University alumni honoured with plaques at Suffolk Salutes awards

Six former students were honoured at this year’s Suffolk Salutes awards, a special event marking the achievements of the University of Suffolk’s alumni community.

The University hosted the second annual awards ceremony on Tuesday evening, bringing together six notable alumni to be honoured with plaques that will be installed on campus.

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.

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.

“The updates on their achievements, careers and future plans are an inspiration to our current and future students.”

The awards were chosen by a final judging panel made up of staff from across the University, who used several criteria to establish the winners.

The criteria included:

• Remarkable demonstration of compassion, kindness, and heroism
• Outstanding contribution to the education, cultural or economic wellbeing of society and/or the issues facing society today such as equality, diversity, and environmental stability
• Outstanding contribution to, and impact on, the university’s reputation and the wider life of the university community, such as through innovation or social responsibility.

Kate Burgess, the University of Suffolk’s Alumni Relations and Development Manager, said that celebrating alumni success was an important part of university life.

She added: “We see students thrive when they study with us here at the University of Suffolk and to continue to follow their paths after graduation is a huge honour for us.

“Our students have the support of the University of Suffolk long after they graduate, and we very much enjoy being part of their ongoing journey.”

This year’s Suffolk Salutes recipients are as follows:

John Ferguson – MA Fine Art, Class of 2018

John is a world-renowned, award-winning photographer who is a recognised figure in documentary, lifestyle, and portrait photography.

His powerful imagery in more than 60 countries has captured everything from conflict zones to rural isolation.

His landmark Black Brittania project, profiling 50 black British pioneers, was acquired by the National Portrait Gallery.

Chris Filip – BA (Hons) Games Design, Class of 2014

Chris came from a working-class family in Romania and was the first from his family to go to university.

During his time at the University of Suffolk he was a Student Ambassador and has since played a pivotal role in raising the University’s profile.

In 2023 he received The Game Awards Future Class accolade where he publicly acknowledged the University of Suffolk as a centre of excellence in games design.

He is the founder of Games Anglia Community Interest Company (CIC) which is dedicated to fostering and growing the gaming industry in the East of England.

Rose Hazell-Evans – BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography, Class of 2015

Rose currently serves as a Consultant Radiographer and Nuclear Medicine Service Manager at West Suffolk Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

In 2024 she achieved the significant milestone of becoming only the second person ever to be awarded the title of Consultant in Nuclear Medicine.

Born at West Suffolk Hospital, Rose has stayed close to her roots, dedicating her career to the very community that raised her.

Holly Le Winton – BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science, Class of 2020

Holly currently serves at Senior Clinical Respiratory Physiologist at NHS Papworth.

She plays a pivotal role in creating valuable opportunities for University of Suffolk students to gain hands-on experience in both respiratory and cardiac physiology.

Thanks to her continued efforts, a growing number of the University’s Sport and Exercise Science graduates have successfully begun careers in clinical physiology at both Papworth and Addenbrooke’s hospitals.

Jack Shaw – BA (Hons) History, Class of 2014

Jack was nominated for his outstanding contribution to public policy and his continued advocacy of the University of Suffolk.

With a deep focus on regional economics, devolution, and industrial policy, Jack’s career has been dedicated to shaping policies that not only drive growth but also ensure they are practically implemented to serve communities effectively.

He is a distinguished policy expert with over a decade of experience in local government, including roles at the Local Government Association and the UK Parliament.

Sammi Wong – BA (Hons) Graphic Design, Class of 2023

Sammi was awarded the prestigious World Illustration Award 2024 in the New Talent category.

Her award-winning project, created in collaboration with key Ipswich organisations, has been reproduced on a monumental scale on the side of the RW Paul’s silo building on Ipswich Waterfront, and features a creative take on key Ipswich landmarks.

Her creative work has enhanced the visibility of both the town and the University.

To find out more about Suffolk Salutes, visit the website here.