One student’s inspiring path to winning the LGBTQ+ Undergraduate of the Year award

myGwork sat down to talk with Rylee Spooner, Undergraduate of the Year 2023, about winning the award, the journey leading up to it, and working with Clifford Chance to build inclusive workplaces for all. Applications for Undergraduate of the Year 2024 are now open – find out more and apply now.

It began with a LinkedIn post. “I clicked on the link, and so obviously it began to appear on other social media feeds,” says Rylee Spooner, a PhD student and associate lecturer in psychology at the University of Chichester. Rylee had only recently gone from strength to strength – their work as LGBTQ+ Officer at the university’s Student Union had earnt Chichester National Student Pride’s Inclusive University of the Year Award, and the year before they had awarded Rylee the Student Role Model of the Year. After talking to people who had previously applied, Rylee took the plunge and put in an application for Clifford Chance’s Undergraduate of the Year Award.

“There was a degree of imposter syndrome,” Rylee recalls, “especially when I had seen what previous winners and runners-up had achieved. People had national, international work, whereas mine was in the confines of my university.” Despite these worries, Rylee went ahead with their application, and went on to win the award: “It just goes to show that it doesn’t matter how big or small; what you do is still important and recognised.”

Multi-stage process

The process is multi-stage. It begins with an online form, gathering information about you, a project you have worked on relating to LGBTQ+ inclusivity and equality, and other information. Successful applicants move to an online scenario-based test, and if they succeed will be invited to the Clifford Chance offices in Canary Wharf for an assessment day. This includes a presentation on their LGBTQ+ project, as well as a written case study exploring some of the challenges that LGBTQ+ organisations face in delivering the work they do. Rylee passed with flying colours, went on to become a finalist, and was named the winner for 2023.

Rylee’s project had been their work at the University of Chichester: striving to improve visibility, representation, enhancing opportunities for the community to come together, and advocating for revisiting university policies to support LGBTQ+ students. “We took a glossary of all of the language you would need to navigate gender identity [for both students and staff supporting students] and rewrote it through focus groups with gender diverse students,” Rylee explains. “I hadn’t considered for example some of the adjustments that the university could make to support gender diverse students, and so to hear it directly from students was really helpful in advocating for policy change.”

“The students love it”

Other advocacy included things such as sourcing sanitary bins in the men’s toilets to support transmasculine students, as well as increasing the number of events for LGBTQ+ students to attend and find networks. “We host an event for Trans Day of Remembrance for example, which always has a great turnout. I’ll get up, give a short speech, and read out the data from the monitoring report of that year. Usually, we’ll get two or three trans students as well to get involved – maybe they’ll share poetry or share some thoughts on the day. Whilst it’s sombre, the students love it. Everyone’s there with tea lights and candles outside of the chapel.”

To Rylee, winning meant so much just to be recognised. “Even though it is a privilege to be able to advocate, it’s still quite a lot of work emotionally and physically and balance it against commitments. To be recognised for the work that I am doing and that it is helping people is very affirming. It meant being able to shine a light on how it isn’t hard to do better.”

“All lovely people doing amazing work”

The prize included a week working at Clifford Chance, working with the Inclusion Team at the firm in Canary Wharf. “Sam, Nina, and Chris were all looking after me – all lovely people doing amazing work as I studied the firm to become familiar with its culture, values, and internal networks.”

Part of this included policy, such as the moves the firm is making to reduce non-inclusive behaviours and build a workplace where everyone is able to bring their whole selves to work. Rylee also was able to conduct research into diversity and inclusion globally – for example, how would Supreme Court rulings in the US in relation to affirmative action affect businesses that have US offices?

“It presented me with new challenges, as I’m not from a legal background and had to suddenly grappled with new langauge. I learnt a lot though and I welcomed the challenges and an opportunity to learn more.” Throughout the week Rylee also got to work with Arcus, Clifford Chance’s internal LGBTQ+ network, to find out more about the work they are doing to advocate for inclusion within the business with their steering committee. “I loved meeting everyone and seeing real change happening in such a big company. It was eye-opening.”

“Just go for it”

What advice would Rylee give to those looking to take part in the Undergraduate of the Year Award next year? Just go for it. “Don’t compare yourself to any other winner. Imposter syndrome is not a fun experience, so just go for it instead. It doesn’t matter your background, what you’ve done, how little you’ve done or if you’ve done something great. Rally support from your friends or university, use the knowledge you’ve accumulated over the course of your undergraduate degree and use it to your benefit. Don’t be scared either to reach out to Clifford Chance or TargetJobs, who organise the award. Network, ask questions, and just go for it.”

Rylee grew up in a small town where they were routinely confronted by heteronormativity and white privilege. “My advocacy comes from a place where I didn’t see people like me. I wanted to make a place for people to see themselves.” Now, working on their PhD at Chichester, they have spent the last few years building that place, and has richly deserved the Undergraduate of the Year award for doing so.

Clifford Chance’s ACCEPT conference is taking place on 15 November – register to take part now.

Clifford Chance is a proud partner of myGwork. Apply now for Undergraduate of the Year 2024 and find out about early career opportunities.