UCO’s sunshine stars

WE DID IT! Graduates (l-r) Gemma-Lyn King, Michelle Burns, Niela Kouser, Claire Calland, Emma Colling and Nicole Batey.

TRADITIONAL caps and gowns and brilliant weather came together at this year’s University Campus Oldham graduation ceremony yesterday.

Friends and family turned out to watch the traditional town-centre procession which kicked-off a day of celebrations.

And the loudest cheer came from youngsters from the appropriately-named Sunshine Nursery in Chadderton, who supported staff member Fiona Gee as she received her a BA (Hons) in early years education.

The day was a repeat for former Pride in Oldham nominee Gemma-Lyn King, who received her Masters in business administration a year after completing a postgraduate diploma in the subject.

The 29 year old, from Chadderton, has cerebral palsy and her parents were warned she might never walk or do much with her life. But the former North Chadderton School pupil proved them very wrong by also completing a degree in business computing and multimedia.

She said: “It was hard work but I loved it. My mum wants me to do a PhD but I have had enough — but you never know.”

Her support worker Elaine Barrie added: “She is inspirational. When she is determined to do something, she doesn’t stop.”

The graduation ceremony at the Queen Elizabeth Hall was the first since Oldham College took over UCO from Huddersfield University, though the latter still validates the degrees.

More than 200 students received awards, including friends Husna Maqbool (21), from Werneth, and Natalja Krasnokutska (22), who lives in Hathershaw after moving from Latvia eight years ago.

They both graduated in digital journalism.

Natalja said: “The course was challenging but it taught us a lot of skills necessary in the industry.”



26 graduates received first class degrees:



Business management:

Michael Dearden

Corina Hayes

Sayful Islam



Construction and project management:

Sean Bennett

James Beveridge

Thomas Bunting

David MacFarlane

Zbigniew Pikul

Matthew Plant

James Stone



Digital arts practice:

Amber Edwards

Lee Holland

Daryl Smout

Adam Stone

Joanna Szymczak



Health and community studies:

Toni Birch

Sajida Hussain

Veronica Shonhiwa

Jennifer Stanley



Humanities:

Michelle Burns

Claire Calland

Marie Walmsley



Psychological studies:

Hannah Harrison

Tahseen Javid



Social sciences:

Daniel Brooks

Zoe Williamson