Built Environment students win big at regional awards

Multiple students represented Reading at a regional event celebrating women studying property-related subjects.

The awards programme aims to highlight and reward the best Built Environment degree students nationwide. Universities nominate their top female second-year student on a built environment degree course. The regional nominees go before a judging panel, when the candidates are questioned about a piece of coursework, as well as assessing their personal skills, professional potential, and understanding of the industry.  

Five students from the School of Built Environment and one student from Henley Business School attended the South East regional final. They are:

• Safia Marchenko- BSc Architecture

• Abigail Colling- BSc Building Surveying

• Mary Melindji- BSc Quantity Surveying

• Magdalena Maji- MEng Architectural Engineering 

• Rusul Ramdhan- BEng Architectural Engineering

• Nida Zahra- BSc Real Estate (Henley Business School)

Mary Melindji and Rusul Ramdhan were both selected as regional winners for the South East and will progress to the national finals, while Nida Zahra was Highly Commended for presentation and passion for the sector. Both winners will go forward to the national final in September.  

Dr Emmanuel Essah, interim Head of the School of Built Environment, said: “We are extremely proud of all of our students and want to congratulate all of our nominated students for representing the departments and University so well. I wish Mary and Rusul the best of luck as they go forward to the national final.”

The regional winners will go forward to the 'Best of the Best' Dinner at Claridge's London, on Thursday 18 September 2025 where the national winner will be announced.

Image: From right to left: Dr Medhi Shahrestani, Jane Batchelor, Abigail Colling, Safia Marchenko, Magdelena Maji, Nida Zahra, Mary Melindji, Rusul Ramdhan, Dr Emmanuel Essah from the University of Reading's School of Built Environment and Henley Business School