Singer and songwriter Anthonia Edwards was awarded a Masters honorary degree for her contribution to music at the University of West London (UWL) graduation ceremony held at Twickenham Stadium.
UWL awards honorary degrees for significant contributions to a specific field or society in general. Anthonia, a former UWL nursing student, was honoured for her achievements in the field of music. This includes winning The Voice 2022 and recently supporting recording star Billy Ocean on a UK tour.
A total of eight graduation ceremonies were held for thousands of graduates from UWL’s 10 schools and affiliated international institutions as part of the summer ceremony.
Anthonia Edwards said, “I am proud of the person I have become over the last couple of years. Since then, I have come to realise that I am more resilient than I thought. I am not afraid to stand out and go after the things I love, like singing. I am so grateful for this honorary degree from the University of West London.”
Joining Anthonia in receiving an honorary degree were 15 other inspiring figures from a variety of fields. These included:
Audio engineer, businessperson, and member of the UWL advisory board Malcolm Toft (honorary Doctor of Science) for his many achievements in the music industry which includes engineering tracks for David Bowie, T-Rex, The Beatles, and Paul Weller.
Chief Executive at Black Lives in Music Charisse Beaumont (honorary Doctor of Music) for her efforts working for equality and inclusion through research and advocacy.
CEO of Pets as Therapy Clare Davis (honorary MBA) for the charity’s work providing therapeutic pet visits in hospitals, schools, residential homes, and prisons.
Senior midwife Donna Ockenden (honorary Doctor of Letters) for over 30 years’ experience in healthcare, playing a key role in developing midwifery in the UK and abroad.
Founding CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority and Vice Chair of Forbes Travel Guide Gerard ‘Jerry’ Inzerillo (honorary Doctor of Business Administration) for championing the hospitality and tourism sector.
Clinical scientist Professor Haroun Shah (honorary Doctor of Science) for leading a newly established laboratory for Public Health England dedicated to investigating emerging pathogens.
VFX Artist Josh Parks (honorary Doctor of Letters) for his work integrating digital assets with live-action footage in high end projects including The Martian, The Jungle Book and Ready Player One.
Commenting on UWL’s new graduates, Professor Peter John CBE, Vice-Chancellor and President of UWL, said: “Graduation is such a special moment for all our students. It is the culmination of their commitment to study, hard work and personal sacrifice over the years and it is a time to reflect on how far they have come and what they have achieved. Whatever their field of expertise, I believe that they will have had the chance to grow and develop on their educational journey here at UWL and they are now equipped with the knowledge, skills and expertise that will set them up for future career success. I am so proud of all of them and wish them good luck in everything they do in the future.”
Professor John added, “This is not just a remarkable year of achievement for our graduates and the University, too. For the first time in the history of university rankings – which spans forty years – we were given 2 University of the Year Awards. We were rated number one for student experience and number one for quality of teaching by The Sunday Times Good University Guide.”
One graduand said, ““I am so proud of myself and my fellow graduates. We did it. I don’t know what’s next, but I know anything is possible! “
