Some of the students who received awards on the night
On 28 and 29 May, the Student Engagement and Enhancement team hosted Celebrating Sussex, a vibrant two-day event that brought together around 400 students, staff and guests to recognise the creativity, commitment and impact of our student community.
Held at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts (ACCA), the event showcased a diverse collection of student contributions, including large-scale willow sculptures co-created with students at our winter social, powerful video interviews, and thought-provoking collages reflecting lived experience. Poetry, photography and mixed media pieces filled the gallery, highlighting the many ways students engage, create and contribute beyond their academic studies. The programme also extended onto the stage, where students performed and shared personal success stories, demonstrating the confidence, adaptability and sense of purpose which prepares students for life and work in a rapidly changing world.
Final-year undergraduate Spirit of Sussex Award participants were invited to mark the end of their Sussex journey by recognising their achievements beyond the classroom and collecting commemorative pin badges, with certificates to be awarded at graduation. The award celebrates engagement in activities such as part-time work, volunteering, leadership and creative pursuits. Several students also received special prizes for exceptional dedication across five areas: Exceptional Leader; Giving Back to the Community; Commitment to Upskilling; Sports, Culture and Creativity; and Collaboration at Sussex.
The event also celebrated the achievements of students involved in The Connector Programme. Awards were presented to Student Connectors who demonstrated outstanding commitment in their partnership work with staff to enhance the student experience. Through these projects, Connectors help ensure that diverse student voices, particularly those from underserved and underrepresented communities, are amplified and underpin our Access and Participation Plan projects.
Sussex’s core values - collaboration, courage, inclusion, integrity, kindness and openness - were not only reflected in the work on display but intentionally shaped every aspect of the event. Student–staff partnership, central to the team’s work, was evident throughout, while courage and openness were embodied in the honesty and authenticity of student voices. Celebrating Sussex was designed as a fully inclusive experience, with audio-described artworks, a dedicated access tour, and British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation.
Celebrating Sussex offered a powerful reminder of how co-curricular experiences and shared values underpin a thriving university community, one that supports students to grow, contribute and graduate ready to navigate and shape an increasingly complex and changing world.
Our grateful thanks go to all the students and staff who gave their time to make this special event possible.