Students honour outstanding staff

Students across Teesside University have chosen staff in teaching and support roles as winners of the annual STAR Awards.

The STAR Awards, run by Teesside University Students' Union, enables all students to nominate staff in eight categories to recognise them has having made the most exceptional contribution during 2014/15.

Categories include Outstanding Teaching, Unsung Support Staff Hero and Most Inspirational Staff Member. A shortlist is decided from the nominations by a panel of Student Officers and Student Reps from the Students’ Union who choose a winner. The names of the winners were revealed at a special ceremony in the Students’ Union.

Samantha Gooneratne, senior lecturer in chemical engineering in School of Science and Engineering, won the Outstanding Teaching accolade following a string of nominations from grateful students while Elaine Fryett, a senior business lecturer in the School of Social Sciences, Business & Law, won the SU On Tour Student Voice award in recognition of her commitment to listening to and acting on feedback from her students.

Fred Hutchinson, senior lecturer in accounting, continued a good night for the School of Social Sciences, Business & Law with the 21st Century Teaching Award celebrating his efforts to be an innovative and modern teacher.

Mark Freary, who lectures in technology enhanced learning in the School Of Arts & Media, collected the Fantastic Feedback Award for his efforts to provide students with timely and detailed feedback on their progress and the quality of their work.

The winning streak continued for the School of Arts & Media with Paul Bailey, senior lecturer in journalism, securing the Promoting Employability title in recognition of his efforts to help students improve their chances of gaining work in the often very competitive media industry.

Callum Anderson, a sports development officer with the University's Sport and Wellbeing team, was a very popular choice for the Unsung Hero Support Staff Award with many students nominating him in recognition of his exceptional efforts to ensure their trips and activities run smoothly.

Students were also given the chance to choose a member of Students’ Union staff they felt had provided exceptional support and service, with Student Activities Manager Chris Walton proving a popular recipient.

Stephen Murray, a senior lecturer in multimedia in the School of Computing, won Most Inspirational Staff Member with many of his students saying his engaging teaching style and lively personality had kept them motivated to succeed on their courses.

The event concluded with delighted staff from the School of Health & Social Care collecting the Most Nominated School award for the second year in a row.

Ryan Marshall, Education Officer, Teesside University Students’ Union, who organised and hosted the awards said: 'A massive well done to all the winners and nominees, so many of them said it means even more because it’s students and students only who choose them.

'Students rightly have very high expectations for the fees they pay to come to University but they're always very keen to honour staff they feel have been exceptional and really gone the extra mile for them, the STAR Awards is a wonderful way to do this and I hope it continues year in, year out.'

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Visit the Students' Union website for video and images from the awards ceremony