Principal’s Medal for “truly outstanding student” Nicole

Nicole Entin, who graduated with a MA (Hons) in Art History and English was the recipient of a Principal’s Medal, awarded by Professor Dame Sally Mapstone in a ceremony on Wednesday, June 13.

The Principal’s Medal, inaugurated 13 years ago with a gift from three anonymous donors and supported by Ede and Ravenscroft, recognises students who display exceptional endeavour and achievement during their time at St Andrews. The awards are open to final-year undergraduates and postgraduates in any discipline, and the achievements celebrated are both academic and extra-curricular. 

Nicole has demonstrated significant achievement throughout her undergraduate career at St Andrews being the recipient of several class medals, individual program prizes across Art History, English, and Comparative Literature, and has made the Dean’s List for academic excellence every year of her study. In her final year she was selected for the Principal’s Scholarship for Academic Excellence award.

Her research project, examining the photography of Julia Margaret Camerson and the poetry of Tennyson, was selected for the award of Best Research Poster (Arts and Divinity) by the St Andrews Laidlaw Scholarship Program.

Her academic work has rightfully garnered significant praise from her tutors, who noted her outstanding writing capabilities. One of her nominators stated that “her critical prose is fluent, assured, well-researched, through provoking, and thoroughly rewarding to read.”

Nicole has also committed substantial time and efforts to community outreach, promoting accessibility to collections, and in her role as a Laidlaw Scholar, engaging with students at local high schools. She also serves as program assistant for Impact Arts, a non-profit organization which supports young people with developmental challenges through art.

In her presentation of the award to Nicole, the Principal stated: “She has contributed significantly to the life of our University, embodying a model of excellence that is inspirational.”

Nicole will begin a Masters in History of Art and Visual Culture at the University of Oxford in October.