Here are the details of all those graduating from the University of Worcester today.

Student - Esther Partridge-Warner

A Malvern mother is hoping to inspire other women as she graduates from the University of Worcester today.

Esther Partridge-Warner was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and following a mastectomy decided to rethink her work/life balance. Today she graduates from the University – for the second time – after completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching.

“I got married at 20 and went straight from A-levels into work,” she recalls. “I had a baby in 2002 and the company where I was working closed down whilst I was on maternity leave. A friend of mine had recently started a degree at Worcester and so she encouraged me to do the same.”

Esther graduated from the University of Worcester in 2006 with a degree in IT and Education and went on to work in education technology and publishing.

However, after being diagnosed with breast cancer, she decided to take another direction with her life.

“I upskilled and began my own business, Online Media Works; working with businesses to maximise their presence on social media,” said the 54-year-old. “In 2017 I saw on LinkedIn that the University’s Business School was looking for hourly paid lecturers and I was successful in my application. I teach Social Media for Business, E-business, and Generation Digital as well as supervising third year student projects.”

Esther then went on to complete a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning and has since become a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

“I never thought I'd be working in higher education - I didn't really have any idea what to do after my degree, but I thought that a joint degree of IT and Education might be useful in the future,” she said.

“I'm very excited to have achieved a postgraduate certificate and am looking forward to wearing my robes again.”

Esther said she hoped her story would inspire other women who want to make a change later in life.

“I saw a great quote the other day - it said you have 29,000 days on this planet, so make sure you build a life you love and don't waste a single day,” she said. “I very much appreciate the support of the University and hope that I could be an inspiration to other women.”

Student – Annabel Collins

A mature student, who returned to education after more than 30 years, graduates from the University of Worcester today.

Annabel Collins, from St John’s, Worcester, completed a Bachelor’s degree in Integrated Working with Children and Families after four years of studying at the University.

“It is a great achievement after being out of education for so long, I never thought I would be able to do it, but I have, and I am so proud of that,” said the 50-year-old.

The mother-of-one has been working towards her degree whilst continuing to work full time at the University, largely in the field of outreach work, including as the Manager of the Children’s University programme and co-ordinating the University’s annual Storytelling Festival for Children.

She originally completed a Foundation Degree in Collaborative Working with Children, Young People and Families, before spending the last 12 months on a top-up programme to achieve a full BA (Hons).

“After the Foundation Degree I wanted to challenge myself further to see if I could do the top up,” she said. “And with encouragement from my friends and family, who gave me the support and strength needed, I am so proud to have achieved it.”

“The course has provided me with a greater understanding of families and how each family have their own needs - we are not all of the same mould,” she added. “I have learned how to adapt my practice to meet different needs.”

Honorary Doctorate - Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE

Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE, one of the country’s leading businessmen and philanthropists, will receive an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Worcester today.

Sir Kenneth is a British businessman, philanthropist and the first black Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London. He is the Founder and Chairman of Restoration Partners, the London-based technology-focused merchant bank, which supports technology entrepreneurs.

Sir Kenneth began his 30-year-career in technology with IBM in the 1970s, after being awarded a scholarship whilst an undergraduate at the University of Cambridge, studying Natural Sciences and then Social, Political and Management Sciences at Fitzwilliam College.

In 1992, after twelve years as a senior executive at Wang Labs in the US and Europe, Ken founded Interregnum, the technology merchant bank. He was elected as a Fellow of the British Computer Society in 2006 and served as a member of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA).

Sir Kenneth is currently Chairman of Interswitch (Africa’s largest e-payments company). He is a former Director of Thomson Reuters, a former deputy Chair at the Institute of Directors and Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC)

A dedicated philanthropist, Sir Kenneth received an OBE in 2010 for his work with the charity Thames Reach. In 2018, the Queen bestowed him with a Knighthood for services to business and philanthropy in the UK. He is Chair of the Shaw Trust, which helps people who are unemployed for a variety of reasons to find work, as well as the founder and Chair of the Aleto Foundation – a social mobility charity for young people.

Sir Kenneth is also a Freeman of the City of London, a Liveryman, and Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists. He is a past Sunday Times Not for Profit Non-Executive Director of the Year and was named Number One in the 2016 Powerlist’s roster of the UK’s most influential black people.

Fellowship – Mark Stansfeld

A leading local entrepreneur will become a Fellow of the University of Worcester today.

