We have been amazed by the dedication and resilience of the students at the University of Cambridge who, throughout these challenging times, stayed committed to achieving outstanding social impact.

Cambridge Hub

The trio’s achievements and commitment to positive social change impressed a panel of judges consisting of four stakeholders representing the community, the University of Cambridge and organisations dedicated to supporting student social action

The initiative, now in its third year, was set up to recognise outstanding students at the University of Cambridge. It is organised by the Cambridge Hub – a student-led group offering practical volunteering, skilled placements, project incubation and events – with the support of the Vice-Chancellor’s Office.

A virtual meeting was held with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stephen Toope, and the Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education, Professor Graham Virgo. At this meeting, the students had the opportunity to talk about their incredible experiences and the challenges faced, and were given an opportunity to present the projects they have led and collaborated on, which not only inspired their peers, but which had an impact on the local community too.

Areeg Emarah is a fourth-year year Engineering student at Trinity College. Born in Egypt and raised in Kenya, she has been involved in numerous initiatives in the Cambridge community and beyond. She is co-founder of the Cambridge University Women in Engineering Society; founding committee member of and former Outreach Officer at May Week Alternative, an initiative that promotes charitable giving among Cambridge students; former Access Officer at the Cambridge University Engineering Society (CUES) and the Cambridge Islamic Society, alongside numerous other roles within widening participation, student welfare and charitable giving. She is also a Beacon scholar, a leadership-scholarship programme that funds East African changemakers to study in the UK.

Areeg said: “Joining Cambridge as a wide-eyed fresher, I didn’t know where I would fit in. I felt very lucky – lucky to have found out that Cambridge was an option, lucky as I was the only Kenyan undergraduate in my year, and lucky to have received the Beacon Leadership Scholarship, without which I wouldn’t be here. My time here has been defined by amazing people who inspire me every day. Together we have worked on initiatives aimed at making Cambridge a more accessible, impactful, and socially aware community.”

She added: “Concluding my time at Cambridge by receiving the Vice-Chancellor’s Social Impact Award is such an honour. The friends I have made, worked with, and got to know over these years have been not only the highlight of my time here, but also central in every action that has led to me being nominated for this award. Even after graduation, I hope to encourage more African undergraduates to apply to Cambridge. I believe everyone should have the chance to become a part of Cambridge and experience the opportunities to make an impact that come with it!”

Read Areeg’s comments in full. 

Tse Uweja is a third-year Manufacturing Engineering student at St Catharine’s College. She is a powerhouse of innovation and creativity, having worked tirelessly for social and climate justice during her time at Cambridge. In addition to holding liberation roles on multiple committees, she has founded and spearheaded countless other initiatives. An example of this is Cascade – 'a student start-up harnessing the power of individual action to tackle the climate crisis and create a more sustainable world'. Tse says Cascade's unique approach involves translating leading climate research into practical steps that individuals can take to make a real impact. Behavioural science is used to understand the ways in which Cascade's 60-strong international team can consistently engage everyday individuals, as changing habits is hard. This information is then converted into innovative app features that provide a tailored experience, giving specific suggestions, tracking progress, and building a community for users. 

Tse said: “Growing up surrounded by a diversity of cultures has allowed me to appreciate the integral role of design and engineering in solutions for global sustainable development, as well as the importance of diverse thinking and inclusive leadership in problem solving; university has been a great way to dive into and explore this more.”

She added: “Through my roles as a JCR BME Officer and the CUES Diversity Officer, I have had the opportunity to run events and develop schemes to support students from underrepresented backgrounds feel more confident in the university space. Volunteering with Target Oxbridge (the reason that I applied to Cambridge) as well as with CAMBassadors at BME Access Events, revealed to me that many students are discouraged from applying to Cambridge as they don’t think it’s for people like them. To address this, I set up aim to demystify what it is like to be from an underrepresented ethnic group at the University of Cambridge and thereby encourage more students to confidently apply to the University.”

Read Tse’s comments in full.

Charlie Barty-King is a Wolfson College PhD student in Engineering, with extensive and varied experience across STEM, hospitality and social sectors. Valuing kindness, honesty and being a net positive to those around him, Charlie has contributed energetically to his students’ association and more recently in the founding of the open access Green Society of Wolfson College and the launch of the College’s Sustainability and Conservation Research Hub. He holds a Masters in Chemistry and in Research (Ultra Precision), studies next-generation sustainable materials and holds an NUS Green Impact Challenge Student Leadership Award.

Charlie said: “I’m incredibly flattered to be nominated for this award, not to mention receiving it! Thank you. However, through all my efforts there are and have been many amazing people who have supported me along the way. To them I am deeply grateful for making me excited and hopeful for the future.”

He added: “The projects I’ve been involved with and continue to be involved with are numerous, varied and always, for me, stimulating. I have set up the Green Society of Wolfson College and Green Talks lecture series; engaged the extended Wolfson community in College activities; provided continuity of thinking to the student association, new students and new staff alike; and given impetus to countless events, plans and ideas, not necessarily my own. The hardest part of most things is often starting. Therefore, if you can make the start easier for those around you, you’ll immediately have more impact.”

Read Charlie’s comments in full.

A spokesperson for Cambridge Hub said: “We have been amazed by the dedication and resilience of the students at the University of Cambridge who, throughout these challenging times, stayed committed to achieving outstanding social impact. All the nominees should be incredibly proud of their exceptional achievements and we would like to thank everyone who participated in this process.”