I am so honoured to have received this medal. The experiences and knowledge I received at King’s have been invaluable and I am grateful to have this award as a commemoration of the relationships, hard work and fun that formed my time here. I will carry them and the spirit of the Jelf medal with me as I spend the next year travelling and working before returning to King’s for my Master's in 2026.
Jessie Sumroy, Liberal Arts BA graduate
05 August 2025
Liberal Arts student wins Jelf Medal for Faculty of Arts & Humanities
Jessie Sumroy, who graduated from the Liberal Arts BA this summer, received the Jelf Medal for the Faculty of Arts & Humanities.
The Jelf Medal is given to the student who, in the view of the Principal, has most distinguished themselves during their undergraduate course in the college in the Faculty of Arts & Humanities. As well as considering the student’s academic proficiency, their prominence in the social and athletic activities of the University is also taken into account when choosing the recipient of the medal.
In a nomination by Dr Jean Smith, Lecturer in Liberal Arts, Sustainability and Socially-Engaged Education in the Department of Interdisciplinary Humanities, Jessie was praised for her essay on social housing in the UK, final project on Brutalist architecture, original thinking and contributions to seminar discussions.
Demonstrating meticulous preparation and extremely high levels of critical engagement, Jessie has earned consistently high grades across multiple subject areas and assessment types. Alongside her impressive academic achievements, Jessie has also made wide-ranging contributions to social and athletic activities both within the University and beyond.
Dr Jean Smith, Lecturer in Liberal Arts, Sustainability and Socially-Engaged Education
Jessie has been an influential voice in shaping the liberal arts curriculum, offering insightful contributions to the Transforming Assessment for Students at King’s (TASK) away day for Interdisciplinary Humanities. She also supported a student workshop with the inaugural annual lecture speaker for the Department of Interdisciplinary Humanities, Gargi Bhattacharyya.
Outside of her academic work, Jessie was the careers editor of Her Campus magazine, hosted and created the podcast 'Do As I Say, Not As I Do' with KCL Radio, and served as the assistant director of the play, Meeting Points, with the King’s Players.
She is also a professional dancer and choreographer, working with the Movement Dance Company. Throughout her degree, she has taught both dance and drama.
Jessie's work both within and beyond the classroom embodies the very best values of the Liberal Arts degree – it is engaged, responsive, and provocative, and she has consistently demonstrated a mastery of complex topics and concepts that traverse disciplinary boundaries.
Dr Jean Smith, Lecturer in Liberal Arts, Sustainability and Socially-Engaged Education
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Senior Lecturer in Liberal Arts, Sustainability and Socially-Engaged Education