Why it matters: The awards celebrate graduates who have gone on to excel in their careers and make significant contributions to society, with plaques to be installed on campus to inspire current and future students.
The details: Professor Jenny Higham, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Suffolk, presented plaques to John Ferguson, Chris Filip, Rose Hazell-Evans, Holly Le Winton, Jack Shaw, and Sammi Wong at Tuesday evening's ceremony.
The awards were chosen by a judging panel of university staff using criteria, including remarkable demonstration of compassion, kindness, and heroism; outstanding contribution to education, culture or economic wellbeing; and significant impact on the university's reputation.
The winners
John Ferguson (MA Fine and Studio Arts, Class of 2018) is a world-renowned, award-winning photographer whose work spans more than 60 countries, capturing everything from conflict zones to rural isolation. His Black Brittania project, profiling 50 black British pioneers, was acquired by the National Portrait Gallery.
Chris Filip (BA Games Design, Class of 2014) came from a working-class family in Romania as the first from his family to attend university. He received The Game Awards Future Class accolade in 2023, publicly acknowledging the University of Suffolk as a centre of excellence in games design, and founded Games Anglia Community Interest Company to foster the gaming industry in the East of England.
Rose Hazell-Evans (BSc Diagnostic Radiography, Class of 2015) serves as a Consultant Radiographer and Nuclear Medicine Service Manager at West Suffolk Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. In 2024, she became only the second person ever to be awarded the title of Consultant in Nuclear Medicine.
Holly Le Winton (BSc Sport and Exercise Science, Class of 2020) works as a Senior Clinical Respiratory Physiologist at NHS Papworth, creating opportunities for University of Suffolk students to gain hands-on experience in respiratory and cardiac physiology.
Jack Shaw (BA History, Class of 2014) was nominated for his outstanding contribution to public policy, with over a decade of experience in local government, including roles at the Local Government Association and UK Parliament, focusing on regional economics, devolution, and industrial policy.
Sammi Wong (BA Graphic Design, Class of 2023) won the prestigious World Illustration Award 2024 in the New Talent category. Her award-winning project has been reproduced on a monumental scale on the RW Paul's silo building on Ipswich Waterfront.
What they're saying: Professor Higham said: "When students graduate from the University of Suffolk, their journey does not end there, so it is a great privilege to recognise and celebrate the achievements of our alumni as they go on to excel in their chosen career paths."
Kate Burgess, the University's Alumni Relations and Development Manager, added: "We see students thrive when they study with us here at the University of Suffol,k and to continue to follow their paths after graduation is a huge honour for us."
The bottom line: The Suffolk Salutes awards celebrate University of Suffolk alumni who have made their mark in the world, from capturing global stories through photography to advancing healthcare and creative industries in Suffolk and beyond.
