Trinity Prizes 2026: Community Building, Academic Excellence, and Sporting Success

Every Trinity Term we recognise the achievement and dedication of students and tutors who, throughout the year, have shown remarkable merit in their academic work, sporting endeavours, leadership, contributions to College life, and more. Read below about the individuals recognised with a range of awards this year.

Academic Excellence and Community Building Award 2026

This award is given to final year students to celebrate those who have made an outstanding contribution to academic life in College, but have also engaged with the wider community in Oxford and beyond.

Sophia Chrysanthou (2023, History)

Sophia’s commitment to her role as historian and the JCR’s Academic Rep was recognised by her tutor Dr Catherine Jenkinson. 

“Sophia has shown time and time again over the last few years what an excellent and committed student she is. She works hard and her brilliance shines through all her essays. She is thoughtful and considerate, organised and attentive to detail. She was also the Academic Rep in the JCR, where she worked on behalf of her community. She is a first-class historian who will excel in whatever she does in her future.” – Catherine Jenkinson

George Charman (2023, History)

George is an all-rounder who has been recognised by his tutor Dr Catherine Jenkinson for his commitment both to the study of history and his role as organ scholar. 

“As organ scholar, he is reliable and conscientious, organised and thoughtful. As an historian, he is committed to the study of the history of the twentieth century and war. He works hard, spins many different plates, and always contributes thoughtfully to tutorial discussions. He will really be missed at Pembroke.” – Catherine Jenkinson

Will Fahie (2022, Physics)

Will has not only received excellent marks throughout his degree, in courses ranging from Electromagnetism to Fluid Dynamics, putting him on track for a First-Class degree, he has also distinguished himself in a range of activities beyond College. From raising £1000 for Children with Cancer UK by running the London Marathon to serving as the President of the Oxford University Amateur Boxing Club and developing Varsify Media to promote UK university sports, Will has been recognised by his tutor Tim Woollings for his commitment to community building. 

Josef Vacha (2022, Physics and Philosophy) 

Josef’s tutors, Professor Tim Woollings and Professor James Read, nominated him for his outstanding academic performance, including his early start to research publishing during his astrophysics internships. He was also commended for his commitment to the College physics community and societies including PCBC and the University’s Czech and Slovak Society. 

Master’s Scholars

Nominated by peers and tutors, students receive this award in recognition of their outstanding leadership. 

Deep Thakkar receiving his prize from the Master

Joseph Colton (2024, Economics and Management)

Joseph was nominated by the JCR President, Rishi Narla, for his valuable contributions in his roles as JCR Vice President and Boat Club Secretary, as well as in leadership positions outside College.

“It quickly became the case that many aspects of the JCR and college life would function much worse if he had not taken on the mantle of running them,” shared Rishi. “It is clear to me that he will go incredibly far in whatever endeavour he chooses, both due to his natural gifts in leadership and operational management, but also his outstanding people skills and emotional intelligence.”

Deep Thakkar (2024, Biology)

Deep was nominated by his tutor, Professor Rebecca Mosher, for the leadership he demonstrates in his various outreach efforts and commitment to empowering others and building the next generation of leaders.

“What I particularly admire about Deep’s leadership,” shared Professor Mosher, “is his focus on outreach, empowering others, and building the next generation of leaders…Last summer he researched how the University could improve its outreach and access programmes by including character development. This summer he will head to Memphis, Tennessee to design and deliver after-school biology programmes that support students from marginalised communities.”

George Charman (2023, History)

George, Pembroke’s Organ Scholar, was nominated by the Music Director, Mark Wilson, and the Chaplain, Dr Andrew Teal, for his dedication to the development of music at Pembroke in the Chapel and Choir and beyond.

“George has been an outstanding organ scholar and the kind of addition to this Music department that likely hasn't been seen for decades.”- Mark Wilson

“George has a national and indeed international reputation for organ scholarship and performance, he has brought this expertise and experience to his role here in the development of music.”- Andrew Teal

Hanin Hassan (2022, Arabic with Persian)

Hanin was nominated by her tutor, Professor Fitzroy Morrissey, in recognition of her work promoting the study of Arabic among school-age pupils from underprivileged backgrounds in Oxford.

“These classes are mainly taken by Syrian refugees who have had little formal schooling, having grown up in refugee camps as a result of the war in Syria…Through these efforts, I believe she could play an important role in promoting integration and community cohesion,” shared Professor Morrissey.

Hannah Wiseman (2024, Experimental Psychology)

Hannah was nominated by Neil Unsworth and Anjali Sarker from the Future Leaders Programme. 

Hannah shares: “The Future Leaders Programme has been one of the most meaningful and formative experiences during my time at Oxford. It has given me an insight I was not quite expecting: not just about what leadership is and what kind of leader I could be, but the workshops and self-reflections have shown me that my creativity, compassion and empathy (my top three character traits from the initial assessments) are not just parts of my character but are central to my strengths and potential as a leader. This realisation has been both empowering and humbling. I have thoroughly enjoyed the programme, throwing myself into every aspect of it and my confidence has definitely grown.”

