The winners of the Westminster Alumni Awards (WAA) 2024 have been announced. The Awards recognise the achievements of graduates from the University of Westminster, its predecessors, the Polytechnic of Central London and Regent Street Polytechnic, and the Transnational Education partner institutions. The awards highlight the variety of ways Westminster graduates make a real impact across the globe.
In 2024, more than 270 submissions were received for the WAA. Colleagues from across the University helped with shortlisting, leading to four finalists being selected in each category. Almost 3,500 people from around the world then took part in the public vote, which closed on 21 July, and six winners were selected.
The winner of the Contribution to the Creative Industries Award, which honours graduates who have demonstrated excellence within the field of arts and culture, is Supriya Sobti Gupta, who graduated from Television Production BA Honours in 2005. She is currently the founder of MOW Productions, a production company that focuses on stories that entertain, inspire and promote public interest journalism. Documentaries she has produced include a true crime sports documentary titled Caught Out: Crime. Corruption. Cricket.
Maria Sheherlis, a 2014 graduate from Westminster’s Contemporary Media Practice BA Honours course, has won the Entrepreneurial Award. She is the Founder of Pilot Poet Talent Agency, which has placed actors for major film, television and theatre productions. This award celebrates alumni with ground-breaking entrepreneurial endeavours.
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognises graduates for their ongoing and significant contribution over the years, at any stage of their life. This award went to Allyson Ingrid Williams MBE, a Windrush veteran, Notting Hill Carnival pioneer and writer who made a significant contribution to London midwifery. Allyson studied Healthcare Management BA Honours and graduated in 1996.
Aasya Ismail, a 2015 graduate of International Relations and Democratic Politics MA, won the Outstanding Achievement Award, which celebrates notable personal or professional success. She is a Human Rights Lawyer known for defending women and girls, members of religious minorities and members of the media in Pakistan.
The winner of the Recent Graduate Award went to Camila Gaspar Quinonez, a Scientist who focuses on climate research. She is also the co-founder of the conservation initiative, the Atlantic Forest Association. Camila received her Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry BSc Honours in 2016 and her PhD in Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy in 2021. This award honours recent graduates who have achieved something extraordinary within just three years of leaving Westminster.
Lastly, the Social Impact Award, which celebrates alumni who have made a positive contribution to others' lives, was awarded to Askia Warne. He completed his degree in European Legal Studies LLB in 2018 and is now the Founder of CAD-HR, an organisation that promotes community development, supports migrant communities and protects human rights.
Find out more about the 2024 finalists of the Westminster Alumni Awards.
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