Marc Thompson will receive two kinds of honours when he graduates from the University of Dundee on July 12.
Not only has Marc achieved a 2:1 Honours degree in English, he has also received one of the University's most prestigious accolades - the Wimberley Award.
The medal goes annually to the student who has made the most distinguished contribution to University life. Over the last few years, Marc has devoted much of his time to rejuvenating the English department's ailing student society and, since becoming its president two years ago, has transformed it into an essential element of the department's activities.
His efforts have involved creating a website which keeps staff and students up to date on the society's activities, organising social events and playing an important role in the meetings of the staff/student committee.
English department head David Robb said, "Marc has been an important, distinctive and unfailingly positive presence in the department - a natural student leader with whom we have worked very closely and whom we shall sorely miss. We think that he well deserves the award."
Marc, 22, from Leicestershire, said he was shocked but delighted to have been nominated for the award. "My family and I will have reason for a double celebration on graduation day. I was inspired by the great staff and teaching in the English department and wanted to contribute to building a closer staff-student community. The great time I had at the University has also been my motivation behind applying to do a postgraduate degree in English and hopefully taking up a career in academia."
The Wimberley Award started out as the University Prize in 1964 and was named after the Principal of University College Dundee (1946-48) Major General Douglas Wimberly - a man remembered for the 'Wimberley Memo' of 1947 which set the scene for the parting of the ways, twenty years later, with the University of St Andrews.