A university student has been ranked number two in a list of women to watch this year.

Sophie Pender, 20, from Hillside Avenue, in Borehamwood, is currently studying an English degree at Bristol University and has been featured on the Barclay’s/Tab equivalent list of the Forbes 100.

The winner gets to feature in the Tab Future 100 and will be invited to Barclay’s head office to gain mentorship and advice from leading female executives at Barclays.

Miss Pender said: “I feel incredibly humbled to be on the list and be amongst some of Bristol’s most inspiring women.

“I did not know about the list until the writer contacted and me and let me know that someone had nominated me to be on there which was such a huge compliment.”

Miss Pender grew up on a council estate with just her mum after losing her father to alcoholism in her early teens.

But this tragic lost did not stop her. Miss Pender was the first in her family to go to university as well as being the fire student at Hertswood Academy to achieve straight A*s at A Level.

During her time at university Miss Pender set up The 93% Club which is a society for state school students which gained more than 400 members in just a few months.

She said: “With this society we use online platforms to edit personal statements for state educated students who cannot afford tutors.

“We hold employability workshops and get employers in to do CV clinics and LinkedIn photoshoots as well as connecting students with internship opportunities.”

Miss Pender is also an ambassador for a charity called Access Aspiration and has spoken on behalf of them in Downing Street and the House of Commons.

Access Aspiration provides people with skills, ideas and access to support their personal statements, new routes into work or introduce them to different career options.

Voting closes on Sunday at midnight. People can vote here.