Staff and Student Success at HISA Awards 2021

Perth College UHI staff and students recognised in HISA Awards 2021

see full size image
HISA Awards 2021

Perth staff and students were praised and given positive feedback in the annual 2021 HISA Awards. The student-led teaching awards give students the chance to thank staff and fellow students who have inspired and supported them.

Run by the university and the Highlands and Islands Students' Association (HISA), awards are available for academic staff, support staff and students, with a student judging panel deciding the winners.

You can see our Winners, Highly Commended and Nominations below, along with the positive student nomination quotes. Congratulations to all those recognised - and thanks to our students for taking the time to enter nominations. The comments have been especially encouraging to our staff during this challenging period.

Winners

Best Assessment Feedback: Craig MacLeod

He’s really dedicated when marking our work and gives us the most feedback he can while also making it easy for us to understand.

Best Personal Academic / Learning Support: Debbie Corbett

I have had the incredible pleasure of having Debbie as my very first PAT in 2017, and that first interview changed my life, she saw me and knew I would need a lot of support, and she gave it in abundance. That is who she is, a wee guardian angel for those of us who will struggle during our academic studies, and she sees it and is right there with a friendly smile.

Most Inspiring Student - The Students' Choice: Jamie McCarry

Jamie’s main goal when they took over LitSoc was to reduce feelings of isolation for students at UHI and they have certainly achieved this.

HISA Society of the Year: UHI Literature Society

LitSoc is a place for everyone and where all voices are heard and given equal weighting. You need only look to the variety of writers and artists published in the literary magazine to see that. 

 

Highly Commended

Above and Beyond - Staff Award: Claire Taylor

Endless support and weekly check in/lectures. She has tailored this year for us, providing extra sessions or lessons when needed.

Best Personal Academic / Learning Support: Claire Taylor

Always encouraging, helpful, and available to deal with any situation or concern. Knowing that i have such a great PAT, my student journey is much easier.

Best Research or Dissertation Supervisor: Colleen Maclean

She builds my confidence and is personable so I feel I can be open and honest when my life / study balance isn’t working.

Most Inspiring Lecturer: Debbie Corbett

Debbie has been great this whole academic year and has really supported me and been so helpful.

Best Research or Dissertation Supervisor: Eleanor Brown

I'd like to thank her for giving me her time, her endless reading of the same topic repeatedly and the fact she made me feel supported from many miles away on a Scottish Island. Thank you Eleanor.

Best Support Staff (Non-Teaching): Jill Whitfield

She was not only a brilliant counsellor who gave me the advice, help and support I didn’t know I needed but also took a genuine interest in my life outside of my mental health.

Best Personal Academic / Learning Support: Kyle Smith

Kyle has helped me with a wide variety of issues from changing my name in UHI Records to being by my side throughout a long, messy issue with a lecturer.

Best Assessment Feedback: Laura Kelly

As well as praising for good work, she is very good at explaining what went wrong. Her feedback has been strong and consistent throughout the course and I found it exceptionally helpful as my course is all online.

Most Engaging Online Lecturer: Mei-Li Roberts

I think Mei-Li has really thought about the students' online experience and developed an excellent module.

HISA Society of the Year: Perth Archaeology and History Society

Since Covid the society has also run social events and support session for students not just in Perth but across the whole of UHI that has been very inclusive and beneficial in bringing people together at a time when we are all apart. 

Nominations

Most Engaging Online Lecturer: Albert Williamson

He made online classes feel just like in person ones and made attending class more fun and interactive than just sitting listening to an online lecture.

Best Class Representative: Amber Thornley

As class rep she is so informative and is an excellent listener which is key.

Above and Beyond - Student Award: Amelia McRae

She makes sure everyone is on the same page with work and no body feels left out.

Above and Beyond - Student Award: Andrew Duncan

When I started here i was part time and found it difficult to find like minded people. This club is a great idea and I am really looking forward to it growing in 2021.

Most Inspiring Student - The Students' Choice: Amelia McRae

She has helped me do so much and get through loads.

Best Personal Academic / Learning Support: Angela Barrie

Angela has been nothing but supportive for the past 3 years and always makes time for catch ups.

Best Support Staff (Non-Teaching): Annie Loftus

Annie has supported me and been there for me since I started seeing her.

Above and Beyond - Student Award: Audrey Steele

She is always around for anyone in need and would drop things at a moments notice for anyone

Above and Beyond - Student Award: Brooke Russell

This person is very relatable, she understands my issues and helps.

Most Engaging Online Lecturer: Claire Taylor

Claires weekly tutorials have been amazing and really engaging.

