A Surrey student has been awarded the regional Women in Property (WiP) Student Award for 2017.

Joanna Hartnell, a civil engineering undergraduate at the University of Surrey, went up against 21 other regional finalists from universities across Surrey to improve the university’s record to have now won the award six times in eight years.

Joanna’s prize included a cheque of £300 and a trophy, now progresses to the Best of the Best National Awards that will be held at London’s Claridge Hotel on September 20.

Joanna said: “I’m delighted to be one of the three South East winners and am very grateful to the Civil Engineering Department at Surrey.

“Participating in the WiP Student Awards process has not only provided a valuable insight to the property and construction industry but also the opportunity to engage with senior, motivational role models.

“This has been a brilliant experience.”

The WiP Awards, organised by the Association of Women in Property, aim to identify and recognise the most gifted and talented students that undertake built environment courses that can include surveying, architecture and project management.

Joanna was nominated by Director of Learning and Teaching at the university’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Dr Tony Thorne, who said: “This is another great example of Joanna’s ‘can do’ attitude. She was interviewed by companies half way through her first year as part of the scholarship programme, and had them fighting over her.

“She has a bright future ahead.”