Taking the scenic route to success

What does success mean to you??

For some people, success may mean academic, personal, or professional achievements. For others, it may come in the form of service to society, connections and experiences gathered, or the many mistakes made along the way. ?

This year, we invite King’s students, graduates and staff to embrace those bumps in the road and celebrate alumni who have taken the scenic route to get to where they are today. These could include astronauts and scientists reaching new heights for underrepresented groups in STEM, or ambitious leaders and creatives who are making a difference in their local communities.??

Need nomination inspiration??

Meet some of the winners of our 2023 awards and read snippets of their successes, failures and lessons learned.?

Jasvir Singh CBE (History, 2001) – Alum of the Year?

‘If you have to take the scenic route to get to where you are aiming for, remember to make the most of it and to enjoy the journey along the way.’?Jasvir Singh CBE (History, 2001)?

Jasvir Singh is a family law barrister, BBC Radio 4 presenter and co-founder of South Asian Heritage Month UK – a festival celebrating South Asian culture, while commemorating the past.??

Jasvir chairs City Sikhs, a charity representing the interests of progressive Sikhs, and is a passionate advocate for fellow LGBTQ+ people of faith. Jasvir often talks about how his own experiences as an openly gay Sikh have shaped his story, telling BBC News: 'Just as my Sikhism is part of me, so is my sexuality. So is my turban. So is my identity. I can’t divorce any one thing from the rest of me. That is who I am.’?

Vinita Marwaha Madill (Mathematics with Physics and Astrophysics, 2008) – King’s STEM Award winner?

Vinita Marwaha Madill is a Space Operations Engineer and founder of ‘Rocket Women’. Launched in 2012, this is a global platform designed to increase the number of women in STEM (particularly those from BAME backgrounds), and provide tips and advice on working in the space and technology industries.??

Despite being a highflyer in the space industry, it took some time for Vinita’s career to really take off. She recalls:

‘One of the biggest challenges for me was knowing how to get into the space industry. I printed out the NASA astronaut guidelines and I glued these to the inside cover of my secondary school folder.'?

Dr Mark Ellis (PhD Law, 2010) – King’s International Impact Award winner?

Dr Mark Ellis is an international criminal law expert, author and Executive Director of the International Bar Association (IBA). Originally from Washington DC, Mark has worked all over the world, and launched eyeWitness to Atrocities, an app for reporting war crimes – an achievement which won him a Distinguished Alumni Award.? From attorney to keynote speaker, Mark has enjoyed a varied and challenging career.

His advice to fellow alumni pursuing a similar path would be to ‘live life fully. Make it bigger than yourself. Be open to taking risks.’??He adds:

'Try not to be pressured to follow the crowd. That is not always easy, but it will help to surround yourself with people and friends willing to take unpopular stands or make courageous decisions. Never shy away from speaking out forcefully against injustices. Be willing to be extraordinary when those around you are not. And along the way, try to make a difference.’ ?

Julia Pointon-Haas (MSc Health Promotion, 2014), PhD IoPPN (student) – King’s Future Alumna Award winner?

Current PhD student Julia Pointon-Haas works as the Head of Advice & Wellbeing at KCLSU (King’s College London Student Union). In 2016, she founded Time to Thrive, a student-led wellbeing service in partnership with KCLSU. Thanks to Julia, more than 300 student leaders are now being trained to run wellbeing activities and support peers experiencing mental health difficulties.?

She admits this journey offered many learning curves and she learnt to embrace mistakes.?

‘Hurdles are opportunities. When something is getting in your way, see it as a chance to think innovatively and try something new. If it fails, you've learnt and can grow, which is perhaps the most worthwhile. As my father would say, “It's an opportunity for character development.”'?

Inspired by our 2023 winners??

Do you know a King’s alum who’s taken an unexpected path to success? Perhaps you’d like to celebrate an unsung hero working behind the scenes to serve our King’s community? If so, there’s still time to nominate them for a King’s Distinguished Alumni Award 2024!?

Visit King’s website here to meet more Distinguished Alumni and nominate someone worthy of an award for 2024.??

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