Mark Stansfeld is a distinguished local business leader. As Chair of the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (WLEP), he has been instrumental in bringing the Worcestershire 5G Testbed to the county. This is a development that puts Worcestershire at the forefront of this exciting next-generation technology, which has the power to revolutionise the way we all communicate in the future.

Alongside his work for the County, Mr Stansfeld also chairs Airband, a rural broadband provider, and works with Three Mobile.

Starting his career in the food industry at Cadbury Schweppes and Kraft Foods, Mr Stansfeld soon moved into technology, with positions at BT, T-Mobile and as Commercial Director for O2, where he was part of the team that brought the brand to market leadership.

Mr Stansfeld has achieved many accomplishments during his distinguished business career, including the successful negotiation that first brought the ‘i-phone’ to Britain. Mr Stansfeld was also instrumental in starting giffgaff, the fastest growing mobile network in the UK, and chaired this until recently.

Those graduating today include:

Foundation Degree Arts in Learning Support

Hayley Ball

Nicola Eaton

Nicola Edginton

Nicola Furnival

Megan Giles

Michelle Hall

Jenna Hirst

Lauren Rhodes

Megan Stanley

Lisa Timbrell

Katie Woodcock

Foundation Degree Arts in Learning Support (Halesowen College)

Hamida Begum

Clare Darby

Rebecca Holton

Sandeep Kaur

Foundation Degree Arts in Learning Support (Herefordshire and Ludlow College)

Amy Allen

Sasha Baugh

Lyndsey Clark

Grace Cooke

Laura Cooke

Karen Garland

Sarah Hebbes

Shannon Meaney

Sarah-Jane Russell

Claire Sampson

Chantal Taylor

Katie Tippins

Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Education Studies

Eva Ambruzova

Jessica Baker

Lauren Breen

Emily Capper

Millie Clarke

Molly Doyle

Katie Fitton

Chloe Fitzsimmons

Nicole Forrer

Victoria Grimshaw

Georgina Gusterson

Peter Hall

Molly Hand

Leah Henney

Millie-Mai Hodgkiss

Sophie Lee

Marika MacIejewska

Paula Maidens

Catherine Mitchell

Jordan Pearson

Megan Plumbley

Lauren Reid

Connor Scott

Anamaria Vasuian

Hannah Walker

Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Education Studies and Art & Design

Eleanor Summers

Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Education Studies and English Language

Felicity Allen

Lauren Challen

Kadi Kustavson

Kayleigh Stoddart

Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Education Studies and English Literature

Nadia Matthews

Elizabeth Whatmore

Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Education Studies and Psychology

Jessica Hickman

Jennifer Thornhill

Breanne Townsend

Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Education Studies and Sociology

Anna Knott

Abbie Simms

Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Education Studies (Special and Inclusive Education)

Daniel Archer

Megan Birch

Kim Evans

Helen Haskell

Lucy Pearson

Jennifer Taylor

Laura Turner

Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Special Educational Needs, Disabilities & Inclusion

Shannon Corry

Laura Fieldhouse

Leigh Hambrey

Abbigail Hendricks

Jennifer Mansley

Georgia Mawdsley

Poppy Walton

Carlie Whittaker Ballard

Foundation Degree Arts in Early Years - Sector Endorsed

Laura Blackman

Abigail Broome

Jade Cooper

Christine Dec

Charlotte Ellis

Alice Flower

Adrienne Gormusoglu

Lisa Harwood

Danielle Healey

Stephanie Ingram

Rebecca Jenkin

Rachel Milnes

Rachael Poppitt

Nicola Roberts

Emma Ross

Amie Sauntson

Lisa Shorthouse

Tracy Smith

Sarah Trivett

Rachel Wharam

Nanette Williams

Foundation Degree Arts in Early Years - Sector Endorsed (Birmingham Metropolitan College)

Patrice Blake

Anthony Cartmell

Kelly Freeman

Claire Mallinson

Sammia Mushtaq

Roseanne Novak

Aynsley Payne

Alix Shauffer-Ellis

Elizabeth Skidmore

Robyn Smith

Hannah Vaughan

Foundation Degree Arts in Early Years - Sector Endorsed (Halesowen College)

