Swansea University student Priya Dodyia and senior lecturer Dr Alwena Morgan were celebrated at the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol's annual awards ceremony for their outstanding contributions.
Priya, a second-year psychology student from Cardiff, was presented with the Merêd Award, which recognises the contribution of a student who is a current member of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol to the Welsh language and culture.
Priya received the award in recognition of her significant contributions to promoting the use of the Welsh language through her volunteer work with Swansea University's Discovery, a volunteer-led organization.
She has collaborated with various university departments and organizations to create a weekly Welsh Club and has engaged diverse student groups, including international and LGBTQ+ communities. Priya's efforts have fostered a more inclusive environment, encouraging students from all backgrounds to embrace the Welsh language, and she has been a vocal advocate for diversity, sharing her experiences as a Welsh speaker of Indian descent to inspire others.
On receiving the award, Priya said: "This award means so much to me because as a Welsh speaker of Indian origin, I have faced discrimination within the community. But, through my efforts promoting the language within diverse communities, I hope to create a more inclusive environment for all."
Dr Alwena Morgan, senior lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at Swansea University Medical School, was honoured with the Outstanding Welsh Medium Resource Award for her pioneering work on the Welsh Biochemistry Course.
This innovative course, developed collaboratively with the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, is the first Welsh language Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in the sciences, catering to students aged 16-18 studying A/AS Level Biology and/or Chemistry.
Launched in 2022, the course has significantly enhanced Welsh medium scientific education by simplifying language and adding over 400 new terms to the Porth Termau.
Dr Morgan said: “This award means a lot to me; it's a recognition of the hard work we all put into the resource. I would like to thank Elin Rhys and the Telesgop team, Geinor from Testun, Tegau Andrews from Bangor University, and Joanna, Alaw, and Ffion from the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol for their valuable contributions to this project.”
Dr Ioan Matthews, Chief Executive at Coleg Cymraeg, said: "All of the winners deserve praise and recognition for their high-quality work and contribution to Welsh and bilingual education in the higher education, further education and apprenticeship sector. We thank them for raising the profile of the Welsh language in their organisations, and we wish them well into the future.”