The inaugural Words Matter Prize has been awarded to BA English Literature student Oscar Williams. The prize recognises outstanding academic achievement by students completing the first year of their degree.
Level Four co-ordinator, Dr Fraser Mann says that:
It is fantastic to be to be able to celebrate high levels of achievement in this way. Oscar has worked hard throughout his first year and this is evident in his consistently excellent module results.
On receiving news of the award, Osacr said that:
I was surprised, I didn’t expect to win! I struggled when I first started and at times I was convinced that I was underachieving. So, it’s nice to be recognised for the hard work I put in.
His year has been throughly enjoyable with lectures during the Theorising Literature module and reading Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go being particular highlights. When asked about what advice he would give to new starters he said that university life, “can sometimes be overwhelming” due to “meeting new people and tackling the reading list.”
His solution is to not “be too hard on yourselves, the first year is about settling in.” He recomends taking advantge of the “fantastic resources and opportunities” made available to YSj students.
We would like to congratulate Oscar on his success and wish him all the best for the rest of his degree.