Oxford Brookes Business School celebrates student excellence

Oxford Brookes Business School (OBBS) hosted an awards ceremony on 21 June to celebrate this year’s Dean’s List which recognises students who have achieved excellence across the School’s undergraduate, postgraduate, Global MBA or PhD taught programmes.

The students on the Dean’s List demonstrated not only academic excellence but have also shown a commitment to the mission and vision of OBBS and the wider Guiding Principles of Oxford Brookes University.

In recognition of their efforts and contributions, OBBS Dean, Professor Tim Vorley OBE, hosted a special awards event that was also attended by Visiting Industrial Fellows and strategic partners. The recipients also received a certificate and personal reference from Professor Vorley, and joined an esteemed list of OBBS graduates.

Professor Tim Vorley commented: “It gives me a huge amount of pride and pleasure to recognise the achievements of our students at Oxford Brookes Business School. We created the Dean’s List to celebrate excellence and impact, and there are some exceptional individuals on the Dean’s List this year.”

Many of the Dean’s List recipients shared their thoughts on being recognised by their faculty.

Chirag Shrimali, (BSc (Hons) International Hospitality Management)

"It is an absolute pleasure to be selected for the Dean's List. I was very happy and delighted, and I feel more motivated to work hard in the future and to exceed expectations of others and my own. Throughout the current academic year I have been excelling in academics by achieving good grades, and contributing to the student experience at Oxford Brookes by serving as the President of Korean Hallyu Society and Head of Marketing of the Bacchus Society which involved organising a variety of events and ensuring the well being of the members. I also served as a student ambassador for Hospitality, student rep, as well as a student staff member of the induction team."

Becky Pollock (BA(Hons) Business and Management)

“I feel very honoured to be recognised for my hard work within the Oxford Brookes Business School, and very privileged to be recognised as someone who has improved the University experience for others. My time as a student rep enabled me to help make education more creative, accessible and supportive; my award winning ‘Women-Up Week’ campaign gave me the opportunity to empower students' professional development; and my role as the SU’s Independent Chair has allowed me to enact important change across Oxford Brookes. University has been a real page-turner, full of highs and lows, but this award is certainly a high I’m happy to close this chapter of my life on.”

Racheal Wilson (BA (Hons) Events Management)

“When I received the email informing me that I had made the Dean's List for OBBS 2023 I felt three things: Honoured - I was not expecting to be selected to receive this prestigious award, Excited - Who wouldn't be?!, and Proud - I felt proud of myself and all the hard work over the last four years at Oxford Brookes University. I also feel proud and grateful for everyone who was a part of my journey at Brookes. Whether it was the hard work of the Events and Social Media teams at Oxford Brookes Racing Formula Student Team who were suddenly brought together on a new path due to Covid-19; or the desire from my fellow peer group to help create an event (Escape The New Normal) that would best fit the needs of the current student cohort. Outside of these efforts, I also partnered with the Union to organise quiz nights, through which my cohort gained valuable learning experiences that they could bring into their assignments. Additionally, I received high praise from my placement employer and mentored other students through their initial placement process. All whilst achieving high marks across my module assessments. I could not be happier that I chose Oxford Brookes University to study at and believe that we both complemented and drew the best from each other.”

Arseniy Pushkin (BSc (Hons) International Hospitality Management)

"Being acknowledged with this prestigious award and joining a community of ambitious students is truly an extraordinary honor. Throughout my final year at Oxford Brookes, I wholeheartedly immersed myself in the vibrant academic and social fabric of the institution. The Dean's List recognition serves as a powerful validation of my unwavering dedication, tireless efforts, and relentless pursuit of academic excellence. It reinforces my belief in the value of hard work and inspires me to continue striving for greatness in whatever the future holds.

In my final year of studies, I dedicated myself to achieving first-class honours, pushing my intellectual boundaries and embracing the pursuit of knowledge. Additionally, as the president of the university's basketball club, I played a pivotal role in making it an integral part of student life and fostering a sense of community. As a club we also sought to make a positive difference by raising funds for those affected by earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Simultaneously, as the men's team captain, I helped my teammates improve and led the team to new heights. Moreover, I eagerly embraced the challenge of pitching my innovative business idea focused on reshaping the way people book travel holidays online in a university-supported start-up program, working closely with Brookes Enterprise."

