Students recognised in prestigious peer learning awards

USYD students have been recognised by the prestigious Australiasian Peer-Assisted Study Session (PASS) Alliance in two award categories. 

Arianna Shang, a Business School Peer-Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) facilitator and PhD student at the Business School, was awarded the Australasian Outstanding Senior Peer Learning Award, and the Library Peer Learning Advisor (PLA) team were recognised with the Outstanding Peer Educator Team Award.

The Library PLA team were specifically commended for their commitment to leveraging innovative technologies to support learning experiences and to enhance course delivery and assessment outcomes. 

These awards highlight Arianna and the team's significant contributions to peer learning, mentorship, and fostering an inclusive and engaging academic environment, as well as celebrate their exceptional leadership, collaboration, and dedication to student learning. 

For Arianna, receiving this award is an acknowledgement of the positive impact of her work and has motivated her to continue supporting students. 

"I am deeply honoured to receive this award," she said. "It is a meaningful recognition of my work, and it reaffirms that my passion and dedication to my students and facilitating have not gone unnoticed.

This inspires me to continue striving to make a positive impact in the PASS program every day."

Jessica Morr, Coordinator of the award-winning PASS program for over 17 years, commended Arianna on her incredible achievement. 

"Arianna’s dedication, leadership, and ability to inspire her peers embody the spirit of PASS," she said. "Her commitment to creating an inclusive and engaging learning environment has had a lasting impact on our students.

I’m proud to see her recognised at this level, and her achievement underscores the strength and influence of our PASS program."

Annie Yuan, Joseph Amorah and Amir Soleimani, PLA team members, reflect on what this award means to them and for their team. 

"We are grateful for this acknowledgement and for the opportunity to contrinute to a culture of learning and support," Annie said. "This award inspires us to continue making a difference, and we look forward to helping even more students in the future." 

"Being part of the PLA team has been a remarkable journey," Joseph reflects. "Our collective commitment to excellence and unwavering [demonstration of] teamwork have been the driving forces behind our success.

This recognition is testament to our hard work, dedication, and the collaborative spirit that propels us forward as a team." 

"I am truly proud and thankful to be part of an amazing team that collaborates with faculties and education teams to introduce students to new technologies, enhancing their digital literacy and hands-on problem-solving skills," said Amir. 

Grace Cha, Manager of Peer Learning Technologies, recognises the Library PLA team's commitment to finding and implementing innovative solutions to support our diverse student community. 

“Winning this award is testament to The Library Peer Learning Advisors team's dedication integrating creative technology into the learning experience," she said. "Their exceptional contributions to student learning and peer support have significantly enhanced the student experience at the University."

The Australasian PASS Alliance is a network of professionals, academics, and student leaders from across Australasia—including Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong—who are committed to advancing Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) and peer learning programs.

Members of the Library Peer Learning Advisor's (PLA) team: 

• Ada Song
• Aiden Qiu
• Amanda Shi
• Amir Soleimani 
• Annie Yuan
• Bingyan Liu
• Daksha Ramprasad
• Dora Zhang
• Ellen Small
• Francesca Branagan
• Ivy Kwok
• Jasmine Stokie
• Joseph Amoah
• Josh Wooley
• Jovial Zheng
• Manognya Sriramneni
• Melissa Linardy
• Michelle Theresia
• Minh Nguyen
• Nethangie Ranhotty
• Nicholas Critchley
• Reebhu Pal
• Riccardo Lee
• Russian Wu
• Srija Sur
• Steven Zhang
• Timothy Dutton
• Vi Vu

• Grace Cha: Manager, Peer Learning Technologies
• Andrisa Santoso: Peer Learning Technologies Coordinator
• Annie Parnell: Peer Learning Technologies Officer 
• Kathryn Cass: Associate Director, Learning Spaces and Services 
• Michael Arndell: Director, Education and Student Experience