04.02.2005
Around 800 students will receive their awards from the University of Brighton at its winter ceremony at the Brighton Dome on Friday, 11 February.
The new graduates will receive their awards, which range from diplomas and degrees to doctorates, from the university's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir David Watson and the Chairman of the Board of Governors Sir Michael Checkland.
Sir David Watson said: "Awards ceremonies are very special days for the university. They provide the one occasion on which everything stops and we concentrate on recognising the efforts and celebrating the achievements of everyone who works in and for the university.
"We do this most obviously by applauding the success of those who have achieved degrees and other awards. But we also acknowledge that in some important ways our graduates and diplomates are our representatives. They reflect what we are all striving for."
Awards ceremonies
Friday, 11 February 2005
| 10.15am - | Faculty of Arts and Architecture |
| Faculty of Health | |
| Faculty of Science and Engineering | |
| 3.15pm - | Faculty of Education and Sport |
| Faculty of Management and Information Sciences |
Student case studies
Outstanding achievement
Lindsey Bryan - Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Lindsey Bryan was awarded a special MBA prize for her outstanding
academic achievement on the full-time MBA course.
Her course tutor Jim McLoughlin said:
"Lindsey obtained a rare distinction on the MBA course by obtaining distinctions
in each of the five core modules and in each of the examinations and projects.
Distinctions are awarded to students achieving distinction in three modules so
Lindsey's achievement exceeded what is in any case a very high standard. No-one
has got near this level of achievement on the MBA before. An outstanding performance
and thoroughly deserved."
Lindsey, who graduated with a BA (Hons) in Business Studies ten years ago, took a career break to complete the MBA. She said: "I know I made the right decision to take a career break for the MBA and I really enjoyed the course. I now feel I have a great deal to offer a multinational company, working within a business development or strategic role.
"Since finishing the MBA I have been working on a consultancy project to develop and implement a new business strategy for a company grown through acquisition and I've been able to apply much of what I learnt on the course to this project. The MBA has given me a completely different perspective on how I approach my work and I have learnt and developed so much through doing it. "
First married couple on MEd programme
Stephen and Jo Calladine-Evans - Master of Education
Stephen and Jo are not only married partners but also work together as teachers at St Richard's Catholic College in Bexhill-on-Sea where they both hold positions of responsibility. When they embarked on the two-year part-time MEd course it could have been a togetherness too far.
But, said course leader Katrina Miller, the couple were undeterred by the potential difficulties: "Stephen and Jo were our first married couple on the programme - they even managed to work closely together in the same Action Learning group. They successfully survived the personal challenges of critical research work on a masters programme and the study sessions calling for deep delving into educational management and gender issues!"
Since finishing the course Stephen and Jo have contributed to sessions on this year's modules in Pedagogy and Management. They are now contemplating a Doctor of Education degree - where they would again be the first married partnership enrolment.
Stephen and Jo said: " We started the course together as a way of supporting one another but there were other unforeseen benefits. The course really made us think and led to some very animated conversations after the sessions. We moved forward as a couple but we also learnt to celebrate our individual diversity."
Studies help to restart career
Sandra Hounsham - MSc in Digital Electronics
" After 12 years working as a software engineer in the telecommunications industry I was made redundant. My highest educational qualification was an HND in Telecommunications and Electronics Engineering, obtained 10 years before, and when looking for a new job I found that most employers demanded a degree. I could not afford three years for a degree course, but a one-year full-time MSc seemed achievable.
" The MSc in Digital Electronics (which is run jointly with the University of Sussex) really boosted my confidence in my abilities, especially my organisational and communication skills. After the MSc I handled myself much more effectively and confidently in job interviews.
"I am now working in the telecommunications industry in a more managerial role, as Team Leader, Device Management - heading a small team of engineers responsible for configuring mobile phones for internet use."
Course leader Graeme Awcock said: "Sandra was strongly motivated to use her studies to restart her career and, although her qualifications were not mainstream for MSc entry, I felt she was in a good position to benefit from the programme. The outcome was that she graduated with an MSc with Distinction and secured a job within a month of completing her degree."
Hard work rewarded with PhD
Heidi Burgess - PhD in hydraulic engineering
"I came to the university in 1995 as a mature student with one A-level - in maths- that I'd taken at evening classes for fun! Someone suggested I could go to university and I applied for a Civil Engineering course at Brighton as it was math-based and offered the chance of a year abroad. To do the course full-time I gave up my job with the police.
" In my third year I took a study year at the Université Joseph Fourier in Grenoble, France. My French language skills were limited to a CSE in French taken ten years earlier so the learning curve was very steep. But I finally got through the year speaking French.
"I graduated in 2000 with a first class honours degree and was offered the chance to take a PhD in hydraulic engineering. I spent three fantastic years of research and finally, after nine years at university, I am graduating with a PhD. Who could have guessed how far that maths A-level would take me?"
During her PhD Heidi also gained a Certificate in Spanish, a Diploma in French and is working towards a Diploma in Spanish. She now works for a local civil engineering company but is continuing her research with the university.
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