Lucy Rodgerson (2023, Jurisprudence) and Isabela Linares Uscher (2024, MPhil Development Studies)

Lucy and Isabela, former JCR and MCR Presidents respectively, have been recognised for their leadership skills and commitment to serving the student community.

David Ng (2022, Engineering Science)

David has been recognised for his continued excellence in sport, helping to lead Oxford University’s golf team to victory at this year’s Varsity match as well as taking on the challenging role of coxing PCBC’s W1 during Summer VIIIs. 

Technos International Prize

Presented annually to a student who has demonstrated outstanding academic performance and commitment to the cause of international understanding, this prize is part of Pembroke’s on-going relationship with Technos College in Japan and the Tanaka Memorial Foundation. A reciprocal award (The Pembroke Prize) is given to a Technos College student each year.

Nyari receiving the Technos Prize from the Master

Niyanta (Nyari) Barot (2023, Theology and Religion)

Nyari was nominated for the prize by her tutor, Professor Justin Jones.

“Her Thesis, an ethnographic study of murtis (statues) and the perception of spiritual presence within them among worshippers in temples in Gujarat, was a particularly courageous undertaking, both due to its interdisciplinary and multilingual approach, and the complexities of conducting the research. After her fieldwork in India, Nyari was invited to provide an international understanding of how sacred relics and sculptures should be displayed in the British Museum’s ‘Ancient India and Living Traditions’ exhibit.” – Professor Justin Jones

Teaching Excellence Awards

Students also have the opportunity to show their gratitude to their tutors by nominating them for the Teaching Excellence Awards. 

Dr Rebekah White and student Hannah Wiseman

Humeyra Biricik (Doctoral Candidate in Politics)

Humeyra was nominated by her students not only for encouraging them to explore their interests beyond the demands of their reading lists, but also for her dedication to making tutorials a rewarding experience:

“Humeyra went above and beyond as a tutor to ensure that our tutorials were an excellent experience, from taking us to the Ashmolean to extending our tutorial beyond 5 hours to ensure that we understood the material. She puts her students’ learning experience above all else. Moreover, she helped foster my interest in Middle East Politics beyond merely an institutional-level explanation and exposed me to political economy theories, historical perspectives, and feminist approaches to Middle East Politics. Her dedication has been unmatched, and I want to see her recognised for her efforts.”

Dr Emily Brady (Departmental Lecturer in American History)

Emily’s students were grateful for her encouragement and support with their academic progress:

“Emily is excellent at allowing our interests guide our learning/essay/tutorial for the week, and always provides us with feedback that highlights not only areas for improvement, but areas that have gone well. She has been one of the best tutors I have had in my two years here and thoroughly deserves recognition for it.”

Dr Catherine Jenkinson (College Lecturer in History and Julian Schild JRF)

Catherine’s student shared: “Catherine has made my History course seem a lot less intimidating than it originally did with the amazing support she has provided. She always acts from a point of compassion and understanding encouraging a welcoming space for learning and further thinking. I always look forward to tutorials led by Catherine as she ensures they are student focused, in a way that pushes personal critical engagement rather than just being told what to think.”

Dr Madeleine Forey (Stipendiary Lecturer in English)

“I feel so privileged to get to be taught by Madeleine and discuss topics which are of such interest to me,” shared one of her students. “She is encouraging and honest and always illuminates the best part of my essay to be explored further, meaning each time I leave her tutorial I know how I would rewrite my essay and, more importantly, I leave wanting to rewrite my essay after such a rich discussion. She is a brilliant tutor!”

Dr Craig Holmes (The Helena and Simon Chow Stipendiary Lecturer in Economics)

One of Craigs’ students commented: “Craig is a fantastic tutor because he makes his tutorials genuinely engaging and worth attending. He explains things in a way that is clear and easy to follow, but he also makes the sessions feel interactive rather than just like a lecture or being spoken at. I always felt that he was approachable and willing to support students when we needed help, which made a real difference to my confidence. He clearly cares about his students’ progress.”

Nick Horsewood (Stipendiary Lecturer in Economics)

“Nick has been incredibly helpful both throughout Money and Banking and organising revision tutorials, ensuring that we all feel comfortable with the content and how it will be examined as Finals draw closer,” shared a student.

Katerina Jennings (DPhil Candidate in Philosophy)

“Fun and engaging tutorials, and really made an effort to help us understand the topic thoroughly. She also gave me a lot of help outside of tutorials; she was super willing to give feedback on an essay I wrote for a competition. Really helpful tutor and lovely person overall,” shared one of her students.

Dr Rebekah White (Stipendiary Lecturer in Experimental Psychology) 

Rebekah was nominated by her students for her positivity and dedication to her students:

“She has always prioritised us as students and it shows in her dedication and commitment, always showing up and making time for us. She is both an excellent tutor in the way she has taught us material and is also always super supportive and uplifting, particularly throughout the term when work piled up, or closer to exams when stress levels are high.”

