To win these prizes, judged against strong performances from other London institutions, is a great and richly deserved honour, both for our students and for the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. We are immensely proud and wish Valeria and Aldo all success for future studies.
Dr Anna Linton, Senior Lecturer in German
02 February 2026
King's students win London-wide prizes for German studies
Two students from the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures have been awarded the 2025 Bithell Prizes.
The prizes are awarded by the Institute of Languages, Cultures and Society at the School of Advanced Study, University of London in honour of Jethro and Alice Emily Bithell.
Meet the prize winners
Valeria Berghinz (Comparative Literature MA) won the Jethro Blithell Prize, given to the best performance on a master’s programme in Modern Languages with engagement in the study of German.
She had studied Comparative Literature & Film Studies at undergraduate level and fell in love with the interdisciplinary opportunities offered by the former. Her specialisation is in the comparison between literature and film.
Valeria is now completing an editorial internship at the Financial Times after working as a freelance journalist in arts magazines and may study for a PhD in the future.
It was really wonderful to receive this prize, and a lovely surprise to hear that it was also awarded to a King’s undergraduate. Before this master’s, I had taken relatively little interest in German literature, but over the course of the degree I became increasingly engaged with the texts taught across different classes. It is heartening to have one’s efforts recognised in this way.
Valeria Berghinz
Aldo Ruggiero (Philosophy & Modern Languages (German) with a Year Abroad) received the Alice Emily Bithell Prize for the best performance in German Studies at undergraduate level. He graduated with First Class Honours and a Distinction in Oral German.
Aldo chose this degree because of his deeply rooted motivation to access cultural worlds other than his own through multilingualism. He enjoyed the breadth of King’s German Studies curriculum – from early modern German lands to 21st century business – and cites studying languages for equipping him with the analytical faculties and cultural competence needed to successfully integrate, both personally and professionally, into the multifaceted and interconnected modern world.
Since graduating in the summer, Aldo has been involved in volunteering initiatives in his home region of Puglia, Italy. He is completing a traineeship in the Brussels seat of the European Parliament and aims to use his academic foundation in philosophy and languages in the world of politics and international affairs.
Winning this prize is a recognition of my steadfast commitment to my undergraduate studies and a source of inspiration and motivation for the future. Also, being the prize awardee reflects the extraordinary work and remarkable expertise of the King’s staff in German Studies, who provided an excellent learning environment and community throughout my undergraduate journey. This is why, to me, the 2025 Alice Emily Bithell Prize ultimately represents a shared achievement.
Aldo Ruggiero
In this story
Senior Lecturer in German