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Aberdeen University Graduation Stories, Tuesday July 5 2011

Honorary graduand: Richard Thompson OBE, Composer and Musician

Over four decades Richard Thompson has developed his reputation as a sensitive songwriter and virtuoso guitarist. Richard Thompson's career can be defined in three phases. The first, from 1966 to 1971, the time when he left school and played with Fairport Convention; the second, from 1972 to 1982, representing his partnership with Linda Thompson; and the third, from 1982 to present as a solo musician. It is a career represented by a body of work of over 400 songs and more than 100 recordings. As a founding member of Fairport Convention, and while still a teenager, he was responsible for a number of iconic songs such as Meet on the Ledge. These songs presaged his unique mix of rock and traditional music and his vast catalogue of songs that have been covered by a wide range of artists including Elvis Costello, Robert Plant, REM, Los Lobos, David Byrne, Alison Krause and many others. The consistently high standard of his songwriting has been formally recognized by an Ivor Novello Award and his most recent album received a Grammy nomination in February of this year. Mr Thompson's musicianship matches his creativity as a songwriter. Equally at home in electric or acoustic mode, his virtuoso guitar playing is unusual. His distinctive idiosyncratic style - with its roots in traditional folk music - still echoes the jigs and reels of his time with Fairport Convention. He was awarded the Orville H Gibson award for Best Acoustic Guitarist in 1997, the MOJO Les Paul Award in 2010, and was named one of Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 20 Guitarists of All Time. Last year he was appointed curator of London's Meltdown Festival at the South Bank Centre and has recently added to his repertoire a theatrical song cycle entitled "Cabaret of Souls" that includes original compositions for string orchestra as well as guitar, bass and voice. As a performer, whether solo or fronting his own band, Richard Thompson is noted for his 'dizzying' energy and onstage wit. An intelligent proponent of contemporary 'folk' rock music he remains to this day an influential and innovative artist.

Tuesday, July 5 at 11am

The University is the place to meet people and fall in love as Dee Allen who graduates today demonstrates – she met her fiancé during the second year of her studies.

And 30-year-old Dee is following in her mum’s footsteps as she also met her partner at the University where they were both working at the time in the Geography department.

Dee, who graduates with an MA (Hons) in English, met fiancé Kevin McDonald (29) on October 28, 2009. The couple, who are both from Aberdeen, are getting married in October this year.

Kevin graduated from the University last year with a first class degree in Mathematics and is now in undertaking a PhD at the institution.

Dee has juggled her studies with a part time job at Robert Gordon University as well as planning her wedding, which will take place at King’s College.

She has handmade all her wedding invites, orders of service and plans to bake her own wedding cake.

Dee tried to fulfil her duties as wedding planner in the summer so that she could concentrate on her studies during term time.

Dee will be the first person to graduate in her family – something her mum is very proud of.

Dee said: “It will be a very sentimental affair as both our families are heavily connected to the University. I met my fiancé here, just like my mum met my stepdad.

“I lived at Thom’s Place in Old Aberdeen for a number of years as a child. I would often walk past King’s when there was a wedding on and can’t believe I am lucky enough to have my own wedding ceremony here.”

Tuesday, July 5 at 3pm

Honorary graduand: William Saunders, Professor of Endodontology and Dean of Dentistry, University of Dundee.

William (Bill) Saunders graduated BDS from the Royal Dental Hospital of London in 1970. Following graduation, he spent five years as a Dental Officer in the Royal Air Force. He then worked as a Principal in general dental practice for six years. In 1981, he joined the University of Dundee as a lecturer in the Department of Conservative Dentistry – and was awarded a PhD by the University of Dundee in 1986 and was the first academic to complete higher clinical training in Restorative Dentistry. He joined the University of Glasgow Dental School in 1988 as Senior Lecturer in Clinical Practice. He was subsequently appointed Titular Professor of Clinical Practice in 1993 and Personal Professor of Endodontology in 1995, the first in the United Kingdom. He left Glasgow in 2000 to return to Dundee as Professor of Endodontology and Dean of Dentistry at the University of Dundee. Professor Saunders has been President of the British Endodontic Society and was Chairman of the Education Committee of the European Society of Endodontology. He was a member of the Council of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Dental Faculty for 10 years and continues to chair the Advisory Board in Restorative Dentistry. He was Chair of the Dental Schools Council of the United Kingdom until June 2011 and was Congress Chair of the European Society of Endodontology in 2009. Professor William Saunders played a major role in establishing Aberdeen’s new Dental School.

