It is hard to ignore the impact that the Spirit of Sussex Award is making on and off campus, with the numerous tote bags and water bottles that are being used by the student population. The award scheme, which aims to encourage students to take part in co-curricular activities, hosted several events this year including wellbeing workshops, LinkedIn workshops, Community Cafes and most notably their Festive Charity & Volunteering event. The event hosted different societies that are focused on giving back to the community and how students can get involved in these, such as the Language Café and Buddy Scheme. This event had over 30 attendees who showed their spirit and donated items to local charities!  

The award scheme is open to all students from the point of enrolment to their final year. Students participate and organise activities that earn them points towards a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award, which is then presented formally during Graduation ceremonies. The team’s presence was felt at the winter graduation in the Brighton Centre at the start of the year. Students and parents alike engaged with the team to find out more about the award scheme and collect certificate frames and merchandise as a thank you for their engagement and commitment to the Spirit of Sussex Award throughout their degree.  

Awardees had a few words to say about the impact of the award scheme on their student life and experience at the University of Sussex, including University of Sussex Alumni Mahima Mehra who received a Gold Award and graduated with a Masters in Poverty and Development. In her words, “the award made me realise everything big or small mattered and made a difference” which is what the award is all about!  

I joined the Spirit of Sussex Team in September and since then I have had the chance to explore different opportunities and meet so many incredible students and alumni. One of my most recent and memorable moments as part of the team was working during the winter graduation processions. In my experience, as a student it often feels like the odds are against you, trying to balance lab sessions, part-time work, being secretary of the Christian Union society, and BAME society and looking for a placement, but meeting the graduates was inspiring and I realised what I was working towards. Seeing the broad smiles on students' and parents' faces as they rushed by to the ceremony put everything into perspective. This is the moment we work and strive for!  

I had the opportunity to speak to many graduates who were awarded their Spirit of Sussex Award and many spoke of how it is the all-encompassing journey to graduation, academia and co-curricular projects, that you will look back on once it is all over.  

Students can log points for participating, helping to organise and lead activities in over 12 distinct categories. The activities cater to students by being centered around ventures that they are passionate about at different stages of their lives, including; entrepreneurship, sports, wellbeing, mentoring and professional development.

Find out more about the Spirit of Sussex Award.