, ad began with networking before a welcome address by Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Peter Bonfield, who highlighted the importance of working together to create opportunities.  

Professor Peter Bonfield

The awards include nine categories, reflecting the breadth of partnership opportunities at Westminster. The Long Serving Volunteer Award was jointly presented to mental health advocate and Westminster Business Management BA Honours alumna Anastasia Vinnikova and Westminster Honorary Fellow Gary Morley, recognising their longstanding contributions to the University community.

The Guest Speaker of the Year Award recognised Westminster Cognitive Science BSc Honours alumnus Dan Figueiredo, a strategic AI and cloud leader at Microsoft, and Shelby Martin, Talent Resource Specialist at CIS Security. Dan has delivered seven careers sessions for Westminster students, as well as arranged a student visit to Microsoft’s AI Hub. Shelby was recognised for her contribution to the University’s South Asian student community through her participation in the panel event How to Find Your Next Career Opportunity.

The Experience Provider Award recognised two organisations providing students with valuable real-world experience. These were leading UK property developer the Berkeley Group, who offer sponsored internships and annual site visits; and local Mediterranean restaurant The Kitchen at Holmes, who have contributed to live briefs and hackathons for Business Management students.  

The Local Community Partner Award was jointly presented to Harley Street Business Improvement District and the Sir Simon Milton Foundation, recognising their work to strengthen the University’s connections with its local community.

Guests also enjoyed a performance from recent Graphic Design BA Honours graduate Roshelle Reid aka Rosezen. She performed three songs between award presentations, including an original composition.

Roshelle Reid aka Rosezen

The Chancellor’s Award for Impact was presented to global technology and professional services company Cognizant for its longstanding support for the University. Cognizant supports a wide range of digital upskilling and mentoring programmes and is a founding member of the Chancellor’s Circle, a group of organisations that create significant opportunities for Westminster students.

The Volunteer Provider of the Year Award went to Friends of Moorfields Eye Hospital, which has provided placement opportunities for Westminster students for more than five years.

The Large Organisation Employer of the Year was awarded to global life and health reinsurer Pacific Life Re, recognising the highly supportive and meaningful experience it created for a Westminster placement student. The Small-Medium Enterprise Employer of the Year was presented to Shifaá Healing Hearts Counselling CIC, a community-based counselling service in Queen’s Park that provides accessible, culturally informed therapy to individuals and families from diverse backgrounds and hosts Westminster Health Psychology MSc placements.

The Awards also recognised alumnus Ken Subraj for his generous philanthropic support to the University such as funding international internships and awards. Alumni Nancy Nisa Beso, a Film and Television Production BA Honours graduate, and Jigar Mehta, a Marketing Communications MA graduate, were also recognised for their contributions to the University’s India engagement activities through Westminster Working Cultures Mumbai.

The organisations and individuals recognised through the Partnership and Impact Awards demonstrate the impact that collaboration between universities, alumni, employers and communities can have. Partnerships like these form a key ambition of Zone29, an innovative new physical and digital space that connects Westminster’s diverse student talent with the world of business and its local community.

About the awards Laura Hughes, Head of Alumni and External Engagement, said: “Thank you to all of our winners for always showing up. Not just at these awards, but for our students and graduates. You provide invaluable work opportunities for our students. You give guest lectures and volunteer your time as mentors, completely for free. You are brilliant advocates for the University and represent us overseas. It’s not easy being a student faced with today’s graduate employment market, and the opportunities and networks you provide are incredibly kind, valued and much-needed.”

The PIAs and its winners contribute to several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 4: Quality Education, 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.  

Find out more about the 2026 Partnership and Impact Award winners.

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