2023 Alumni Volunteer of the Year announced

Aryanisha Lawes (2008) is the winner of the 2023 Alumni Volunteer of the Year Award.

Aryanisha works as a leadership trainer and coach. She received the award for supporting the LEAP Programme, delivering pro-bono 1:1 coaching sessions to all the female students in the first LEAP cohort in January 2023, and a workshop for all students on life and career planning. She also offered her expertise in programme design and evaluation.

The LEAP (Leadership, Enterprise & Adventure at Pembroke) Programme is an exciting new programme launched in October 2022, which helps students kickstart their careers by developing their skills and confidence.

Aryanisha was unable to attend this year's Benefactors' Reception to collect the award in person but said, "I'm delighted to be awarded the Pembroke Alumni Volunteer of the Year Award in recognition of the support I provided to the College's LEAP Programme. I held 1:1 coaching sessions with a bunch of brilliant undergrads, ran an open workshop to a packed room on "Is life just a choice between happiness and money?", and offered up my brains for a thorough picking by the team.

"This means a huge amount to me, as my life was so completely changed by my own time in Pembroke. I know how challenging it can be to come from a non-traditional Oxbridge background and generally just try to make sense of being human."

Pembroke is fortunate to have many alumni who support it by offering their time and expertise. The Alumni Volunteer of the Year Award was set up in 2022 to recognise this and celebrate the dedication and impact of all they do for the College and its community.