A Durham University graduate has been recognised in a national competiton for her achievement above and beyond her studies. She talks to Women's Editor Christen Pears.

IF you thought student life was all about drunken parties and essay crises, think again. During her three years at Durham University, Katy Standish was more likely to be helping out foreign students or planting trees and hedgerows.

Katy, who studied at John Snow College on the university's Queen's Campus in Stockton, made it through to the last five of the national competition, 2004 Real World Graduate, in recognition of the contribution she's made to life both at university and in the wider community.

Although she picked up her degree in Environment and Development last week, she's just returned to college from her home in Brussels. With over 600 students attending summer schools at the university this summer, Katy will remain on campus until August to assist with the various activities. It all sounds exhausting but she says she's always been the kind of person who likes to keep busy.

"I feel that during my undergraduate degree I have followed my college's unofficial motto 'get involved'," explains the 21-year-old. "I've been like that since I was at school, where I was president of the ecology club and I did my Duke of Edinburgh Award. This is just on a different scale."

Professor Martyn Evans, principal of John Snow College described her as a "committed, able and highly-motivated student, a credit to John Snow College, and a great ambassador for the university". She shrugs off the praise. "It's just something I like to do," she says modestly.

Katy was senior Durham Students Union rep and international development officer at college, acting as a point of contact for foreign students, helping them out with any difficulties and organising social events. But her interests extend far beyond college life.

She mentored school children on a weekly basis to actively encourage young people to achieve their full potential and has worked as a volunteer with Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, helping to plant trees and hedgerows in nature reserves and parks. She also spent a summer in the Indonesian rainforests as a volunteer on scientific and social research projects.

"It was an incredible experience. We lived in a village for two months and I did all the research for my dissertation. I'm going to Central America this summer and I'm hoping to do something similar," she explains.

A couple of weeks ago, she and a group of 30 fellow students from Durham University Charity Committee, hitchhiked to Glastonbury to raise money for Oxfam. They raised around £3,000 and then worked for the charity during the festival.

So how has she managed to juggle all her responsibilities and her studies? "It hasn't been a problem. I had my priorities towards my studies and fitted everything else around that.

"My last year was really busy with all the things I was doing but I enjoy the challenge rather than just concentrating on the academic side. It was nice to be able to make a contribution."

The judges of the Real World Graduate of the Year competition were certainly impressed with Katy's achievements, selecting her for the final five out of more than 200 applicants. The competition, which is the first of its kind, is a celebration of student achievement over and above academic expectations. Entrants were asked to provide examples of where they felt they had made a real difference, contributed to their community and overcome challenges.

Katy says: "I just entered on a whim when I read about it and decided to enter to see what happened. I got invited down to London and although I didn't win, it was nice to be recognised."

Katy will take up a place at Cambridge University in the autumn where she will study for a masters degree in geography. In the long term, she hopes to work in the third world countries on environmental projects to help the developing world.