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A pole-vaulting architect and an engineer who set up an orchestra are among the winners of prestigious 2024 Larmor Awards for their achievements as undergraduates at St John’s.

The awards began in the 1940s and are named after Sir Joseph Larmor, a 20th-century physician and mathematician who was a student and later a Fellow at St John’s.

Each year at least four undergraduates ‘adjudged to be the most worthy for intellectual qualifications and for moral conduct and practical activities’ are chosen to receive the prizes. 

Five 2024 graduates have been celebrated for their outstanding academic work and contributions to College life and beyond at a prize-giving ceremony in the Master’s Lodge on Friday 29 November.

Nominated by their Tutors and Directors of Studies at St John’s, this year’s winners are Josephine Cowley, Isabella Bottle, Geordie Cheetham, Hannah Kang Wolter and Shani Wright.

Josephine is a fine example of how it is possible to thrive on multiple fronts at St John’s and to give back at the same time

Engineer and viola player Josephine Cowley was nominated by her Tutor Dr Georgina Evans for her academic success and ‘exceptional contribution to the College’s community-building endeavours’, especially in music.

From April 2022 to October 2023, Josephine was President of St John’s College Music Society, when she introduced a series of new concerts, events and initiatives and led the way in establishing St John’s College Open Orchestra. Musicians of grade 4/5 five and above not involved in other University orchestras can turn up and play in the orchestra without auditioning.

“The ethos of this feels like a very welcome addition to the College music landscape,” said Dr Evans.

As Chamber Music Director, Josephine had already established the College Chamber Music Scheme bringing together more than 30 musicians, and leading to performances at the Master’s Lodge.

Josephine took part in a music outreach visit to a local state primary school, and organised public orchestral Chapel concerts, including programmes featuring lesser-known women composers and raising more than £1,000 for charity. She also arranged innovative Chapel Lates concerts on themes such as ‘queer voices’ and ‘Chinese music and poetry’.

In sport, Josephine achieved College colours for hockey, football and mixed netball, and took part in rowing, and was involved in several social and academic societies. Dr Evans added: “She is a fine example of how it is possible to thrive on multiple fronts at St John’s, and to give back a tremendous amount at the same time.”

The range of Isabella's extra-curricular interests and the way she pursued them alongside her studies is impressive

Historian and arts creative Isabella Bottle was praised for excelling throughout her studies. She was awarded a Davidson Scholarship across her degree, a Wright Prize twice,  and the Hughes Prize, presented annually to the best candidates in College.

The range of her extra-curricular interests and the way she pursued them alongside her studies was described as ‘impressive’ by the College Fellows who nominated her: her Tutor, Professor Mete Atatüre, and her Directors of Studies, Dr Sylvana Tomaselli and Professor Andrew Arsan.

Passionate about art, theatre, writing and poetry, in her first year Isabella won the Johnian Society Committee silk scarf design competition with her artwork inspired by the architecture and spirit of St John’s, and variations of this design appear on the College Bar blinds. She was a member of the sub-scene committee for the design and decoration of St John’s May Ball. In her second year, she initiated, edited and designed a new student print magazine, Time is of the Essence. Her poetry has appeared in student publications and she has designed sets for several ADC Theatre productions. “She has acted and, most importantly, she has written a play inspired by her dissertation on early 20th-century London, which was performed very successfully at the Corpus Playroom,” her nominators added.

Isabella has also served as President of the Simon Langton History Society.

Outside of his studies, Geordie has made significant contributions to College and University life

Writer and amateur boxer Geordie Cheetham was described as an ‘exemplary student’ throughout his BA (Hons) in History and Modern Languages. He ranked first or second in all years and has been awarded the Faculty’s Winifred Georgina Holgate-Pollard Memorial Prize for Best Performance in his final exams. Geordie also received the Davidson Scholarship and Wright Prize three years in a row.

He was nominated by his Tutor Professor Mete Atatüre and Directors of Studies, Dr Georgina Evans and Dr Carmen Olmedilla Herrero. Their statement said: “Outside of his studies, Geordie has made significant contributions to College and University life. In his second year, Geordie was the St John’s College History Society Treasurer and completed a translation project on caricatures from the Franco-Prussian war, displayed in the Seeley Library. He has also participated in the Winfield Society mooting tournament. He has been a writer for Varsity and The Cambridge Language Collective and has been training with Cambridge University Amateur Boxing Club, fighting in a charity match to raise money for the OddBalls Foundation.”

Geordie also worked as a Student Ambassador, giving College tours and assisting with virtual open days, and is now studying for an MPhil at St John’s.

Hannah made the most out of her time at St John’s and Cambridge and threw herself into opportunities that enriched her life and those within the College community

Asian and Middle Eastern Studies graduate and amateur boxer Hannah Kang Wolter was ‘exceptional’ academically in her final exams, for which she was awarded the Robert M Somers Prize for outstanding performance in Chinese Studies.

Hannah was nominated for a Larmor Award by her Tutor, Professor Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri, and Director of Studies Professor Adam Chau, who said her supervisors noted her ‘genuine passion for the Chinese language and culture: always participating in supervisions and asking insightful questions’.

Hannah started boxing in her second year, representing Cambridge at the University Championships in March 2022. That year she was head of St John’s Art Society and co-Head of Scene for the May Ball Committee. In 2023, she participated in the Nagoya University Exchange Scheme; joined the University Blues boxing team; and retained her position as co-head and editor of the Asian Section at The Cambridge Language Collective. She was on the awards team for Watersprite Film Festival, the UK’s largest international student film festival, and was a projectionist for St John’s Picturehouse. Hannah was also part of the 2024 Varsity amateur boxing squad.

“Hannah found boxing to be one of the most rewarding and exhilarating aspects of her time at Cambridge, and she was thrilled to organise the annual Town vs Gown show at the Cambridge Union in January as well as to win her first fight,” wrote her nominators.

“It goes without saying that Hannah made the most out of her time at St John’s and Cambridge and threw herself wholeheartedly into a range of opportunities harnessing leadership roles that enriched her life and those within the College community.”

Her supervisors described Shani as having a strong work ethic and commitment to her studies and commended her collaborative qualities

Pole-vaulter Shani Wright, who did her degree in Architecture, has been described as ‘an impressive student’ who won the 2023/2024 Deborah Howard Prize for best portfolio, for its combination of creativity, originality, depth and thought. Shani competed in the Transatlantic Series competition as a pole-vaulter and won Varsity twice during her time in Cambridge.

Her Director of Studies and supervisor Dr Darshil Shah and Tutor Dr Victoria Harvey nominated Shani for the Larmor Award. They said: “Not only did she perform exceptionally well during her studies, particularly her final year, but she continued to pole-vault and took on the role of welfare officer for Uni Athletics.

“Her supervisors described Shani as having a strong work ethic and commitment to her studies and commended her collaborative qualities when taking part in the group activities and dynamics.”

Shani also won the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Eastern Region Prize for highest-achieving year three student, across all coursework, thesis and studio. “She really was an asset to the Architecture team and College,” added the nomination.

Each Larmor Award-winner is presented with a piece of engraved silver, made by a contemporary British silversmith, and a financial prize by Heather Hancock, the Master of St John’s College. 

Josephine is overseas and was unable to attend the awards ceremony but will be presented with her prize next year.