Introducing our 2023 prize winners

Each year, outstanding students and alumni are awarded prizes by the Faculty of Health in recognition of their academic and professional achievements. 

Meet some of our 2023 Prize Winners and find out what inspired them to pursue a career in health.

Alex Weedon-Newstead   
Health Dean’s Prize in Sport and Exercise 

I enrolled at UTS as a mature age student, having previously completed a Bachelor of Psychological Science with Honours in Criminology. I began my career in the public sector and while I was involved in some great projects, I found that I was more interested in the idea of working directly with individuals. This, combined with a passion for sports coaching, inspired me to return to university to pursue the Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science (Exercise Therapy). I’m now in the second year of my degree.

I’m excited about working directly with people to improve their wellbeing and achieve positive outcomes. I guess the spark for me to return to university came from coaching amateur sport, where I got to work with talented athletes and see them improve on the sporting field. I feel incredibly proud seeing the athletes I coach succeed at higher levels. I’d love to continue this in a professional context or work in a rehabilitation-based setting in future.

It was a mixture of surprise and elation to receive the Health Dean’s Prize in Sport and Exercise! There are so many talented and passionate students in my cohort so it’s an incredible honour to receive the award.

Amy Meskin  
NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association Prize in Nursing

After graduating from high school in 2014, I completed a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy. However, it was during this time that I discovered I had a real passion for patient care, so I enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing at UTS. 

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of the nursing profession and made my degree even more rewarding. While it was a challenging to begin studying during 2020 due to the uncertainties of the pandemic and the transition to online learning, it also demonstrated the value of nursing and the role we could play. Clinical placements have provided with me the opportunity to develop skills, while simultaneously enabling me to support patients during a vulnerable time in their lives.  

I now work as an anaesthetic nurse at Prince of Wales Hospital and am hoping to return to UTS in the future to study a postgraduate course in this area to further develop my knowledge. I feel extremely proud and honoured to have been awarded the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Prize in Nursing.  

Sumedh Zunje  
Health Dean's Prize in Health Studies

I migrated to Australia in 2007, with my twin sister and my parents. After completing high school here, I chose to study the Bachelor of Health Science (now the Bachelor of Public Health) as a pathway into the Master of Physiotherapy. 

UTS provides an excellent environment in which to excel academically and accomplish many goals. There is also a great social environment on campus which I have enjoyed. The most rewarding aspect so far though, has been coming first in my course in first year.

Receiving this award was a very special moment for me and my family. Knowing all the hard work has paid off is a fantastic feeling and motivates me to keep pushing myself.

Lara Ralph   
Gordon Young Memorial Scholarship

After school, I completed a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science (majoring in Exercise Science) at UTS and was awarded a University Medal upon graduation. I am now completing my Honours degree. Alongside my studies, I have worked as a Sports Coach, Personal Trainer, Physiotherapy Clinic Manager, Research Assistant, UTS U:PASS Leader and currently as an Academic Tutor, teaching in the UTS School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation. 

I have always been passionate about health and fitness – the logic of the human body and multidimensional nature of health and sport have always fascinated me. I am interested in how we can use exercise to correct biomechanical errors, lift our overall health, improve athletic performance, and prevent injury (or properly recover when it does occur).

I am very honoured and grateful to receive this scholarship, in memory of the late Gordon Young, for my Honours project investigating training quality in sport and exercise. I am proud to be working on something which may reach and benefit individuals across multiple contexts, just as Gordon Young epitomised with his various roles, projects, and work throughout his lifetime.

Mythilie Erajaskeran   
Speech Pathology Australia Student Clinical Prize

My dad’s career as a doctor greatly influenced my ambition to work within the health sector. I knew I wanted to work in an area that worked closely with people and assisted them in their day-to-day lives. While I was at university, my Ammama (grandmother) was hospitalised. Visiting her at the hospital, I had my first encounter with a speech pathologist who, to my surprise, came to assess her swallow. My Ammama passed away, but I knew from her time in the hospital that speech pathology could lead to impactful and meaningful work with a broad scope of practice in which to extend myself.

Fast forward three years, and I completed my Master of Speech Pathology at UTS. I chose to study at UTS as some friends had completed their Masters and PhD programs and spoke highly of the quality of teaching, administration, and friendly atmosphere of the campus. My placement experiences were by far the most rewarding aspect of the course. Tracking and observing clients' progress over just weeks of sessions brought me absolute joy and motivation to work hard and become the best clinician I can be.

It was an honour to receive the Speech Pathology Australia Student Clinical Prize. I was elated to have received an award to acknowledge the hard work I had put into the degree.

Congratulations to all recipients on your outstanding academic and professional achievements.