Principal’s Medal: Georgina Hull
Presented by Professor Dame Sally Mapstone FRSE
Summer Graduation 2026
I would now like to introduce the Principal’s Medal. This award was inaugurated seventeen years ago with a gift from three anonymous donors and is now supported by Ede and Ravenscroft, believed to be the oldest firm of tailors and robe-makers in the world. The award of the Principal’s Medal recognises students who display exceptional endeavour and achievement during their time at St Andrews. The medal may be awarded to final-year undergraduates and postgraduates in any discipline, and the achievements celebrated are both academic and extra-curricular.
Today, the Principal’s Medal is being awarded to a truly outstanding student: Georgina Hull, who has just graduated with a Master of Arts with Honours in Art History and English Literature.
Georgina has demonstrated sustained academic excellence of the highest order throughout her time at St Andrews, consistently earning a place on the Dean’s List and achieving grades of the highest distinction. Alongside this record, she has received a series of prestigious University prizes, including the Lawson Memorial Prize and the First Level Comparative Literature Book Prize in her first year, the OE Saunders Prize in Art History, and, most recently, a Principal’s Scholarship for Academic Excellence.
Such a record alone would mark her out as an outstanding student. Yet what distinguishes Georgina further is the depth, originality, and intellectual maturity that underpins her work. As one of her lecturers has attested, she is among the most exceptional students they have encountered in nearly two decades of university teaching. Georgina’s scholarship is characterised by a rare capacity to engage both critically and imaginatively with complex material. And she moves effortlessly between disciplines – drawing on her joint studies in English and Art History to produce work that is richly interdisciplinary and analytically ambitious.
In tutorial discussion, Georgina brings the same level of intellectual seriousness and insight. Her tutors speak of her thoughtful and assured contributions, often of a standard comparable to postgraduate work, integrating theoretical perspectives with close reading in a manner that advances collective understanding. It is no small distinction to be a student from whom one’s teachers themselves continue to learn.
Yet Georgina’s achievements have extended far beyond the classroom. Throughout her four years at St Andrews, she has shown extraordinary commitment to the University community through her service to the Netball Club. Her involvement has been sustained, wide-ranging, and transformative. Over time, she has taken on a succession of leadership roles – as Wellbeing Officer, Club Captain, Second Team Captain, and ultimately President – each of which she has carried out with distinction and care.
A defining feature of Georgina’s leadership has been her dedication to fostering a culture of wellbeing, inclusion, and support. She has developed initiatives that have had a lasting impact on the student experience, including the introduction of ‘Wellbeing Wednesdays’, which provide structured opportunities for connection, reflection, and access to support. She has also created comprehensive wellbeing resources for club members and established a programme of activities addressing both physical and mental health. These initiatives have enriched the lives of many students, strengthening not only individual wellbeing, but also the collective spirit of the club.
What is especially notable is the manner in which this work has been undertaken. Georgina leads with humility and generosity, consistently placing the needs of others before her own and working, often quietly, to ensure that those around her are supported and empowered. Her efforts have been recognised through the Colours Award and Gold Volunteering Award, both awarded by Saints Sport. Yet, her impact is perhaps best measured in the lasting culture of care and inclusivity she has helped to create.
Alongside her academic and voluntary commitments, Georgina has also balanced regular employment, demonstrating remarkable discipline, organisation, and resilience. That she has sustained excellence across all these areas speaks to an exceptional work ethic and a rare strength of character.
In every respect – academic, personal, and communal – Georgina exemplifies the ideals that the Principal’s Medal seeks to recognise. She combines intellectual distinction with integrity, leadership with kindness, and achievement with a genuine commitment to the wellbeing of others. She is not only an outstanding student, but a deeply valued member of this University community.
Georgina, in recognition of your exceptional accomplishments and your profound contribution to St Andrews, it gives me great pleasure to bestow upon you the Principal’s Medal.