Most Inspiring Lecturer: Claire Taylor

She always goes above and beyond to answer questions and she gives brilliant, detailed feedback.

 Most Inspiring Lecturer: Colleen Maclean

Colleen is super helpful and inspiring on the discussion boards, always lots of replies from her. Colleen also marked some of my essays and I found her feedback to be kind, positive and incredibly helpful.

Best Personal Academic / Learning Support: Domini Grant

She inspired me look around and to be mindful. She is very optimistic person and her optimism is trasferring to her students.

Most Engaging Video Conference Lecturer: Elinor Moses

She has been an amazing lecturer who has always tried her best to make lectures interesting for us and has overall been a very lovely person in all the video classes.

Most Inspiring Lecturer: Elinor Moses

She is also very prompt at giving assessment feedback as it was even released a day early! She has made me want to pick the criminology module next year.

 Above and Beyond - Staff Award: Ellen McNeil

Ellen will always make sure we understand what we are working on even if it means putting in more hours.

Most Engaging Online Lecturer: Ellen McNeil

Ellen has engaged the most out of all of our lecturers and has kept us right through out our time being off, she has been extremely helpful and supportive.

Most Inspiring Lecturer: Ellen McNeil

I would like to nominate this person because she's very inspiring and helps me with a lot of my work and is always there if someone is ever needing help or is worried about the course or college.

Most Inspiring Lecturer: Gavin Cooper

Gavin Cooper has been an outstanding lecturer and PAT to me for the past four years! Always has been great at helping, motivating, reassuring, and understanding towards me and other students and peers.

Most Inspiring Student - The Students' Choice: Heidi Ballantyne

In these challenging times she really shone amidst her own challenges but has gone above and beyond to ensure that me and our friends in class were getting on well, not only on the course but in life too.

Most Inspiring Lecturer: Irene Lawrie

Irene has been an outstanding lecturer to our HNC Social Services course. It’s been such a difficult year for all on the course with the uncertainty of the coronavirus

Most Engaging Online Lecturer: Jen Austin 

By far the most engaging lecturer, keeping us on our feet and helping us learn in an interesting and interactive way. I can positively say that I have learned so many through the way Jen chooses to teach.

Best Class Representative: Jorja Haldenby

She is very informative and if you are ever needing questions answered she is always there. She's always there as a friend too.

Most Inspiring Student - The Students' Choice: Katarzyna Cwikla

Working in a group with her is a pleasure, she is often chosen a leader.

Most Inspiring Lecturer: Kevin Murray

He pushed us all to continue working the same way we would’ve done last year and it helped to motivate us to get our work done and keep going.

Most Engaging Video Conference Lecturer: Kirsty Moran

Kirsty made a potentially dry subject interesting and relevant - excellent at explanations and made time to answer queries outwith classes. Really engaging!

Most Inspiring Lecturer: Kyle Smith

I am inspired by Kyle`s positive attitude, his understanding and his natural talent of making student feel at ease.

Best Personal Academic / Learning Support: Lada Wilson

A PAT session with Lada is always a joy, she never made me feel bad for falling behind due to my health and also always made sure that the person was okay, not just the student.

Most Engaging Video Conference Lecturer: Laura Kelly

Laura made a potentially dry subject interesting and relevant.

Most Inspiring Student - The Students' Choice: Leah Lowe

This person  has  helped me way more than the anyone  she is caring and welcoming and just helps when I ask.

Most Inspiring Lecturer: Lisa Dods

Lisa is always there to help us with anything that might worry us. She is easy to find and always replies back quickly. She is supportive and enthusiastic, wearing a big smile every time she teaches us.

Best Support Staff (Non-Teaching): Maria Ramirez Jimenez

Maria is always happy to help and she is kind and very polite.

Best Personal Academic / Learning Support: Neil Mugg:

Neil is a great PAT, very committed and always keen to help.

Best Research or Dissertation Supervisor: Ollie James

Ollie James has been a very helpful, encouraging and understanding Dissertation Supervisor. Their level of knowledge within research has definitely been invaluable!

Most Inspiring Lecturer: Sarah Turnbull

She is helpful and gives good feedback on assessments. It's been an absolute pleasure to attend her class.

Best Class Representative: Thomas Humphreys

Tom always goes above and beyond to ensure that the class opinions are heard and that we get the answers to all of our queries.

Best Support Staff (Non-Teaching): Zoe Powel Martin

Zoe , though her kindness and understanding,  helped me to realise my potential, and showed empathy throughout the process.