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CLASS OF THEIR OWN: London mayor Boris Johnson celebrates the launch of Future Leaders with Britain's brightest black graduates

A CAMBRIDGE-EDUCATED chemical engineer whose research has been used by the World Bank has topped a list of Britain’s most outstanding black graduates.

PhD student Ssegawa-Ssekintu Kiwanuka came up with the genius idea of using sugar cane to produce fuel while spending a month in impoverished Haiti as an under-graduate.

His study earned the 24-year-old an entrepreneurship award at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2007 while on a one-year exchange program at the leading US university.

The following year, his vision was a winner at the World Bank Global Development Marketplace Competition which is just one of a collection of plaudits the former head boy from south London can reel off his list of achievements.

COMPETITION

Future Leaders magazine, published by Powerful Media, named him the top graduate after sifting through hundreds of applications from across the country followed by a rigorous interview process.

Judges were impressed not just by the his impeccable academic record, but also his talents beyond his intellectual pursuits including being awarded the Full Blue for boxing – the highest sporting honour at Cambridge.

Ssegawa-Ssekintu said: “I’ve been fortunate to achieve a lot, but I have had people along the way who have seen something in me and taken a chance.

“My biggest inspiration is my dad because throughout everything he has always been there. In addition, my mum is my biggest supporter and cheerleader.”

The magazine, now in its third year, was launched this month at City Hall, before being distributed to colleges and universities across the country.

Its aim is to showcase how well students of African and Caribbean backgrounds are doing but also to raise aspirations and encourage students to not just be good, but extraordinary.

It was particularly pertinent this year follow the August riots which caused significant damage to the public perception of young people.

London mayor Boris Johnson said: “All too often our attention is drawn to the things that go wrong with our young people – the gangs, the violence, the wasted lives.

“Yet there is so much that we should be celebrating – the achievements and the contributions that the 99% of our young people are making to society by living positive lives of good character, advancing purposefully towards the goals they are setting for themselves.”

EXCEPTIONAL

Others in the top ten included 20-year-old Manchester University graduate, Joseph Akinnagbe, ranked number two, who was president of the 1,000 International Students Society.

The former economics student, who achieved a first class degree, led a fierce campaign against Government proposals that would have had repercussions for international students resulting in a change to parliamentary legislation.

Olympic hopeful Perri Shakes-Drayton, 23, was in third place having balanced a successful athletics career with a degree in sports science at Brunel University.

The east Londoner broke history when she won both the 400m and 400m hurdles at the UK trials earlier this year.

Future Leaders editor Adenike Adenitire said: “We are so proud of all the graduates featured this year.

“The standard was so high and there was no shortage of nominees, which drives the message home that the future black British community is already an asset to this country."