Staffordshire Student Awarded PThe McConnel Prize

Posted 11 October 2004

Sian Lisa Griffiths, of Tatenhill, Burton-On-Trent, is the first recipient of The McConnel Prize, awarded in memory of Christopher MacHattie, to the best final year student on the HND AMBA/Business courses at Harper Adams University College, Shropshire.

This a new prize for 2004 and has been kindly donated by McConnel Limited in memory of Christopher MacHattie, one of three students who tragically lost their lives in a road accident in 2003. McConnel Limited, an agricultural machinery company based in Ludlow, Shropshire, has close links with the University College and the award was the idea of Mr Geoffrey Davies, OBE, Managing Director of McConnel Limited and Vice President of Alamo Inc. In addition the Alamo Group (Europe) Ltd. has donated The Bomford Prize and The Twose Prize in memory of David Holtom and Natalie Dustan who also died.

The prize has been awarded to Sian Griffiths, as the best final year student on the HND Business Management with Marketing course based on the academic, social and sporting contribution over the duration of the course.

Sian, 21, collected the prize at the University College’s annual graduation ceremony last month, where she also collected the Harper Adams Higher Diploma with Merit and the Higher National Diploma in Business Management with Marketing.

Sian, a former pupil of John Taylor High School, undertook her placement year at Coors Brewers Ltd. in Burton-on-Trent and continued to work there during the summer as a Communication and Process Executive, before returning to Harper Adams in September to top up to an Honours Degree.