We are delighted to share that two Economics students have been awarded a 2025 Elizabeth and JD Marsden Prize by the university.
Efan Fisher (BA Economics with Hispanic Studies) received a 1st prize and Mayo Adetujoye (BSc Economics and Econometrics) was awarded a 3rd prize.
Efan achieved top marks across all three years of his degree and was awarded the school's Outstanding Achievement award and the Tri-Campus Dissertation Performance (Best Dissertation) award in his final year. He also won an Outstanding Achievement award in years one and two.
During his first and second years, Efan was a Course Rep with particular focus on advocating on behalf of students on the Economics with language degree programmes. This included petitioning for expanded year-abroad options. Determined to study in Latin America, he independently secured a placement at the British Embassy in Colombia and worked with the school and university to overturn a policy banning travel to the country, setting a precedent for future students.
Whilst on his year abroad, Efan led the Chamber’s first market studies for a multinational firm and organised its largest international trade mission. Since returning, Efan has promoted Colombia as a safe and enriching destination. In his final year, Efan was appointed Economics Research Assistant to Dr. Valeria Rueda, contributing to research on political activism and electoral participation.
In the summer of 2024, Efan worked as a Student Economist at HM Treasury, producing economic analysis to support high-level diplomatic relations. His contract was extended due to outstanding performance.
Mayo achieved first class grades across her degree and was the top performing Econometrics student in her final year, receiving the Sir Clive Granger Outstanding Achievement in Econometrics award.
Throughout her time at Nottingham, Mayo was a very active member of the Nottingham Economics and Finance Society (NEFS). In her first year, she was selected to join the Corporate Finance Division and was then elected as the first female President of NEFS for her second year. One of her proudest achievements in this role was introducing the first-ever Women in Finance Conference, aimed at addressing the underrepresentation of women in the industry.
Under Mayo's leadership, NEFS broke its sponsorship record, developed stronger relationships with global firms and facilitated a range of events which resulted in over 200 students securing internships and graduate positions across the economics and finance sectors. In recognition of these contributions, Mayo received the Outstanding Student Contribution Award at the Students’ Union Awards, and NEFS received the Professional Project Opportunities Award for their work on the Women in Finance Conference.
Mayo also served as a School of Economics Ambassador, played regularly for the NEFS IMS Netball Team and initiated a mentoring session with the African and Caribbean Society, offering one-on-one support to Black students aspiring to enter finance — a group still significantly underrepresented in the industry.
Away from university, after securing an internship at Lazard, Mayo created a free LinkedIn guide to help students navigate the competitive application process. She also launched the NEFS Tracker, an online tool that provided real-time updates on internship and graduate opportunities.
Mayo was also deeply honoured to be recognised as one of the UK’s Top 150 Black Students by Powerlist Media Magazine, in recognition of her academic excellence and leadership. She was also invited as a guest speaker at the Huzzle Conference, a startup aiming to connect student societies with employers.
Most recently, Mayo began her Master’s in Finance at the MIT Sloan School of Management in the United States.
The School of Economics would like to extend a huge congratulations to Efan and Mayo and thank them for their contribution to the school and university.
About the Marsden Prize
The Elizabeth and JD Marsden prizes were founded in 1953 “to encourage not only the development of the mind (with which education seems to be mainly concerned) but also to encourage and reward the cultivation of those qualities which are the essence of character and personality” and by these prizes to “provide pecuniary help to students on leaving the university to enter upon their life’s work.”
The prizes are “awarded to students who are adjudged the best students of the year — who have gained high distinction in their examinations, and who have throughout their university careers been of exemplary conduct and given proofs of outstanding character and personality.”
Posted on Thursday 14th August 2025