Sarah Pellé (French lectrice)

“Sarah’s classes are interesting and engaging and she creates a comfortable environment for speaking French and making mistakes. The one-on-ones she provided for French interviews were invaluable and I feel that she is preparing us well for our year abroad!”

Dmitrii Petropavlovskikh (DPhil candidate in Organic Chemistry) 

“All round excellent tutor. Helps you understand the concepts required to challenge the problems we face,” shared one of his students. 

Sir Roger Bannister Scholarship and Bannister Award

In memory of Pembroke's former Master, Sir Roger Bannister, the Sir Roger Bannister Scholarship is given annually to students who display excellence in sporting and academic activities. 

Natalie Conboy (2024, Modern Languages)

Nat was praised by her tutor Professor Tim Farrant as “an excellent linguist, overall the best in her year, language and literature combined…She has made the most of the possibilities of the Oxford course for discovering and developing one’s own particular interests…I don’t usually give marks for tutorial work, but Nat’s is invariably of a high 2.1 or first-class standard, and it is never late or less than very good. And I would expect her to be very much in the running for a First. Such writers may seem to make (and do indeed make) strange bedfellows with Bannister, but Nat is very much the kind of student Sir Roger would have envisaged for his scholarship. Though a leader she is not in the least dominating, but very much a team player: very alive to and engaged with the other members of the squad, whether on the river or in a seminar, sensitive to their views and contributions and able to take others with her.” 

Sofia Finnemore Capon (2024, Medicine)

Sofia’s tutor Professor Fredrik Karpe recognised her as one of the “academically strongest students in the Medicine first year cohort,” placing 10th out of 150 in a Neuroscience exam. Sofia is also involved in a Global Burden of Disease research project creating AI-assisted cancer MDT tools alongside captaining Pembroke’s women’s football team.

Sportsperson of the Year

Rowing-extraordinaire and 2026 Boat Race winner, Annie Anezakis, was awarded Sportsperson of the Year. 

Annie Anezakis (2023, Graduate Entry Medicine)

“Over the last 12 months, Annie has achieved the extraordinarily rare feat of winning both the Varsity race and bumps headship and this is all testament to her motivation and sporting prowess. Annie has rowed in four Oxford-Cambridge Boat Races. This year she was one of eight women in the Blue Boat who won the Women's Boat Race. This seismic victory has broken a nine-year streak of defeats for the women's side and put them back on top again. In addition to this, Annie rowed in the PCBC 2025 Summer Eights campaign that saw the women claim the Head of the River (last won back in 2018). Her contributions to sport, representing both Pembroke and the wider University of Oxford in the field of rowing, are unparalleled and we feel there is no athlete more deserving of the Sports Personality of the Year Award.”

College Colour Awards

This award recognises outstanding achievement in college sport. This year’s recipients included: 

Felix Smyth (2022, Biology), Badminton

Sai Thokala (2023, Economics and Management), Badminton and Cricket

Blossom Okparocha (2023, Medicine), Basketball

Ed Harrison (2023, History and Economics), Basketball

Sam Bankole (2022, Jurisprudene), Basketball

Sebastian Torcassi (2022, Philosophy and Modern Languages), Basketball

Kush Mahawar (2023, Philosophy, Politics, and Economics), Cricket

Tom Griffin (2022, Biology), Cricket

Arthur van den Bergh (2025, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies), Croquet

Harrison Ramsey (2025, DPhil History), Croquet

Yash Bhatia (2024, Philosophy, Politics, and Economics), Croquet

Aisha Slater (2023, Economics and Management), Netball

Alexa O'Leary (2023, Economics and Management), Netball

Rebecca McCash (2022, Biology), Netball

David Ng (2022, Engineering Science), Men's Rowing

Edward Dunning (2023, Engineering Science), Men's Rowing

Josef Vacha (2022, Physics and Philosophy), Men's Rowing

Elizabeth Waters (2023, History), Women's Rowing

Emily Hall (2022, Biochemistry), Women's Rowing

Mali Wood (2023, Music), Women's Rowing

Nadezhda Polonsky (2023, Psychology and Linguistics), Women's Rowing

Casey Sopher (2024, Modern Languages), Rugby and Men's Football

Daisy Heintz (2024, Philosophy, Politics, and Economics), Rugby

Luca Bedford (2024, Engineering Science), Rugby

Claire Lupien (Visiting Student), Tennis

Milo Jones (2024, Biology), Tennis

Paul Kurgan (Visiting Student), Tennis

Hannah Wiseman (2024, Experimental Psychology), Women's Football

Isabela Linares (2024, MPhil Development Studies), Women's Football

Paula Tornila, (2023, Mathematics and Philosophy) Women's Football

Many congratulations to all our award winners on all their hard work and commitment to college life and beyond.