Around 3,000 Kingston University graduates will celebrate their achievements with proud family, friends, supporters, academic staff and special guests this week as they prepare to cross the stage during the University’s winter graduation ceremonies.
Undergraduate and postgraduate students from Kingston School of Art, the Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education, the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and the Environment and the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences will be collecting their degrees across 14 ceremonies between 20 and 26 January at the Rose Theatre in Kingston upon Thames. They will be joined by 44 PhD candidates, who will be conferred as doctors within their areas of expertise as well as several MPhil and MRes graduates.
Alongside the graduates, a line-up of influential figures – including several Kingston University alumni and former staff – will be recognised for the outstanding contributions they’ve made within their respective fields as they are bestowed with honorary awards.
Among them are leading sports broadcaster Laura Woods, who graduated from Kingston University with a BA (Hons) in print journalism in 2008 and has gone on to become a household name in sports journalism. Starting out as a runner for Sky Sports, she went on to work in various production roles before becoming a presenter. Laura has worked for major media outlets including Sky Sports, TalkSPORT, ITV, DAZN and TNT Sports. She has won multiple awards during her career and currently works as lead presenter for TNT Sports’ UEFA Champions League coverage and for ITV, covering the England national women’s football team and the FA Cup. Laura is being honoured with the award of Doctor of Arts (honoris causa) in recognition of her outstanding contribution to journalism and promoting women in sport.
The journey of Feryal Clark MP is one shaped by science, service and a belief that progress should benefit everyone. A Kingston University biomedical science graduate, Feryal’s commitment to public service and giving back to society led her into local government in 2006 before becoming the first British MP of Kurdish and Turkish heritage in 2019.
In 2024, Feryal was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, leading work on cyber security, digital identity and artificial intelligence, and supporting responsible innovation across the UK. As Minister for AI and Digital Government she spoke at Kingston University’s latest Future Skills report launch at the House of Commons, highlighting the importance of the uniquely human skills the University’s students are developing through its Future Skills programme. She is being given the award of Doctor of the University (honoris causa) in recognition of her outstanding contribution to health science, digital and AI innovation and Kingston University’s Future Skills campaign.
With more than three decades of experience, Clare Capito has dedicated her career to improving care standards and supporting the professionals who deliver them, helping shape the future of midwifery and nursing advocacy. In 2001, she broke new ground as one of England’s first consultant midwives and since 2023 has served as the Head of the PMA Programme for NHS England. She also leads the Professional Nurse Advocate programme in London. Clare is being bestowed with the award of Doctor of the University (honoris causa) in recognition of her outstanding contribution to midwifery.
Also being recognised this week is Christos Delantonis, an automotive programme leader with more than 26 years’ experience delivering complex international projects. He completed his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at Kingston University, which shaped both his technical foundations and his belief in collaborative, practical problem-solving. Since 2010, he has held various senior technical and leadership roles at McLaren Automotive where he is now a Senior Programme Manager. Christos maintains strong ties with the University as an Industrial Consultative Committee Board Member, STEM Ambassador and student mentor. He is being awarded Doctor of Engineering (honoris causa) in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the global automotive engineering industry and dedicated commitment to advancing STEM education and mentorship.
An accomplished architect who went on to play a central role in the transformation of Kingston University’s estate – including the award-winning flagship Town House building at Penrhyn Road – is also being recognised at this year’s ceremonies. Seán Woulfe worked in professional practice from 1989 until 2008, when he joined the University. Sean was Director of Estates and Sustainability during the procurement and delivery of Town House, which won the 2021 Stirling Prize and the 2022 EU Mies van Der Rohe Award – the highest accolade in European Architecture. The building’s design by Grafton Architects was procured by a RIBA design competition. Seán retired from this role in 2024 and remains associated with the University in an honorary research capacity. He is being awarded Fellow of the University (honoris causa) in recognition of his outstanding contribution to shaping Kingston’s built environment and elevating the University’s national and international reputation through award-winning projects.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Steven Spier congratulated the graduating students for their achievements. “Graduation really is the culmination of all the hard work, commitment, perseverance, and resilience our students have demonstrated throughout their degrees,” he said. “It’s always a pleasure to see how proud they and their families and friends are as they cross the stage – applauded by the staff who have supported them through their studies. I look forward to seeing the impact this year’s cohort will go on to make as they step into the world of work and progress through their careers.”
