Head of Wellbeing shortlisted for student support award

The Head of Wellbeing at St Catharine’s is in contention for a student support award at the Student-Led Teaching Awards (STLAs), which reward outstanding teaching and student support across the University of Cambridge and its Colleges. Mary Simuyandi, who has worked at St Catharine’s since 2020, is one of five individuals shortlisted in the ‘Student Support (Non-Academic Staff)’ category.

Organised by the Cambridge Student Union, the STLAs are a unique opportunity for students to recognise teaching and non-teaching staff alike. The organisers received nearly 500 nominations from students this year, demonstrating the huge variety of contributions made by staff to students’ experience at Cambridge. 

Mary said, “It’s such a privilege to be the Head of Wellbeing at Catz, where I work with our wider Health and Wellbeing team to ensure our welfare provision is accessible, effective and genuinely supportive for our brilliant and diverse community. Part of the privilege of this leadership role is getting to work alongside our students who continually inspire us with their bravery in opening up and being vulnerable about what life is like for them, even when things are fragile and difficult, and allowing us to journey with them to a place which hopefully feels more positive and sustainable. While I already feel fortunate, it still means the world to be nominated and now shortlisted in the student support category.”

Dr Holly Canuto (2020), Senior Tutor at St Catharine’s, added: “St Catharine’s has been able to maintain its position at the forefront of student welfare provision in Cambridge thanks to the expertise and dedication of our entire Health & Wellbeing team. After making her mark as the College’s first Welfare Officer, Mary was appointed Head of Wellbeing in 2021 and she has continued to drive improvements across our College-wide programmes while supporting individual students. I am delighted that her exceptional abilities have been recognised by the STLA’s judges and, whatever happens at the ceremony, she will always be a winner in our eyes.”

The 2023 awards will be presented at a ceremony on 16 May, to which shortlisted nominees and the students who nominated them have been invited.

St Catharine’s student Kit Treadwell (2019, Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic) was one of the students who nominated Mary based on the support he received during his undergraduate studies and now as a Master’s student with the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic. He commented:

“Mary’s time at Catz has overlapped almost exactly with mine, and in that time she has saved my sanity more times than I can count. Her compassion, knowledge and willingness to listen and help make her a truly special human being. I also admire her much-needed honesty when talking about gaps in student support – and her determination to make things better. I’m sure I speak for the entire Catz community when I say that the College’s uniquely forward-thinking approach to student welfare is indebted to her.”