A University of Kent student’s passion to educate her peers in the UK and Hong Kong on cultural diversity has earnt her recognition at the Kent Student Awards.

April-Louise Pennant (22) a final year Sociology student spent her time at the University of Kent and a year studying at the Chinese University of Hong Kong encouraging and educating others about the diversity within the Black community.

While in Hong Kong, April-Louise envisioned and co-founded a new cultural student organisation called the Black International Community (B.I.C), which aimed to celebrate, educate and provide a forum for students from an African/Caribbean/Black heritage inclusive of the local students.

In order to fulfil its purpose to promote and share the cultures from within the Black community, the society ran regular events, including presentations about what it means to be Black and cultural trips to taste and understand African and Caribbean food. The society is still running in Hong Kong today.

As a result of setting up the B.I.C, April-Louise was also given a lead role in organising a week-long, University-wide event in Hong Kong to celebrate African culture. The ‘It’s Time for Africa’ event, which engaged the entire student community at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, celebrated the cultural identities in Africa and helped to raise awareness of the issues Black people living in Hong Kong face. The event included an opening ceremony with a fashion show showcasing traditional African clothes, African food tasting as well as sharing sessions throughout the week. It was also attended by generals from the African consulate and local African community groups in Hong Kong.

April-Louise’s passion for educating her peers on cultural diversity can be evidenced throughout her studies at the University of Kent. In her second year, as the secretary of the African and Caribbean Society (ACS), she led and organised the introduction of a Caribbean food stall on campus, negotiating special student prices, which traded weekly.

In her final year, after returning from her study year abroad in Hong Kong, she led the planning and participated in a silent protest, ‘Kent Can’t Breathe’, which was a demonstration of solidarity as part of an international show of anger at police brutality against black people both in the UK and US. The protest, sparked by the death of Eric Garner in the United States was attended by over 40 people. While doing this, in her final year, she was able to balance a part-time job within the Representation and Democracy section of the Kent Union offices, complete over 200 hours of volunteering and maintain good grades.

April-Louise’s commitment towards educating other students on cultural diversity meant she was nominated in two categories at the Student Awards in recognition of her work at her university in Hong Kong and for ‘Kent Can’t Breathe’. She was honoured by the University in the Outstanding International/Multicultural Initiative of the Year category, came in second place in the Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity category and was named ‘Student of the Year’ at the Kent Student Awards 2015. The annual awards recognise the achievements of Kent students outside of their academic studies.

April-Louise graduated from the University of Kent in July 2015 with first class honours.

Since graduating, April-Louise has been awarded a prestigious postgraduate Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) scholarship at the University of Birmingham. April-Louise’s research looks at the educational experience of specific groups and she hopes to become a lecturer.

If you know an amazing Kent student like April-Louise, nominate them for a Kent Student Award. Nominations will open in January 2016.