Double success for Essex graduates at Study UK Alumni Awards

Two inspiring University of Essex alumni have taken top honours at this year’s Study UK Alumni Awards in France, celebrating their global impact across business and the arts.

Priscilla Tshibemba-Petit, a graduate of Essex’s dual degree in English and French Law, has won the Business and Innovation Award, while Dr Sofie Qwarnström has been named winner of the Creativity, Sport and Culture Award.

Organised by the British Council, the Study UK Alumni Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of international graduates of UK universities who are making a significant difference in their professions and communities worldwide.

Sofie’s interdisciplinary PhD at Essex explored how classic drama sheds light on modern psychological challenges.

With a background in theatre and philosophy and a lifelong love of Shakespeare, she has translated her research into practice through Hoops of Iron, a cross-border theatre company delivering innovative, multilingual productions across the Geneva region.

She credits her time studying in the UK for shaping her directing career.

“My directing draws on the layered, holistic approach I developed during my research in the UK, where I learned to seek what is missing and develop the intellectual tools to make it real, to pursue ideas across boundaries and to let critical thinking and intuition work in tandem,” Sofie said.

“The UK's rich theatrical culture showed me how ferocious, bright and bold theatre can be. Shakespeare is not a monument but a living force with power to provoke, unite, and transform.”

After studying English and French Law at Essex, Priscilla Tshibemba-Petit has built an impressive international legal career and now works as an international counsel in Paris, playing a major role in billion-euro financial transactions.

Alongside her legal work, she has built a community of nearly 20,000 followers by openly sharing her student debt repayment journey, empowering others to pursue international education and build financial confidence.

Priscilla said: “I’m truly honoured to receive this award—it celebrates my growth as an alumna and my mission to advance financial literacy for students and graduates worldwide.”

Reflecting on her time at Essex, she said: “Studying in the UK fast-tracked my career by providing a rigorous, interactive education, practical experience in public speaking, and a global perspective.

"These factors helped me build confidence, advance quickly, and succeed internationally, qualities that continue to define my professional and personal achievements.”

Sofie and Priscilla’s success comes just weeks after a fellow Essex alumna, Dr Nadia Nawaz Qadri, won the Science and Sustainability Award in the Study UK Alumni Awards in Pakistan in recognition for her work in breaking down barriers in STEM.