Narzia Bi

Kayleigh Gould

Georgia Harley

Meghan Holloway

Kelly Hunston

Benish Imran

Natalie Jones

Dominique Read

Claire Sherrington

Jordan Totney

Marie Vaughan

Foundation Degree Arts in Early Years – Sector Endorsed (Heart of Worcestershire College)

Lisa Chambers

Jacqueline Goulding

Joseph Howley

Kouser Khan

Shelley O’Connor

Nichola Philpott

Charlotte Roberts

Chloe Shayler

Debbie Smith

Emma Smith

Lucy Taylor

Lisa Thomson

Evie Turner

Lucy Willis

Leanne Wragg

Amy Yoxall

Foundation Degree Arts in Early Years - Sector Endorsed (Herefordshire & Ludlow College)

Rebecca Kench

Sarah Prosser

Victoria Stanford

Kate Watkins

Molly Williams

Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Early Childhood Professional Practice

Stephanie Ashfield

Sabah Ayub

Amy Bagnall

Charlotte Baker

Molly Baxter

Liam Broomfield

Melissa Cole

Millie Cornes

Daryll Crossfield

Emily Finch

Sophie Finch

Emily Fisher

Isabel Hall

Paige Humphries

Misha Kenhard

Alison Norgrove

Elizabeth Oakley

Rachel Pearson

Shannon Pearson

Aimee Wainwright

Chloe Williams

Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Working with Children and Families

Shannon Fellows

Samantha Wiggett

Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Integrated Working with Children and Families

Sobiah Ahmed

Ruth Akbas

Kate Aram

Christie-Louise Barrows

Lucy Bayliss

Tina Bennett

Lucy Brewer

Sarah Buckland

Hannah Burch

Lisa Chadry

Hayley Cherrington

Annabel Collins

Samantha Copeland

Zoe Corfield

Kelly Crew

Kerry Dallow

Sally Eldridge

Lauren Farmer

Clare Fereday

Amelia Fowkes

Georgia Freeman

Catherine Green

Abigail Jones

Natalie Keogh Hardy

Emily Lambert

Jade Ledbrook

Abigail Longden

Jade Maynard

Angela Mc Closkey

Alysha McEwan

Nikita Millward

Jean Peters

Monika Rayet

Amy Roberts-Clarke

Jemma Russell

Helen Smith

James Soley

Tamsyn Stevens

Kerry Stubbs

Emma Waldron

Rachel Warren

Chloe Wild

Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Integrated Working with Children and Families (Halesowen College)

Danielle Alcock

Paula Boden

Nicola Booker

Stacey Buckley

Harley Caveney-Appleby

Sarah Cheshire

Ethel Coleman

Rachelle Erskine

Jenny Gardner

Lauren Green

David Hackett

Carla Fe Lowe

Louise Medlicott

Mamuna Murad

Jessica Nunn

Diane Pitt

Colin Plant

Lucy Rummey

Amanda Simkins

Victoria Simpson

Amanda Walwyn

Zoe Wild

Daisy Williams

Leigh-Anne Wynne

Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Working with Children and Families (Herefordshire and Ludlow College)

Clare Roche

Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Integrated Working with Children and Families (Herefordshire and Ludlow College)

Hollie Baxter

Leanne Dias Rodrigues

Teri Hobbs

Sian Jackson

Ashleigh Kirby

Catherine Prince

Rita Rhodes

Paige Stephenson

Alexandra Vaughan

Sophie Watts

Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

Diane Asamoah

Emma Clayton

Angela Connell

Rebecca Denham

Timothy Dudding

James Evans

Kirsty Fraser

Paula Gardner

Joanna Goldie

Thomas Hancock

Elena Lengthorn

James McDonald

Esther Partridge-Warner

Richard Pepperell

Susan Rees

Ben Shakespeare

Joanne Smith

Nicola Summers

Clare Wilkes

Lorna Williams

David Woodward

David Woolford

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Special Educational Needs Coordination) National SENCO Award

Charlotte Barnett

Rob Bothma

Laura Brighton

Sally Campbell

Emma Carolan

Joanne Evans

Alison Gallagher

Charlotte Glazzard

Mary Gray

Rebecca Hardisty

Joanne Hounsell-Hardy

Victoria Irvine

Hannah Jackson

Katherine Leech

Natasha Lewis

Joanne Ludlow

Benjamin Makins

Emma Maxfield

Beata Payne

Jessica Price

Jodie Smith

Amanda Smithson

Alison Stanton

Helen Thackeray

Tanya Welsh

Laura Wilkes

Postgraduate Diploma in Education

Adam Bigford

Master of Arts in Education

Gemma Bagnall

Emma Bailey

James Blackmore

Karen Bubb

Vasiliki Evriviadou

Thomas Harris

Alexander Hirons

David Hunt

Sarah Lewis

Lauren Maguire

Stephanie Palmer

Caroline Redman

Abigail Smith

Master of Arts in Education (Early Childhood)

