ENTERPRISING Elena Marburger saved a college's cycle hire initiative by creating a user-friendly website - and the talented intern has been rewarded by winning a major national award.

The 24-year-old, who was campus cycling officer for Cycling Scotland at Fife College, also built a site which will function effectively after her placement ends.

She beat off nearly 50 other participants to be awarded the title of Most Enterprising Environmental Intern at the Environmental Placement Programme (EPP) 2023 Awards run by Edinburgh-based Bright Green Business. 

Elena, originally from Montana, USA, said: “I had an amazing time participating in the EPP Awards. I was able to see what the other participants had been able to accomplish during their internships and I was happy to be able to show what I have done in mine."

She developed the website and launched it during her placement, making it possible for members of the campus community to rent equipment and learn about cycling opportunities.

It also helped the college, with campuses in Dunfermline, Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy and Levenmouth, to monitor the status of the programme.

Judges were particularly impressed by the lasting impact Marburger’s website will have.  

One of the judges, Ovie Frederick-Simon, who won the award in 2022, noted that the cycle hire programme might not have been able to continue without Marburger’s efforts.

He highlighted that her efforts to ensure the website would be of service after her placement ends was of particular relevance.