This year, there were 40 prize categories awarded to students across the Department of Chiropractic, School of Health Sciences and Nursing, Department of Linguistics, Macquarie Medical School, School of Psychological Sciences and Higher Degree Research.

The significance goes far beyond a piece of paper. Aside from being recorded on the students’ academic transcript and Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement, the faculty prizes provide a boost of confidence.

Kynesha Leota was the proud recipient of the Master of Public Health First Year Excellence Prize. Kynesha said, “It feels completely unreal to be recognised. I never thought I would be awarded anything like this, so this recognition has been incredibly affirming.”

“I feel very grateful to be part of a university community where students are genuinely supported to grow. This experience has reminded me that hard work, persistence and the right support can make a huge difference.”

Jonathan Fernando, who was awarded the Tony Eyers Students’ Prize, said, “Being recognised with the Tony Eyers Students' Prize is incredibly meaningful, particularly because it is peer-nominated. To know that I was acknowledged by the people I have studied alongside for making a positive contribution to the Clinical Science community is something I am very grateful for.”

The awards also highlight the supportive environment that exists in the faculty.

“The support I have received has been boundless,” explained Kynesha. “I couldn’t have achieved this without the constant feedback, encouragement and guidance from the academic staff.”

Jonathan shared a similar sentiment: “My experience at Macquarie has been, and continues to be, shaped by supportive peers and educators and I am grateful to everyone who has been part of my personal and professional journey.”

Congratulations to all the winners and the faculty staff that have supported them.

Awards and recipients

• Academic Excellence in Orthopaedics Prize, sponsored by Dr David Montgomery – Hayley O’Keeffe
• Academic Excellence in Radiology – Hayley O’Keeffe
• Chiropractic Australia Academic Excellence Award in Postgraduate Advanced Research Units 1 and 2 – Bianca Lacey
• Chiropractic Australia Academic Excellence in Chiropractic Work Integrated Learning Prize – Veronica Mesar
• Chiropractic Australia Dux Academic Excellence Bachelor of Chiropractic Science Year 2 UG Prize – Seungjun Min
• Chiropractic Australia Dux Academic Excellence Bachelor of Chiropractic Science Year 3 UG Prize – Jesse Alexander Cross
• Chiropractic Australia Dux Academic Excellence Master of Chiropractic Year 1 PG Prize – Allyna Cheah
• ACA Dux Academic Excellence Master of Chiropractic (Year 2) Prize – Hayley O’Keefe
• ACA Dux Academic Excellence Master of Chiropractic (Year 3) Prize – Miles Prosser
• Gary Stavrou Award for Excellence in Chiropractic Technique – Miles Prosser

• APA Award for Academic Excellence – Aimee Crosland
• Doctor of Physiotherapy Excellence in Clinical Practice Prize – Jack Roser
• Doctor of Physiotherapy First Year Excellence Prize – Holly Ormsby
• Doctor of Physiotherapy Second Year Excellence Prize – Priya Ketan Joshi
• Excellence in Professionalism and Placement in Exercise and Sports Science Prize – Lara Rosendo
• Janet Greeley Award – Tara Dameshghi
• Master of Public Health (Research) Excellence Prize – Nadia Farnaz
• Master of Public Health First Year Excellence Prize – Kynesha Leota
• Outstanding Overall Course Academic Achievement in Exercise and Sports Science Prize – Lara Rosendo

• Arthur Delbridge Prize – Qinxin Chen
• Australian Acoustical Society (NSW Division) Prize – Cheyenne Byers
• Hearing Australia Award for Clinical Excellence – Monique Prak
• National Acoustic Laboratories Award for Research Excellence – Tiffany Mai
• Oticon People First Scholarship Prize – Daniella Rahal
• Oticon Prize – Pegah Noorizadeh
• Phonak Audiology Prize for Hearing Devices – Mona Zabeti
• Speech Pathology Australia Student Award – Siena Panuccio
• Tom Dibert Memorial Prize for Excellence in Linguistics – Pengjun Qian

• Bachelor of Clinical Science Professional Practice Prize – Shwetha Sritharan
• Halder Chowdhury Prize in Medicine – Alisha Khan
• Kuring-Gai District Medical Association Award for Research Excellence – Jacquelyn Yazdani
• Tony Eyers – Students’ Prize – Jonathan Fernando
• Wongsodihardjo Prize (for best performance in renal, reproductive and endocrine systems) – Sarah Dow and Daniel Masoud

• Annie McGlinchey Memorial Prize – Guannan Wang
• Arthur Shores Prize for the Master of Clinical Neuropsychology – Bronte Capone and James Franklin
• Australian Psychological Society Prize – Jeff He
• Doris McIlwain Prize – Michoel Moshel
• Head of School Prize – Chloe Nguy

• David Hall Prize – Jin Tian
• Ramy Razavian Dean’s Award for Excellence in Doctoral Graduate Research – Katherine Robinson