Global Undergraduate Awards

In 2023, five King’s students were named Highly Commended in the Global Undergraduate Awards, including fourth-year students Olivia Holland and Alexis Andrade. During King’s Research Week in March, Dr. Ian Rae hosted a fireside chat where both students shared their experiences with the Global Undergraduate Awards and the subsequent awards ceremony in Ireland.

Olivia Holland was named Highly Commended in the Literature category (advisor: Krista Lysack) for her paper, “Dressed to Impress: The Markets of Marriage and Labour in Cicely Hamilton’s Diana of Dobson’s,” which analyzes the intersection of dress, labour, and marriage in Cicely Hamilton’s novel Diana of Dobson’s. Holland explains that “ultimately, this essay strives to demonstrate how Diana, though never fully successful in breaking free from the market, begins to unravel society’s fabric, fashioning change one pulled thread at a time.”

She was also recognized as Highly Commended in the History category for her paper, “The Magdeburg Maiden: The Siege of Magdeburg as a Microcosm for the Thirty Years’ War.” Using a variety of primary and secondary sources, she analyzes the validity of Peter Wilson’s observation that Magdeburg acts as a microcosm for the Thirty Years’ War by comparing the religious, political, and militant aspects of the war to the internal dynamics of Magdeburg.

The paper arose from her coursework at King’s. “By discussing my ideas with my professors and friends, I was able to produce a paper of which I am proud,” she says.

This accomplishment, in large part, can be attributed to the support I have received from my King’s family – both academic and otherwise.

Holland says she is honoured and humbled to be placed among such elite contestants. “It feels very validating to know that all those long hours spent in the library have been recognized. Yet another memory from my time at King’s that I’ll never forget,” she says.

Alexis Andrade was named Highly Commended in the Classical Studies and Archaeology category. Her paper explores the essence and importance of the Feriale Duranum – a fragmented papyrus text that offers insight into Roman army celebrations and anniversaries. The paper questions the premise that the document is relevant to Dura-Europos as a whole, arguing that it serves exclusively military reasons rather than reflecting the site’s local norms.

“Connecting with fellow scholars worldwide who share my passions has been incredibly rewarding. It’s not just about the recognition; it’s about the sense of belonging to a global community of young academics making their mark,” she says.

The Global Undergraduate Awards is an international academic awards program that recognizes creativity, excellence, and innovative thinking within student coursework. Entrants whose paper or project ranked in the top 10% of submissions in their category are shortlisted as Highly Commended Entrants. The 2023 Global Undergraduate Awards received 2808 submissions from 409 institutions worldwide.