View the shortlists from previous years:
Alumni Volunteer Awards
For the seventh year, our Alumni Volunteer Awards once again celebrate all of our amazing volunteers and say thank you to those exceptional individuals who do so much to support us all. We are calling on our students, staff and alumni to nominate alumni who deserve recognition for going the extra mile. These can be individuals who have provided exceptional support to the alumni community, and those who have given their time and expertise to support students at Exeter.
Thank you all for nominating your exceptional alumni volunteers in 2024. Our judging panel (made up of alumni, student and staff representatives) have met to choose this year's
winners and as part of National Volunteers’ Week celebrations (1-7 June) we're delighted to announce the alumni who have received awards, as well as share our runners up.
The 2024 runners up for the Nicholas Bull Award for the Exceptional Support of the Alumni Community are George Pakos (MSc International Management, 2004) and Jeremy Budd (Geography, 1985). Then the 2024 runners up for the Debbie Hill Award for the Exceptional Support of Students are: Sam Ellis (MA English Studies, 2010), Jessica Whittick (LLB Law (European), 2017, and LLM Law, 2018) and Rob Walker (English and Drama, 1997). A huge congratulations to you all. 2024 Winners
You can view shortlisted alumni and winners from previous years on the tabs on the right-hand side of this page.
These awards are named in honour of two long-standing alumni volunteers, formally recognising the commitment and support that they have given us over many years.
The Debbie Hill Award for exceptional support of students
Named in honour of Debbie Coulson (née Hill) (Drama, 2006), People Transformation Lead at Marie Curie, in recognition of her invaluable advice and guidance on the development of our alumni volunteering programme. Her advice and guidance have ensured that our alumni volunteers are engaged in meaningful, satisfying activities and are recognized and celebrated for their incredible work.
This award celebrates individual alumni volunteers who give their time and expertise to provide exceptional support to our students. Volunteers who:
- Go above and beyond in their support for Exeter students
- Inspire our students with their passion and commitment
- Provide invaluable advice and guidance, making an outstanding contribution to our students’ success
This could be in the form of career mentoring for students, taking part in mock interviews, giving a course specific talk to students, supporting a Guild society activity etc.
The Nicholas Bull Award for exceptional support of the alumni community
Nicholas Bull (Chemistry, 1973) has been volunteering his time and expertise for the University of Exeter for two decades. Over the years, he has taken on a wide variety of roles and activities to support our staff, students and his fellow alumni. As a former member of the Alumni Network Group for 10 years, former Chair of the university’s first Fundraising Campaign Board, and former independent member of Council, he has worked tirelessly to ensure that the alumni voice is represented across the university.
This award celebrates individual alumni volunteers who give their time and expertise to support our alumni community, both in the UK and internationally. Volunteers who:
- Go above and beyond in their support of their fellow alumni
- Inspire fellow alumni with their passion and commitment to Exeter’s lifelong community
- Make a significant contribution to our flourishing alumni community, either regionally or internationally
This could be fellow alumni who organise alumni events and activities, work on alumni committees, etc.