The UTS Alumni Awards celebrate the extraordinary achievements of our graduates whose leadership and expertise are shaping industries, strengthening communities and driving positive change.

In 2026, we are delighted to honour seven graduates for their outstanding contributions and the impact they are making on the world. Watch their stories below.

UTS Alumni Awards with a background of purple and blue

I wrote the first and only book published in Australia on Indigenous procurement, to open doors and pave the way for Indigenous businesses.

For Boy Swallows Universe, people would say, from all these countries over the world, "This is telling my story."

AI changed everything for work and life. And I have a desire to help other people leverage it.

Every day, we hear from our millions of patients about the care that we're able to deliver them.

Real impact happens when teams come together and execute on the strategy with diligence with precision and creativity. 

Our work is advocating on behalf of gender equality. Working together to ensure that we lift the education levels of nations. That has a generational impact.

I studied the Bachelor of Information Technology.

Bachelor of Business and Communications.

Bachelor of Adult Education.

Bachelor of Business, majoring in Marketing.

Bachelor of Communications at UTS.

The change I wanted to make was to be something that I'd never seen: to be a successful Indigenous business owner. There was a freshness to the approach of the students, of the teachers, the willingness to learn in a group environment, in an entrepreneurial way.

What I gained most was confidence, that maybe otherwise I didn’t think that I had the right experience or skills.

It really gave me the ability to craft those stories that really can move people to action. It introduced the whole world to me. It was sort of the springboard for everything that I'm doing right now.

The classroom was only a fraction of what UTS had to offer. The network is something that’s truly powerful. That doesn't end once you graduate.

It helped me to have that creative and entrepreneurial thinking.

And now we bring opportunity and hopefully happiness for our team and staff.

UTS gave me the confidence to start. It really gave me a basis for the programs that we deliver.

UTS gave me the confidence to dream, to think deeply, to express and experience, to solve real-world problems.

UTS, I look back on it very fondly. And I don't think I would have been able to achieve anything I've done without that experience.

2026 UTS Alumni Award Winners

Vanessa Hudson

Bachelor of Business, 1991

UTS Chancellor’s Award for Excellence

Simone Clarke

Bachelor of Arts in Communications, 1988

UTS Alumni Award - Sustainability and Social Impact

Dylan Coyne

Bachelor of Information Technology, 2017

UTS Alumni Award - Emerging Leader

Matt Jensen

Bachelor of Business, 1994

UTS Alumni Award - Entrepreneurial Leadership

Kristal Kinsela

Bachelor of Adult Education, 2005

UTS Alumni Award – First Peoples Impact

Troy Lum

Bachelor of Business, 1995

UTS Alumni Award – Creativity and Culture

Steve Nouri

Graduate Certificate in IT, 2016; Master of IT, 2018

UTS Alumni Award – Technology and Innovation

Award categories

The UTS Alumni Awards program recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements and impact by UTS alumni. 

The UTS Alumni Awards for Excellence are:

Contact alumni awards

If you have any questions about the Alumni Awards program, please contact the UTS Alumni Team via email.