Rhian Wyn Griffiths, winner of Celebrate Your Lecturer Award, and her nominee, student, Gronw Ifan, share their passion for nurturing the next generation of Welsh medium teachers.
On accepting her award at last year's Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol awards night, Rhian said:
"There's no other job like teaching. There's no other job that touches people in the same way, that changes lives, that makes a difference."
Rhian, from Colwyn Bay, has devoted close to thirty years to date to the field of Welsh-medium education in Wales. She was a teacher and head of the Welsh language department at Ysgol Llanhari, deputy of Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Morgannwg for 17 years, and has made a significant contribution to the Welsh language in the higher education sector, to public policy, and to the lives of young people in south east Wales.
Rhian now works as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Teacher Education and Professional Learning at Cardiff Metropolitan University. She was rewarded by the Coleg Cymraeg for her outstanding work in nurturing the next generation of teachers. She said:
"Learning gives me purpose. Life can be hard, but being in the day-to-day company of young people is uplifting."
The Celebrate Your Lecturer Award offers a student or group of students the opportunity to nominate a lecturer who has made a huge difference to their Welsh life at university.
Gronw Ifan, who nominated Rhian while he was training as a teacher, has now accepted the post of Welsh teacher at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern. He said:
"Rhian was a mentor to me, she was full of energy and charisma lecturing, yet she was like a mother figure and wanted us all to succeed.
"Everyone in the education sector has heard of Rhian Wyn Griffiths and the long-term impact she has had on schools, staff, pupils, and students.
"I was very lucky to have her as a lecturer, and I will certainly try my best as a teacher to make a difference to young people's lives in my new job, as she made a difference to me."
Rhian said:
"Seeing alumni thrive in their careers gives me a lot of satisfaction. To see Gronw's enthusiasm and passion for learning and towards the Welsh language is a comfort to me that the future is in safe hands."
Gronw added:
"I thank Rhian and her guidance. If you need someone to lead Wales to a million speakers by 2050, put Rhian as captain of the ship!"
If you are a student and are keen to nominate a lecturer who has made a special difference to your life at university, nominations are open for the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Awards 2025 on 31 January 2025.
There are a number of other awards in different fields and students, lecturers, and employers (in the apprenticeship field) have the opportunity to nominate individuals for a variety of categories.
To see the full list of categories, guidelines, and to find the nomination form, visit the 'Awards' section of the Coleg Cymraeg website
The winners will be announced at an awards night in the summer term.
Visit Coleg Cymraeg’s Instagram, Tik Tok, Linked In or Bluesky accounts to see content on the awards, and visit the Coleg’s website to read more.