Uni prepares to celebrate with a week of graduation ceremonies

Aston University will be celebrating the hard work and achievements of many of its students during a week of graduation ceremonies in the surroundings of the city 's newest purpose-built conference and events venue.

Nearly 2,000 students will officially process in the presence of Aston University 's Chancellor, Sir John Sunderland and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alec Cameron, before an audience of graduating students and their families in 14 ceremonies at The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham from today through to 10 September.

Aston University will also be awarding honorary degrees to public figures and individuals who have distinguished themselves in a particular field or profession, or who have given meritorious service to the University. This year 's recipients are:

Steve Allen, a commercial litigation and arbitration lawyer, heads up the Birmingham office of national law firm Mills & Reeve LLP, listed in the Legal 500 'Hall of Fame ', in 2010 became the inaugural winner of the International Solicitor of the Year Award from the Birmingham Law Society, a Visiting Fellow of International Law at Aston University, appears in the Birmingham Post 's Power 250 list of the Midlands ' most influential people. Also president of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce.

Dr Keith Bradshaw, born in Aston in Birmingham, attended Handsworth Technical School, then qualified as a Chartered Accountant, worked in Africa where he became President of the Mesurado Group of Companies in Monrovia before returning to the UK and beginning a number of successful business ventures, he has a passion for Birmingham and the West Midlands and is involved with a number of initiatives and charitable organisations, was awarded an OBE in The Queen 's Birthday Honours.

Carolyn Chapman-Lees, Chief Executive Officer of the Titan Partnership, a charity supporting schools, colleges and universities across Birmingham, dedicated to creating equality of opportunity for young people, founded TurnPoint Projects, a company specialising in supporting young people facing disadvantage and spearheaded national student enterprise programmes and entrepreneurial education leadership programmes across the UK.

Gary Coombe, a graduate of Aston University, CEO of Procter & Gamble 's global grooming business including the biggest shaving brands in the world - Gillette, Venus, Braun, Joy and The Art of Shaving, an outspoken champion for diversity and inclusion and a leading voice on men 's role in gender equality.

John Crabtree, currently Chair of the Birmingham Organising Committee for the 2022 Commonwealth Games and Her Majesty 's Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands, for many years Chair of both Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre Trust and the charity Sense, voted UK Lawyer of the Year in 2004 and awarded an OBE in the Queen 's Birthday Honours in 2007.

Tony Huq, born in Bangladesh, became a teacher in Birmingham after university, appointed Head Teacher of an inner city primary school in 1980 and awarded an MBE for services to education, appointed Ambassador of Bangladesh to France in 1987, concurrently accredited as Ambassador of Bangladesh to Spain, also served as a Non-Executive Director of the University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust (Queen Elizabeth Hospital) from 2001 to 2010.

Dr Sue Ibbotson, Public Health England 's Regional Director for the Midlands, has held senior leadership positions in public health for 20 years, working with a wide range of partners to protect and improve the public 's health having originally studied medicine at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge and training as a GP, and has recently been admitted to the magistracy as a Family Court justice.

Yvonne Mosquito, first elected as a Birmingham councillor in 1966, has focused on combating juvenile neglect, sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation, elder physical and financial abuse, forced marriage, knife crime, gang violence and sex discrimination, as Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner she covered counter terrorism and human resources, as a non-executive director of the Birmingham Health Authority she championed equality and she is the first black person born in Birmingham to become its Lord Mayor.

Zahid Nawaz, an expert in equality, diversity and human rights, Regional Director at the former Commission for Racial Equality, has served as an Independent Board Member of the West Midlands Police Authority, a Senior Visiting Fellow to the world-renowned Defence Academy of the United Kingdom and a diversity expert board member for the British Science Association.

John Short, a psychiatric social worker before taking on senior management roles in mental health services in local authorities and the NHS, worked as Chief Executive of the large Mental Health Trust in Birmingham and Solihull from 2013 to 2019, during which time he worked to ensure that the Trust demonstrated care, compassion and respect to all its service users, carers and staff, at the same time championing the development of greater partnership working, supporting the development of Aston Medical School.

Dr Nina Skorupska, Chief Executive of The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology, before which working for the RWE Group where she was Npower 's first female power station manager, an adviser to the Carbon Trust, National Grid ESO and Energy Research Accelerator, awarded a CBE in 2016 for her services to renewables and promoting diversity in the energy industry.

Ian J Smith, a specialist in the development of pharmaceutical products to treat respiratory diseases who led development teams at both GSK and Pfizer and has held CEO and Board Director roles at a number of biotechnology companies.

Rt Hon Jacqui Smith, the UK 's first female Home Secretary, Chair of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and Sandwell Children 's Trust, Chair of the Jo Cox Foundation and a media commentator with a regular slot on Good Morning Britain.

Professor Alec Cameron, Vice-Chancellor of Aston University, said: “Graduation day is an important milestone in the life of every one of our students.

“It is a time to look back on the achievements and experiences gained over the course of their studies, but also an occasion to appreciate the wealth of opportunity that now lies before them as Aston University graduates.

“I am delighted to be able to welcome our class of 2021 back to campus for their graduation ceremonies.

“Seeing so many students, parents and friends celebrating the success of the graduating cohort is always a highlight of the year, but this year it seems particularly important, given the circumstances. ”