Teaching award: Dr Gerry Hough, Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen has been awarded the College of Arts and Social Sciences Award for Excellence in Teaching.

He was nominated for the prize by not one, but separately by two of his classes. In their words, Dr Hough’s ability to ‘make the subject come alive’ made his classes both rewarding and engaging.

Tuesday, July 5 at 3pm

When Jenny Adams graduates today with a First Class Bachelor of Divinity degree it will have been a marathon journey. The degree is one for which she commuted for four hours a day, travelling over 560 miles a week, to get to and from the University of Aberdeen.

Sometimes the 40-year-old from Elgin would take a 90 minute train just to attend a one hour class - so much of her coursework was completed on the train.

Jenny also balanced her studies and extensive travel with her role as mum to Scott (13), Alan (11) and Euan (8), as well as with her placements, as required by the Church of Scotland for her desired career as a minister, at Lossiemouth, Fochabers and Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

Despite all this Jenny has been awarded the Burgess prize for the best dissertation, 3 Christ's College prizes for Systematic Theology and shared a Christ's College prize for Practical Theology.

Her husband, David (48), was a great support picking up a lot of the responsibilities at home, as Jenny left very early or arrived home late after attending classes at the University.

Jenny admits it has been hard, sometimes missing out on the school run or helping with her sons’ homework because she spent much of her day travelling.

She said: “I perhaps had quite a different student experience from my class mates as I could not get involved in University life beyond the classroom because I lived so far away.

“However, because I could not just quickly nip home it helped me to make friends on campus with my class mates.”

Jenny took a career break from the telecommunications industry where she worked as a software engineer for ten years, after having her third son. It was during this period she received her call to the Ministry and she enrolled at the University of Aberdeen.

When she was growing up Jenny attended St. Laurence Church in Forres, is an elder in St. Giles’ & St. Columba’s South Church in Elgin, and now she is looking forward to taking up her probationary placement in nearby Fochabers (Bellie Parish Church) after her graduation.

Tuesday, July 5 at 3pm

The Far East is on the horizon for Caroline Moore who will join the Asia Challenge Team after graduating today with a 2:1 MA Divinity.

The 23-year-old Dubliner will take a two year trip around Asia starting in Burma and then Thailand with the Church organisation Operation Mobilisation.

She will spend her time travelling round the continent and teaching English to groups of students and visiting different churches.

She is hoping this experience will enable her to learn more about different cultures and to meet new people.

“I feel lucky to have obtained a voluntary position on the team and I hope can use my time to minister to the needs of others around the world,” she said.

“I have always wanted to do charity work when I graduate so hopefully this will be a stepping stone towards a permanent position.”

Caroline hopes this will be an eye opening experience that will lead to the improvement of the lives of others.

She looks forward to graduating in front of her family.

Tuesday, July 5 at 6.30pm

Honorary graduand: Professor Dame Carol Black, National Director for Health and Work, and Chairman of the Nuffield Trust

Professor Dame Carol Black is the National Director for Health and Work, Chairman of the Nuffield Trust, President of the British Lung Foundation, and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Bristol. She is a past-President of the Royal College of Physicians, and immediate past-Chairman of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges. The Centre she established at the Royal Free Hospital, London is internationally renowned in the field of connective tissue diseases. Since the early 1990s she has worked at board level in a number of organisations, including the Royal Free Hospital Hampstead NHS Trust, the Health Foundation, the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, and the Imperial College Healthcare Charity, and recently chaired the UK Health Honours Committee. She is a Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery, a member of the Committee for the Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service, chairs the governance board of the new Centre for Workforce Intelligence, and is on several national committees aiming to improve healthcare. She is a Foreign Affiliate of the Institute of Medicine USA.