Sally Howells

Master of Arts in Education (Mentoring & Coaching)

Samantha Hopkins

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Leading Early Years Practice)

Charlotte Hill

Deborah Jones-Dee

Bethany Tibbetts

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Special and Inclusive Education)

Pauline Smith

Master of Arts in Education (Special and Inclusive Education)

Bethany Foden

Kathryn Kings

Rosie Round

Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods

Joseph Hayes

Doctor of Philosophy

Maxine Watkins

Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Education Studies and Sociology

Abbie Simms

Diploma in Education and Training

Deana Hendon

Diploma in Education and Training (Halesowen College)

Jodie Lee Connor

Carlie Down

Mandy Downing

Leanne Harper

Hannah Heap

Gareth McCormack

Rebecca Paterson

Terence Porter

Ross Andrew Clarke Smith

David Thomas

William Tranter

Sophie Wilkinson

Simon Williams

Jendayi Yoxall

Postgraduate Certificate in Educational Studies

Katherine Jones

Megan Tibbetts

William Warmington

Professional Graduate Certificate in Education: Primary

Anna Fishpool

Sian Moroney

Kimberley Stafford

Postgraduate Certificate in Education: Primary

Alicia Amos

Bethan Anthony

Emily Attwood-Bloomfield

Hannah Barnes

Hannah Bate

Stephen Bates

Neifa Begum

Ruth Bishop

Louise Bloore

Natasha Bowen

Nikki Bowman

Amy Bradley

Laura Brough

Shannon Bryant

Eleanor Bugg

Adam Burke

Hannah Burke

Molly Butler

Sarah Carter

Claire Cassell

Jamie Chetwood

Sophie Condlyffe

Chloe Cook

Isabel Cooke

Georgina Corrick

Sarah Cox

Lynsey Curtis

Bethanie Davidson

Elisabeth Davies

Jess Davies

Sarah Davies

Lydia Deakin

Chloe Downing

Simon Evans

Sarah Farmiloe

Rita Finch

Gabrielle Flower

Samuel Green

Sophie Gregory

Mark Hamilton

Felicity Harris

Lucy Harris

Katie Havard-Pratt

Luke Hill

Rachel Hill-Kelly

Beau Hobbs

Benjamin Holloway

Rebecca Holloway

Lauren Hughes

Margaret Hughes

Terri-Ann Hynes

Emily Ingram

Daniel Jones

Ffion Jones

Megan Kelly

Jessica Lake

Charlotte Lenton

Joanne Lewis

Jack Matthews

Robert Moffat

Alexandra Motherwell

Abigail Perkins

Matthew Perry

Hannah Picken

Rachel Price

Emma Pritchett

Harpreet Purewal

Katie Richards

Darran Ricks

Zoe Rimell

Megan Roberts

Jessica Robertshaw

Stephanie Sabin

Hannah Shaw

Hannah Short

Emilia Sinden

Gemma Small

Katie Smith

Millie-Anne Smith

Saffron Smith

Lorna Stacey

Nicola Steele

Rachel Steinbrecher

Emily Tattum

Stephanie Tennant

Rebecca Thomas

Charlotte Thornley

Natasha Townsend

Bastien Vallat

Ben Walker

Natasha Walker

Daniel-James Walters

Gemma Waring

Sophie Waterfield

Sarah Watts

Thomas Webb

Bianca West

Daniel Williams

Lori Yates

Postgraduate Certificate in Educational Studies (Somerset SCIL)

Lorraine Saunders

Postgraduate Certificate in Education: Primary (Somerset SCIL)

