Principal's Medal 2017: Maya Beit-Arie, MA (Hons)
Wednesday 21 June 2017
Congratulations to all our graduates.
I should now like to introduce the Principal’s Medal. This award was inaugurated eight years ago with a gift from three anonymous donors and is now supported by Ede and Ravenscroft, believed to be the oldest firm of tailors and robe-makers in the world.
The award of the Principal’s Medal recognises students who display exceptional endeavour and achievement during their time at St Andrews. The awards are open to final-year undergraduates, and to postgraduates in any discipline. The achievements celebrated are academic as well as sporting, musical, or other attainments.
I am delighted to have such a wonderful opportunity to recognise, publicly, the outstanding achievements of individual students.
For the academic year 2016-2017, the Principal’s Medal will be presented to three extraordinary students. This afternoon we recognise Maya Beit-Arie who has just received her Master of Arts degree in Geography and Social Anthropology.
Maya has made an outstanding academic and personal impact throughout her four years with us. In her nomination she is described as “a stellar student” with an “immense capacity” to immerse herself in her work. She has achieved consistently high grades and twice appeared on the Dean’s List for academic achievement. Her ability critically to engage, her dedication to developing and honing her research skills in the field, and her gift for expertly argued and impassioned debate have made her an inspiration to her peers and a valued member of her School. Alongside her studies she has given many hours in service to the University community. She has a truly international outlook, able to converse in Hebrew and Spanish, and get by in Arabic and Kiswahili. She has volunteered in Tanzania, carried out ethnographic fieldwork in Israel for her dissertation, and serves on the communications team of the St Andrews Africa Summit, a student-led initiative promoting understanding of the trends shaping African affairs.
Maya, in recognition of all that you have achieved both academically and personally during your time as an undergraduate, it gives me great pleasure to invite you to join me on stage now to receive your medal.
– Principal Sally Mapstone