News

Prize Giving Ceremony 2002

(11 November 2002)

Academic success and personal achievement is to be rewarded at the University of Durham, Queen’s Campus, Stockton this week when over fifty top achievers will attend the annual prize giving ceremony on Wednesday 13 November in the Waterside Room, Holliday Building, Queen’s Campus.

Hosted by University Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Bilsborough, awards will be presented by the Mayor of Stockton-on-Tees, Councillor Jean O’Donnell and prize sponsors in the presence of tutors and student guests.

Among the individual success stories are two local students who are now forging new career paths.

Trainee primary school teacher Beverley Kitching from Stockton wins an academic achievement award for the second year running. After working as a childminder from home and running a mother and toddler group she was inspired to consider a career working with children. With her own two children settled in school, she decided to return to higher education. She said: ”I have enormous admiration for the teaching profession. My husband, mother-in-law and father-in-law are all teachers so I had a realistic view of what I was embarking on.” To qualify for entry onto the BSc Ed (ICT) course, Beverley first completed the University’s Foundation Programme, again coming top of her year.

Michael Ewbank from Darlington receives two awards for academic achievement. Previously working as a postman for eight years, Michael is now top of his year on the BSc Applied Psychology degree programme. Realising he needed to develop a career that would be personally more challenging, Michael reduced his hours processing mail and began an Access course to prepare him for full-time study. His long-term goal is to undertake postgraduate research into visual perception.

Applied Psychology Course Leader, Mr David Kleinman said: “Not only is Michael top of his year, he has also managed the unusual feat of getting firsts in all his modules. He has clearly put in a great deal of effort and is most deserving of these awards”.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bilsborough said: ”We salute the success of all our prize winners, but the achievements of Beverley and Michael are particularly inspiring and deserve a special mention”.