Cara Fail, a travel and tourism student from Newcastle Business School (NBS), part of Northumbria University, has scooped a rare City & Guilds Medal for Excellence award in recognition of her exceptional work.
Cara, from the region is one of only 87 deserving people to scoop the 2007 award and triumphed over 750,000 other entrants to land the City & Guilds Medal for Excellence for her outstanding performance on the NBS BA (Hons) Travel and Tourism Management programme. Cara is in the final year of the four year sandwich course which included a placement year working at Hawkes Cay Resort in Florida.
Cara Fail, NBS travel and tourism student winner
The City & Guilds judging panel commented: “Cara has shown determination and originality in her coursework and has achieved very high standards throughout the course. She is a deserving recipient of the Medal for Excellence and we are delighted to have chosen her for this award.”
The award was presented to Cara by ITV presenter, John Grundy - famous for TV series such as Grundy’s Wonders and Grundy’s Northern Pride - at the City & Guilds ceremony at Islington Villa’s, Low Fell.
Cara, delighted with her achievement, said: “It’s a real honour to win this award and I’d like to thank all my lecturers and tutors at NBS for their support and advice. I chose to study travel and tourism because I believe it is a dynamic industry offering numerous possibilities, the prospect of a placement year was also a deciding factor.
"Throughout the past four years I have acquired skills which can be applied to my future career and I look forward to putting what I have learnt into practice. Thanks to the excellent teaching at NBS my dreams have become a reality."
Cara is now in the running to win one of eight prestigious Lion Awards, dubbed the 'education Oscars', which will be announced later this year at a gala event to celebrate learning, success and achievement, in London.
City & Guilds, the UK’s leading awarding body for work-related qualifications, awards the coveted Medals for Excellence, designed to reward talented people who have displayed exceptional standards as students and whose portfolio and achievements put them a cut above the rest.
Bridget Major, programme director for the BA Travel and Tourism Management course at NBS said: "Cara has deservedly won this mark of special distinction. She is a real inspiration to others and an asset to the business school. Her award demonstrates that getting the right skills can be the passport to fulfilling your true potential and, more importantly, your dreams. Her dedication and hard work has opened many doors for her."
Date Posted: 27.03.07