A truly unique alumna of Cadbury Sixth Form College has won national recognition for her powerful achievements and positive influence after being named Young Student of the Year.
Samiha Kalam, who demonstrated outstanding academic ability at Cadbury – part of The Sandwell Colleges – excelled in her English Literature, Politics and Sociology A Levels in the summer, and has now been announced the winner of this year’s Association of Colleges Student of the Year Award.
Currently studying for a BSc Degree in International Relations at Aston University, and working as a youth advisor for the UK Home Office, Samiha was presented with her award by ITV news anchor Sameena Ali-Khan at the AoC annual conference and awards.
Samiha’s journey is all the more remarkable for the profound personal adversity she has overcome and the initiatives she has led to tackle violence against women, influence national youth policy, and champion sustainability.
Alongside her studies, Samiha founded and chaired the first ever Young Women’s Independent Advisory Group for West Midlands Police, as well as serving on Birmingham’s Youth City Board, using her voice to influence policy discussions on gender-based violence.
Highly commended in His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands Young Active Citizen Awards 2025, Samiha was also singled out for her contributions to sustainability and net zero in college and the wider community.
Reflecting on winning the Young Student of the Year Award, Samiha said: “I started pursuing my passion on Violence Against Women because of the personal experiences I’ve gone through and the domestic violence and honour-based abuse my mother went through. I thought ‘how can I help my mom in a way that I can help others too?’ So I took it upon myself to found my own group.”
Assistant Director of Student Services for The Sandwell Colleges, Amie Banford, said: “We nominated Samiha because she’s taken incredibly difficult personal experiences and has turned them into something really positive. She’s become a natural leader and a role model for other students in the college community.”
CEO & Principal of The Sandwell Colleges, Lisa Capper MBE, said: “We are enormously proud to see Samiha recognised nationally with the hugely prestigious Young Student of the Year award. Her ability to balance academic success with such extensive advocacy and leadership work is truly inspiring, reflecting the values and ambition we champion across The Sandwell Colleges.
“The AoC Student of the Year awards celebrate truly unique students from colleges across England who deserve recognition and will go on to inspire others. The awards show the fantastic work that students are doing in colleges as well as the lengths colleges go to support their students. Samiha’s achievement is a shining reminder of what young people can do when they are supported, encouraged and empowered to lead. Her collaborative efforts have not only supported The Sandwell Colleges’ strategic aims but have also driven meaningful change through partnerships across the wider community.”
Samiha will be among the award winners attending a spring celebration event at the House of Commons to mark their success.
