Wigan college students recognised for their efforts in prestigious competition

Out of a total of 200 entries, five of Winstanley College’s students were highly commended in the Lucy Cavendish College Cottrell Essay Prize – and one student came second overall.

The Lucy Cavendish College has a 50-year tradition of admitting talented people from non-traditional and under-represented backgrounds, particularly seeking those who want to have a positive impact on society.

Its essay prize, which is open to students in year 12, aims to tackle the pressing issues of the 21st Century, with this year’s questions focused on the most important matters affecting the medicine and veterinary industries.

Question topics included whether the Government was successful in mitigating the impact of Covid-19 on the profession and sector of the entrant’s choice.

Participants chose one question to answer from either a medicine or veterinary perspective, or could select one that considered both, and wrote an essay of 1,000 to 1,500 words about it.

Winstanley’s successful students – who were all highly commended – were Ella Atwood, Abigail Fitzpatrick and Katie Molyneux for their veterinary essays, with Isobel Tinsley and Ben Jones recognised for their medical articles.

Shawn Sjibu, student governor at Winstanley College and a former St Peter’s Catholic High pupil, achieved second place overall for his combined medicine and veterinary work.

Winstanley College’s medicine, dentistry and veterinary co-ordinator, Dave Woods, said: "Twenty-one of our students wrote essays for the competition and the standard was extremely high. Six have gone on to be awarded prizes, which is fantastic and testament to how dedicated they are to their future within the field of medicine.”

Hayley Hilson, outreach officer at Lucy Cavendish College, said: ‘We were thrilled to receive submissions from 21 Winstanley College students, all of which were of an excellent quality. The process of the writing and research for the essay is something students can absolutely reflect on in aspects of their university application.

"We would be delighted to work further with Winstanley College to support students’ progression to highly selective universities. Congratulations again to the students on what were excellent essays.”