News

Great graduates

Published 25 July 2011

Almost 5,000 University of Brighton students will graduate during the weeklong summer ceremonies at The Dome in Brighton. Every success tells a story and here are just some of our tales...

A group of Media Studies students raised money for and participated in a project in Kenya bringing valuable computer and media training to young people in the village of Kibugat and the surrounding area. The students: Rosie Parson, Lucy Whirledge, Kelsa Albert and Alex Coulthard are pictured with fellow students.

Hannah Wallace was working in the events department of the university but for years held an ambition to become a teacher. With encouragement from colleagues across the university she took a postgraduate certificate in Education. Not only is she graduating but she tells us that she will soon be fulfilling her dream and will be teaching information communications technology at the Brighton Aldridge Community Academy.

Master of Design in Textiles and Business graduate Harriet Toogood organised weaving and walking weekends to complement and support the Harris Tweed industry. Harriet followed up her award for best business plan at the Burt Brill and Cardens fashion show by winning one of four top awards in the UK’s premier Space prize for the best interiors fabric. She used her woven designs to create new surface textures. She has also been sponsored to show her work in Shanghai and Paris.

Analytical Chemistry with Business student Viet Linh Nguyen has been an exemplary student. Principal lecturer, Elizabeth Ostler, described her as “dedicated and exemplary, taking every opportunity that comes her way. She took extra study modules and won an award from the Students’ Union for her work as a course representative”.

Viet Linh was one of only 100 students from across Europe to join the Roche-Continents programme at Salzburg, Austria, and she also won a place to join just 24 students on a training course at GlaxoSmithKline.

Sound artist Andre Borges graduates with a Performance and Visual Arts (Music) degree. His unique sound artistry won him awards at the Burt Brill & Cardens Graduate Show as well as from Nagoya University in Japan and Seoul National University in South Korea. Since the end of term his sound performance has featured at the Soundwaves Festival in Brighton and his work has been selected for presentation at the De La Warr pavilion in Bexhill next year.

Emily Woodman who graduates with a Criminology and Social Policy BA(Hons) is also collecting the Hamilton-Cramp prize for outstanding academic contribution to the School of Applied Social Science. Emily mentored first year students and carried out charity work with Age Concern, and with a rehabilitation charity, working with older prisoners.

Louise Krasniqi, graduate in Politics and Sociology, won the Sandra Winn Prize - awarded to the student who has shown the greatest academic progress throughout the three years of their course; her trajectory was described as “splendid” and a reflection of what can be achieved through HE.

We take pride in the high number of our graduates who are either in employment or further education soon after graduation – and many students find positions through work placement while they study with us. Rachel Ball (International Hospitality BA(Hons)) is a good example. Rachel received an offer of permanent employment after securing a work placement with one of the country’s leading wine merchants. Cheers to Rachel!

Emily Hills will mark a double celebration as she graduates with a Masters of Pharmacy on her twenty-second birthday. She is now a pre-registration pharmacist, working at the Eastbourne District General Hospital, and her ambition is to become a family doctor.

Diane Addy receives her degree in English Literature and Community History after studying at the university’s campus in Hastings. It is quite an achievement for someone who, as a mature student, admitted to being very unsure of her abilities at the beginning. She had been out of education for some time and came to us via the Hastings Open Access to Knowledge programme which provides the over 50s with 10 weeks of university tuition. That gave her to confidence to go on to a degree course – and ultimately to receive an outstanding award.

Emily Brooke (Product Design BSc(Hons)) has received publicity around the world after winning a university entrepreneurship award to attend a college in the USA. This followed her development of a bike safety device which projects a laser image onto the road ahead, alerting motorists to the presence of a cyclist.

Kitty Scammell (Physical Education BA(Hons)) won a Santander Award for her volunteering and community engagement, including working with teenage mothers, teaching them life skills including budgeting and childcare.

The university works with more than 1,800 businesses and organisations and many of our courses involve work-based learning through placements, which offer fantastic opportunities and experiences. Sam Whiles (Sport and Leisure Management BA(Hons)) was able to secure a unique placement with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympics.

Penny Foreman collects her foundation degree in Working with Young People with a distinction, having overcome great difficulties last year. She underwent chemotherapy for a recurrent cancer and maintained a positive attitude and a high standard of work. Her energy levels had been extremely low at times and yet she found the strength to continue her studies. She was described as “always cheerful and was an inspiration and support to fellow students.”

Variety seems to be Matthew Levett’s key to success, combining his love of music with his studies. He is graduating with a Masters in Logistics and Supply Chain Management and he also plays in a Reggae band. He based his dissertation on 'Whether or not a Reggae bar/record shop could gain a competitive advantage in Brighton?' In addition, Matthew did a work placement at BMW Rolls Royce and has now secured permanent employment with the company.