Sophie Berry

Hannah Birch

Rebecca Booth

Kristie Cable

Paula Carpenter

Fiona Collery

Louise Cox

Aaron Deeks

Denise Difford

Ryan Duffield

Emily Gannon

Merrin Gerry

Felicity Grammer

Karen Grattan

Caitlin Jackson

Henry Lowe

Lauren Milburn

Sophie Morton

Claire Nelson

Laura Passco

Alexandra Roberts

Lucy Robinson

Sian Rowlands

Adele Sanford

Jackie Slade

Bethan Stacy

Claire Stevens

Phoebe Ware

Clive Warner

Stevi Willis

Naomi Woodhead

Zoe Yarde

Professional Graduate Certificate in Education: Secondary

Amie Bingham

Jack Bowser

Giya George

Mahir Mousa

Elinor Parker

Jeremy Roberts

Peter Thornley

Kirk Wood

Postgraduate Certificate in Education: Secondary

Andrew Aldis

Iram Ali

Rachel Armstrong

Alexander Ballentyne

Ross Barham

Alexander Bashford

Claire Beddow

Dean Bell

Sophie Biddle

Rebecca Blakeway

Phillip Blankley

Claire Boakes

Paige Bradburn

Samuel Bridgwater

Christian Bromley

Robert Brookes

Christopher Broughton

Sophie Burke

Jeremy Burton

Paige Bythell

Harry Clark

Bethany Coombes

Sarah Cousins

Hugo Crossley

Claire Dain

Katherine Davey

Samuel Davies

Saffia Del Torre

Elinore Dickinson

Clare Dolan

Laura Donoher

Alexandra Doyle

Geordan Edmonds

Emma Elton

Katie Ennis

Harriet Finney

Michael Fish

Emma Foley

Matthew Ford

David Freer

Lucy Gazard

Katie George

Jade Gilks

Abbie Glenny

Emily Gray

Sara Gresko-Barnfield

Chloe Hackett

Heather Harris

Matthew Hartup

Georgia Hayward

Conor Healy

William Heppell

Stacey Hickman

Christopher Ibbetson

Emily James

Marta Jazurek

Geraint Jenkins

William Jennings

Annamarie Jones

Edward Jones

Jessica Jones

Sophie Jones

Wendy Jones

Dilan Keskin

Cathrine King

Siobhan King

Emily Kirk

Emily Manship

Rhiannon Marshall

Paige Martin

John Paul McBride

Sophie Midgley

Gabriella Mills

Kirstyn Minchin

Jessica Moore

Claire Morgan

Elaheh Mostofi Pour Shoshtari

Peter Murphy

Grace New

Megan O’Connor

Emily O’Sullivan

Hannah Oakley

Matthew Oldroyd

Chloe Orman

Leanne Osborne

Abbee Parker

Thomas Pashley

Camila Piovezani Giovani Mainardi

Nichola Power

Jane Rees

Ryan Seaborne

Laura Shelton

Scott Shepherd

Jasmine Sheringham

Kate Sims

Dolly Smith

Lauren Smith

Peter Smith

Robinson Soteriou

Tilly Stanik

Laura Stansfeld

Andrew Steele

George Taylor

Gemma Thompson

Natasha Titley

Angela Walker

Ashley Warnes

Matthew Watkins

Suzanne Watson

Samuel Webb

Samuel Whittingham

Luke Williams

Stav Williams

Amelia Wills

Katrina Woodger

Gareth Young

Jean Young

Professional Graduate Certificate in Education: Secondary (Barr Beacon SCITT)

Dorothy Matyatya

Simon McAleenan-Marks

Lucy Warren

Postgraduate Certificate in Education: Secondary (Barr Beacon SCITT)

Bethany Allison

Elinor Bennett

Jessica Brookes

Laura Carless

Amanda Charlesworth

Sarah Dick

Lucy Evans

Elizabeth Freeth

Kierran Garner

Charles Jones

Rebecca Knight

Rebecca Mattox

Benjamin Murray

Sophie Parsons

Jasminder Sandhu

Cherrone Sidhu

Catherine Smith

Francesca Styche-Hocknull

Amelia Tipper

Claire Wall

Kaylee Walsh

Dominique Wedderburn

Kay Weston

Professional Graduate Certificate in Education: Secondary (Prince Henry’s

and South Worcestershire SCITT)

Brad Pettitt

James Smith

Postgraduate Certificate in Education: Secondary (Prince Henry’s & South Worcestershire SCITT)

George Claridge

Louis Kisitu Ssekabira

Abigail Leeson

Jack Mackintosh

Charlotte Clare Rimell

Jade Watts