Fifteen students from the nation's public universities and polytechnics were on Monday rewarded by Unilever Ghana Limited for their outstanding performance as best graduating students for the 2007 academic year. The awards which include a cash prize of between GH¢150 and GH¢250, a special certificate, form part of the Unilever Ghana Foundation for Education and Development (UFED). In addition, the names of the beneficiaries would be captured on special recognition notice boards sited in their former higher institutions of higher learning as perpetual reminders. A total of GH¢3,OOO was spent on the awards and the winners who were selected from the University of Cape Coast, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and University of Education Winneba as well as Tamale, Accra, Kumasi, Sunyani, Bolgatanga and Takoradi Polytechnics. Addressing the award winners, the chairman of the UFED Board of Trustees, Andrew Quayson, said the recognition was to demonstrate to them in tangible terms that "we appreciate their effort and believe in their ability to go on to excel to greater heights." "It will show them and other young adults that their predecessors are watching and also willing to support their efforts to become responsible future leaders of our dear nation", he added. He urged them to go into other fields and not to limit themselves to academic matters only so that they would become "an all round person and lend credence to the belief and confidence we have in them and which we are today publicising to the nation and the world at large". A beneficiary of the awards, Ms Beatrice Amponsah said the awards would motivate other students to give off their best. She said the fact that her name is on a notice board put up by Unilever could open opportunities for her. Ms Amponsah, who works at the corporate office of the Multimedia Group Ltd. told myjoyonline she achieved the feat by dint of hard and diligent work. A former student of Accra Polytechnic, she also attributed her success to the encouragement of her parents and head of department, Mr. Gnat Johnson. Credit: Ghanaian Times