Alumnus of the UNIVERSITY OF HERTFORDSHIRE O
nce again, the judges of the assessment sub- committee were faced with a diffi cult task. All four nominees were of excellent quality and the judges were of the unanimous opinion that all of them, in their own different ways, met the criteria for the award of UH
Alumnus of the Year.
Eventually a “winner” had to be chosen and this year’s winner is Rachel Dixon who graduated from the University of Hertfordshire in 2000 with a BSc degree. All of us have, in the past, benefi tted - at many different levels - from excellent teachers and Rachel is certainly an excellent teacher. Not only did she help to revolutionise Ripple Primary School in Barking (one of London’s most deprived areas and therefore a particularly diffi cult area in which to teach) by almost doubling the School’s English SAT scores in fi ve years, but she has also made a very signifi cant impact on the children’s cultural development with musical work of a national standard (such as her school band performing at the Music for Youth national festival and the Primary Proms at the Royal Albert Hall). In 2010, Rachel was awarded the prestigious Pride of Britain award for Teacher of the Year. The University of Hertfordshire and its predecessor institutions has a long and very distinguished history of producing excellent members of the teaching profession and Rachel clearly exemplifi es this fact. She is an inspirational role model for the students training to become members of the teaching profession and the judges of the assessment sub-committee are delighted to award the title of Alumnus of the Year 2011 to her. However, it must also be made very clear that there was an extremely close “runner-up” and that was Matthew King who graduated in 2009 from the University of Hertfordshire with a fi rst in Law. This was despite being paralysed from the neck downwards after breaking his neck in a rugby accident in 2004. Matthew, who requires twenty-four hour care following a tracheotomy and requiring the use of a ventilator, has certainly not let these physical problems defeat him. He has been involved in volunteering and fundraising for others, doing the New York Marathon, skiing with the aid of special equipment and gaining a rugby coaching certifi cate. He has taught himself to paint using a mouthpiece and one of his paintings was made into a Christmas card which was sold in aid of the Rugby League Benevolent Fund. The members of the assessment sub-committee felt humbled when they read of Matthew’s achievements in spite of tremendous physical diffi culties and he is an inspiration to all of us - never give up. The judges would, this year, have liked to have been able to make two UH Alumnus of the Year 2011 awards, but in lieu of this have requested that Matthew be given the “Highly Commended” award.
Nigel Gates, 24th May 2011
32 COMMENDED HIGHLY
Matthew King
WINNER
Rachel Dixon
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