Gift Sotonye-Frank, a Nigerian Post graduate student, won the student of the year award at Queen’s University, Belfast.
Sotonye-Frank who is a PhD law student at the University was recognized her for her dedication and work in areas of gender, sexuality and human rights with a focus on female’s rights, including the right to education for young women in Nigeria.
At the award event, Charlotte Maguire, University Road Branch manager at First Trust bank, said about the Nigerian awardee that “she is an inspirational role model not just for female and international students but for all students, and at both under- and postgraduate level.”
Sotonye -Frank got this award having been nominated by Joanne Graham, a member of staff in The Graduate School at Queen’s saying:
“Gift is a very worthy Student of the Year, having inspired staff and students through her work ethic and her dedication to support others at Queen’s and in the world around her.
She is passionate about supporting females, especially in her home country, Nigeria, where young pregnant females face challenges accessing education.”
Sotonye-Frank is an LLB Law graduate of the University of Jos (2000), Gift holds LLM in Gender Sexuality and Human Rights (2008) Keele University UK and an MPhil University of Leicester (2015).
Her PhD, which she will complete later this year, is entitled ‘Rethinking the Rights based Approach for Education of the Girl Child in Nigeria’.