Emily Bell (MSc International Business Management & Corporate Social Responsibility)

“For me, being selected for the Dean's List goes beyond academic accomplishment; it represents a profound commitment to my personal development. 

I wholeheartedly embraced the principles instilled by Oxford Brookes Business School throughout my academic journey. During my client project, I seized the opportunity to propose a charitable initiative that not only would be implemented but would also contribute to the betterment of the community. By addressing social and environmental issues, this initiative aims to raise awareness and make a tangible impact.”

Peter Stromberg (Global MBA)

“I am truly grateful for this recognition. The Dean's List serves as a reminder that dedication, perseverance, and a genuine passion for learning leads to recognition.

I initiated the capstone individual consultancy with an ambition. I wanted to give something back to the organisation that had sponsored me with the Global MBA. Something of long-term value for the business.

I wrote my final capstone project, a consultancy paper about strategic management. I interviewed 23 managers one-to-one and analysed primary data equal to a 570 page novel. Given a unique context and life-setting, data patterns were found which answered how competitiveness of the organisation may be sustained.”

Alice Horton (BA (Hons) Business Management and Geography)

“I feel extremely honoured and privileged to have been recognised for the Oxford Brookes Business School Dean's List. My commitment to my studies over the past four years along with the support of my tutors has made my university experience at Oxford Brookes very positive and extremely memorable.”

Meline Gueguen (MSc International Business Management & Finance)

"Having been selected marked the achievement of all the hard work I put into making Oxford Brookes University a place for ambitious and driven minds. Throughout the years, I worked hard and evolved into the best version of myself as a student, notably by engaging in multiple activities as part of my experience at Brookes. It was extremely rewarding, and I felt so grateful to be receiving external recognition for everything I undertook. Hard work always pays off.”

Fiza Akram (BSc (Hons) International Hospitality and Tourism Management)

"I feel privileged to have my social responsibility endeavours with Action Tutoring and Alternatives to Violence Project Britain recognized by Oxford Brookes University. The University's dedicated volunteering team has encouraged students to engage in similar impactful initiatives, and I am immensely grateful for their valuable guidance and support." 

Nathan Dana (BA (Hons) Business and Management)

“I am ecstatic and honoured to be part of such a prestigious award.

The research I conducted led to a set of factors that can aid in beginning to understand the complex influences of value creation in the digital age, between customers and banks, through their differentiated customer offerings. My work is applicable to both incumbent banks and entrant firms within the financial services sector.

My research explored how the implementation of AI technology has changed the way banks interact with customers and how this affects the level of value created from differentiated customer offerings. In other words, exploring the positive and/or negative impacts of AI features/applications as a portion of the customer offering and the implications on the level of value created for the customer as a result of their customer experience through an interpretivist philosophical mindset.” 

Kiran Kumar Mishra (MSc International Luxury Marketing)

“The Dean’s List is a major milestone for any student and being recognised on it is a proud moment for me and my family. 

From the very beginning of my time at Oxford Brookes University, my aspiration to attain this honour has been a driving force. I have worked with dedication and commitment to accomplish this milestone. The Dean’s List will forever remain a testimony of my time here and I feel proud to be a notable alumni from the university.”

Eesha Bakht (BA (Hons) Marketing Management)

“I’m honoured to have my efforts recognised by being selected for the Dean’s List. Some of the work I’ve done includes revitalising Pakistan society and organising events during lockdowns to amplify minority voices, raising funds for disaster survivors, and hosting mental health talks. I believe volunteering as a student representative and ambassador as well as achieving first-class honours also helped me get on the Dean’s List.”

Lukas Horch (BSc (Hons) International Hospitality and Tourism Management)

“Being chosen for the Dean’s List is an incredible milestone in my academic journey. To me, this achievement signifies that my efforts to excel academically and contribute meaningfully to my field have not gone unnoticed. The guidance provided by my professors has been invaluable. Their expertise, encouragement, and belief in my potential have played a significant role in my academic growth here at Oxford Brookes.”

Luke Noble (BA (Hons) Business and Management)

“I am extremely grateful to have been selected for the Dean's List.  I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Oxford Brookes and hugely appreciate all the support I have received whilst completing my degree.

Whilst at Oxford Brookes I volunteered to present my placement application journey to 2nd year students to help them land their own placement. 

Oxford Brookes always encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and explore new opportunities which led me to volunteer in South Africa over the summer after my placement, coaching sports in schools in disadvantaged communities.”