First Trust Bank Convocation Undergraduate Student of the Year award

2017 Winner: Luke Marshall

Luke Marshall will receive the First Trust Bank Convocation Undergraduate Student of the Year Award for 2017, in recognition of his support for people with disabilities, and his assistance in enabling them to take part in sporting activity.

Luke currently represents Northern Ireland, playing for the Knights Wheelchair basketball team. During the course of his time at Ulster University, his contribution to providing wheelchair basketball to students has been vital.  His determined, enthusiastic approach has provided opportunities for people of all abilities to get involved in team sport – not solely for a healthy lifestyle, but also to encourage social inclusion.

In his second year at Ulster, Luke received Vice-Chancellor’s funding, which he used to pay for 10 sportschairs. He also recruited a team to take part in the British Wheelchair Basketball University Championships, in which they progressed to the plate final. Luke has planned, with the University’s basketball development assistant, to deliver wheelchair basketball from September 2017, and to enter the competition again in 2018.

Luke was shortlisted in the ‘Volunteer/Voluntary Project of the Year’ category at Ulster University Students’ Union Sporting Excellence Awards. Again, showing outstanding commitment, he also volunteers with Ulster Sports Outreach on the eHoops and SportABILITY programme, working with young people with mild to moderate intellectual and/or physical disabilities.

Previous Winners