Proud pair’s first-class turnaround

HATS off . . . first class students Megan Cowle (left) and Kelly McDonald celebrtate their success

TWO mature students who dropped out of education are now top class.

Proud Megan Cowle and Kelly McDonald are the first University Centre Oldham (UCO) students to gain first-class honours degrees in humanities.

They graduated this month in a ceremony at Huddersfield University after juggling family and personal commitments with their studies.

Ill-health forced Megan to drop out of a music course and later give up her civil service job and voluntary work with the Citizens’ Advice Bureau.

But she tuned her life around after enrolling at the centre and her achievements earned her a national Adult Learners’ Award earlier this year.

The 37-year-old, of Pearl Mill Close, Abbeyhills, was student representative at the centre. In her first year, she received an Oldham Education Trust prize, which supports students who might otherwise not go to university.

Megan spoke about how she had transformed from seeing herself as “disabled, unemployable and with no future,” to “ambitious, determined and committed to pursuing a career”.

She is now doing a masters in social work and said: “I was absolutely amazed and very relieved to get a first. I didn’t expect it but it has really made the journey worthwhile.

“It’s been hard work, really tough, but also very exhilarating. The staff have been really inspiring and given me the confidence to carry on when times got tough.

“Anybody who is thinking about doing a degree should just go for it, don’t hold back because of fear or lack of confidence — you really can achieve if you put your mind to it.”

Kelly’s children Ethan (6) and Kyra (5) watched their mum receive her degree a decade after she left college with one A-level. The 28-year-old, of Houghton Street, Royton, worked in a bank and at Oldham Council before becoming a full-time mum.

She said: “Looking back, I don’t think I was ready to go straight into further study after school, I didn’t really have the confidence or the life experience that seems to have benefited me in later life.”

Attending UCO allowed Kelly to juggle her studies with family responsibilities.

She added: “I was so proud and delighted to have achieved a first. I really didn’t expect it, although my husband said he always thought I would. When I found out I couldn’t stop crying, I tried to phone my mum to tell her but couldn’t get the words out as I was so overwhelmed.

“I just think back to the time when I was 18 and look at what I have achieved now.”

Dr Cath Ellis, course leader for humanities, said: “A first-class degree is an astonishing achievement for any student — but for these two, having returned to study after a long break, it’s even more remarkable.

“They’ve done all of this while having significant caring responsibilities and health difficulties to deal with. I’m enormously proud of them both.”