Graduations 2009

As well as bidding farewell to students, the University ended a long-standing tradition with Lancaster University, as the last Edge Hill graduation ceremony was held on its campus. The University was also delighted to welcome new members to the Edge Hill family, with the award of four honorary degrees.

Let’s Dance

An Edge Hill University student danced her way across the Atlantic this summer after landing a prestigious work placement in the US.

Leah Wainwright, 21, from Preston, headed Stateside to complete an internship at the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs, New York, where she helped coordinate an international exhibition on superstar dancer and actor, Patrick Swayze.

Leah, who graduated from the University with a degree in Dance, said: “A major part of my internship was to research a new exhibition for the museum, which will be a homage to Patrick Swayze, who died recently and who contributed a lot to the US dance industry during his career.”

Leah has a particular interest in the theory and teaching of dance, something which she was able to pursue on her degree due to the varied nature of the Edge Hill course, which offers students both theoretical and practical aspects in equal measure.

She added: “The course would be a great choice for anyone who, like me, has an interest in dance theory. It really keeps up with the times and is very much geared towards the modern dance industry.

“There was always the opportunity to explore different styles of dance too – rather than just contemporary, I was able to study ballet and specialised styles like traditional African dance and Capoiera, a Brazilian discipline.”

After graduating, Leah plans to undertake a Masters degree in Dance Anthropology in Roehampton and hopes to return to the US for the opening of the exhibition later this year.

First things first…

An Edge Hill graduate has become one of the first ever students to gain a first-class honours degree on her course.

Polish student Justyna Szczyrvowska, 27, who lives in Liverpool, studied on the University’s Public Relations programme and was one of two students to earn the coveted top mark.

“I am delighted and honoured that I’m one of the first students to gain a first. I was expecting a 2:1 and would have been happy with that, but when I found out my mark I couldn’t believe it – I thought it was a joke!”

Justyna spent two years at London Metropolitan University studying advertising and marketing communications before transferring to Edge Hill.

“I looked around lots of North West universities and it was Edge Hill University that really appealed to me. Right from the first contact I had, staff were helpful and I felt valued immediately, like they really wanted me to come. Then when I visited, I knew I had chosen the right place.”

After studying for one month at the University, Justyna had a big surprise – she found out was pregnant with her now one-year-old son. However, determined Justyna studied right up until the birth and was back working on assignments within a week of her son being born.

“After moving from London, changing courses and moving house, it was such a shock, but thankfully, my tutors were really flexible and supportive to my circumstances – they were great and made the transition very easy.”

Doing the Honours

A female footballer, a childhood expert, an NHS leader and an international humanitarian were all chosen to receive honorary degrees from Edge Hill University this year.
The diverse foursome are all distinguished in their chosen field and reflect the areas in which the University itself excels.

One of the UK’s leading thinkers on childhood, Dr Tim Gill’s work focuses on children’s play and free time. He has written widely on the subject and his often controversial views have sparked much interest and debate in the media.
As well as advising political parties and think tanks across the political spectrum, Tim’s consultancy clients include Barnardo’s, the Forestry Commission, the Mayor of London and the National Trust. He is also on the international advisory board for the academic journal, Children’s Geographies, and was director of the Children’s Play Council (now Play England) from 1997 to 2004.

Liverpool-born Dr Anne Merriman is a pioneer of the international hospice movement. She has devoted close to a quarter-century of her professional life to developing affordable and culturally appropriate end-of-life care in Africa. She is a founder member of the African Palliative Care Association and the Hospice Care Association of Singapore.
In 1990, Anne was invited to be the first medical director of the Nairobi Hospice in Kenya. This led to the “Merriman Model”, which drove the development of affordable and locally accessible services for the African subcontinent and introduced a system of terminal care customised to developing countries with limited resources.

Edge Hill graduate Sue Smith is a professional footballer and former captain of the England Women’s football team. She has amassed 79 international caps and scored 14 goals for her country, including one against Germany on her debut. Sue has been voted Nationwide International Player of the Year twice and was the sole England representative in the FIFA XI vs US showpiece match in 1999.
Alongside playing for Leeds Carnegie Ladies, Sue also has a burgeoning career in the media, commentating on women’s games for BBC Sport and Sky Sports, and is an active member of Sport England’s Sporting Champions programme, which encourages young people to get fit and play sport.

Executive Nurse Moya Sutton has 30 years’ extensive NHS experience and is currently responsible for the leadership of nursing and allied health professionals at Alder Hey Hospital. She is the executive lead for partnerships and safeguarding and has led the organisation to be uniquely accredited by WHO as a health-promoting hospital.
As Assistant Director of Health and Social Care in Knowsley, Moya is the only nurse to have managed children’s social services. She led Knowsley to achieve an “excellent” rating for children’s social care and also Beacon status. Moya was also nurse advisor to St Helens & Knowsley Health Authority and held a national role regarding the health contribution to crime and disorder.