The BDA Student Champion of the Year Award is for a student who has contributed over and above the requirements of their course to promote the dietetic profession.
Jacob is a Year 2 student on the MDiet programme at Newcastle University. Since commencing University as a mature applicant, he has enthusiastically embraced his studies and the wider promotion of the nutrition and dietetic profession. He has been a positive role model as a Peer Mentor, successfully guiding his mentees to win a cross-university ‘Sustainability Development Goals Challenge’, which also saw him being nominated, and winning, ‘Peer Mentor of the Year’.
Jacob is now voluntarily working to implement the groups ‘tailored video-based educational dietary initiative’ to promote sustainable development. He has been a student representative for his cohort, secretary for the staff:student liaison committee, and also promoted the profession through his role as a social media intern. He has also been selected to sit on the NHS Multi-Professional Student Council. His enthusiasm for nutrition and dietetics is evident in all he does, and he very much deserves this nomination for BDA Student Champion of the Year.
2023 - Jacob Hamilton from Newcastle University
2022 - Marta Buczkowska from Newcastle University
2021 - Linsey Cockburn
2020 - Elaine Penman from Glasgow Caledonian University