Economics Student Mentor Awards 2023

We are very pleased to announce this year’s winners of the Student Mentor Awards, an annual celebration of our students’ mentoring achievements.

The aim of the Undergraduate Mentor Scheme run within the Department of Economics, is to provide support to first-year students so they have a smooth transition into the Department and university life. It is also a great opportunity for our second and third-year students to enhance their skills and CV in their role as mentors.

The Student Mentor Awards winners are selected from three categories. Two of them, Best Overall Mentor and Best Mentor Team, nominated by student mentees who sent in examples of how they have benefited from having a mentor, and the Department Choice Award selected by the Department's Pastoral Team.

What is valued most by first-year students is having informal advice on a range of topics like module selection, clarifying module assessments, and help with practical issues, all done in ‘a casual, friendly atmosphere’ where students feel comfortable asking questions, making them feel welcome and supported.

We congratulate the following Student Mentor Awards winners:

Best Overall Mentor

• Chris Mucicka (Year 3 BSc Economics, Politics and International Studies)
• Sasha Gill (Year 3 BSc Economics)
• Pavitra Parsana (Year 2 BSc Economics)
• Laura Piontek (Year 2 BSc Economics, Politics and International Studies)

Best Mentor Team

• Sarim Poonawala (Year 3 BSc Economics) and Aashna Mishra (Year 2 BSc Economics)
• Andrea Sequeira (Year 2 BSc Economics) and Nishant Ramesh (Year 2 BSc Economics)

The Department of Economics Choice Award

• Milena Ermolenko (Year 3 BSc Economics, Politics and International Studies)
• Kehan Yan (Year 2 BSc Economics)
• Daira Povez Gamboa (Year 3 BSc Economics)

The winners attended a celebratory lunch on 3 May 2023 and received their prize vouchers.

Here is what the winners said about receiving their awards:

Daira Povez Gamboa

“Mentoring is about giving back: making an impact on your mentees and celebrating their achievements are the best rewards!”

Milena Ermolenko

“Being a mentee and receiving invaluable advice from EPAIS mentors in my first year, fuelled my desire to give back and become a mentor this year. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience as a mentor. Chris and I had a wonderful group of EPAIS students, who were always keen to learn more about their degree and ask questions about university life. Our frequent meetings were full of useful insights and engaging conversations. I recommend everyone in their second or final year to consider becoming a mentor. It is an enriching experience that facilitates teamwork, collaboration, and excellent time management skills.”

Parsana Pavitra

“Becoming a student mentor came with lots of opportunities to learn and grow as a person, build new relationships, and develop several transferable skills. Overall, it was an amazing experience.”

Kehan Yan

“I’m thrilled and grateful to have received the award! It signifies that my efforts have been recognised by the department and that I am acknowledged by my mentees for succeeding in helping them, even if it was in the slightest way. Although the mentor scheme is designed to assist the mentees, I have also benefited from the experience considerably. For example, my mentees often seek my guidance on academic matters such as studying tips. Whenever I provide advice, I am prompted to reflect on what I did in my first year and identify areas where I can improve, which I can then apply in both my current and next year of study.”

Would you like to become an Undergraduate Student Mentor in 2023/24?

If you are interested in becoming a Mentor, recruitment for mentors takes place in the Summer Term for the following academic year.

Please submit your online application on the UG Mentor Scheme Application webpage by 1 July 2023.