Latest news from º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ

8 Aug 2013

Former student crowned graduate of the year

Caleb Meakins

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Civil Engineering graduate, Caleb Meakins, has been named “Graduate of the Year” for 2013 in a competition run by UK Job sites Adzuna & Milkround.

The competition set out to find Britain’s brightest and best academics, artists, entrepreneurs, sportspeople and social contributors. Caleb beat off thousands of entrants from over 100 UK universities to win the title following a public vote.

He was nominated for his “My 40 days” campaign. The idea behind was to undertake and document 40 challenges submitted by the public deemed ‘impossible to achieve’. The was to shape the way Caleb dealt with failure and to inspire optimism amongst graduates across the country, showing failing can be a valuable experience.

Caleb graduated from the University in 2012 and is currently employed as a Global Poverty Ambassador at the Global Poverty Project. During his time at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Caleb won one of the University’s Think Big awards which celebrate student enterprise.  

On hearing he had won Caleb said:

“I am delighted to have won. I never thought I'd be in with a chance of winning but one thing the 'My 40 Days' project has taught me is - if you don't try you don't get, hence my new motto - 'He Who Dares Wins'. It's paid off! I have been overwhelmed by the support I have received, especially through social media.”

Andrew Hunter, Co-founder of Adzuna said: “Competition among graduates is tougher than ever for university leavers, with over 50 graduates fighting it out for every job. It’s great to see exceptional talent like Caleb carving his own path, inspiring other graduates and thinking in an entrepreneurial way. It’s young talent like this who we are proud to be supporting straight out of the blocks. ”

Alex Sydney, Head of Marketing at Milkround said: “We were blown away by the talent this year and the whole initiative has been a real testament to the hard-work from all the finalists. Caleb’s entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm really shone out. I have no doubt this is the first of many achievements for him and he’ll continue to inspire the next generation of graduates.”

The University’s Pro Vice Chancellor for Enterprise, Professor Steve Rothberg commented: “I am delighted that Caleb’s entrepreneurial drive and enthusiasm has been recognised with this award. We also recognised Caleb’s talents in 2012 when he won the Social Enterprise award in our Business Ideas competition. I wish him all the success for the future.”

As winner Caleb will receive a cash prize as well as an internship with one of Britain’s top companies and a CV clinic with a top UK entrepreneur.

−ENDS−

Notes for editors

Article reference number: PR 13/156

  1. Adzuna.co.uk is a search engine for classified ads used by over 2.5 million visitors per month which makes it easier to find the right job, property or car.  Adzuna.co.uk was founded in 2011 by Andrew Hunter and Doug Monro, formerly of eBay, Gumtree, Qype and Zoopla and is backed by leading Venture Capital firms Passion Capital, The Accelerator Group and Index Ventures. For more information please contact Flora Lowther at flora@adzuna.com or 07921670478.
  2. Milkround.com is the UK’s leading graduate recruitment website, providing students and recent graduates with access to the latest internships, graduate jobs and schemes, as well as news and advice. The site unites quality students and graduates with leading employers through online recruitment advertising, direct emailing and brand management.

    Milkround has an exclusive database of more than 800,000 students and graduates maintained by a dedicated marketing team travelling the country's universities and attending graduate fairs as well as though other online and offline marketing initiatives. For more information please contact Laura Smith at laura.smith@milkround.com
  3. º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

    It was awarded the coveted Sunday Times University of the Year 2008-09 title, and is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in national newspaper league tables. It has been voted England's Best Student Experience for six years running in the Times Higher Education league, and in recognition of its contribution to the sector, the University has been awarded six Queen's Anniversary Prizes.

    It is a member of the 1994 Group of 11 leading research-intensive universities. The Group was established in 1994 to promote excellence in university research and teaching. Each member undertakes diverse and high-quality research, while ensuring excellent levels of teaching and student experience.

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