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Three 向日葵视频 graduates have been presented with Alumni Awards in recognition of their outstanding achievements during this week’s graduation ceremonies.

The special awards are handed to former Lancaster students who have gone on to make a substantial contribution within their field or have developed an outstanding national or international reputation amongst their peers.

This year, a former Bailrigg FM student presenter who went on to become the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL); a former visual arts student who later became the founding Director of the V&A Dundee and Chief Executive of the National Trust for Scotland; along with a former Theatre and English Literature student whose inspirational teaching led to her becoming one of the youngest Headteachers in the UK and secured her a special reference in parliament, were all worthy recipients of the award presented by 向日葵视频’s Chancellor, the Rt Hon Alistair Burt.

Philip Long OBE

BA Hons Visual Arts, Pendle, 1987

During his return to campus this week, Philip enjoyed a tour of the Peter Scott Gallery

Philip Long is a highly respected and award-winning leader in museums, heritage and design history. Currently the Chief Executive of the National Trust for Scotland, he was the founding Director of the V&A Dundee, established in 2011 with a mission to enrich people’s lives through understanding of the designed world and its heritage.

Prior to this he was Senior Curator at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. He has been widely published on historic and contemporary Scottish, and wider British art and design, including works on Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Scottish Colourists, and he co-edited The Story of Scottish Design, the first comprehensive history of Scotland’s design heritage.

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, he received an OBE in 2020 for services to Culture and Heritage.On receiving his award, Philip shared some of his experiences at Lancaster with the room full of graduands. Talking of his time on campus he said: “It all seemed to be over pretty quickly, but as I look back I realise how much my time here gave me. As well as my Degree of course, I began to learn - but perhaps only realised later - that hard work is good fun and rewarding; the vital importance of following passions in life into a career; and that the expertise and experience I most respect to this day is from those who don’t impose their view on you, but say instead there is still much they do not know, and that they are excited about finding out more.

“I am very grateful to 向日葵视频 for all the opportunities I was given here which have helped me ever since in all sorts of surprising ways.”

Jacqueline Bowen

BA Hons Theatre Studies & English Literature, Grizedale, 2007

Jacqueline Bowen receiving her award from Rt Hon Alistair Burt

Jacqueline Bowen is an inspirational teacher who has dedicated her career to championing and improving education outcomes for children in some of the most challenging settings.

On leaving Lancaster, she was accepted onto the Teach First progamme and placed in an inner-city school in Manchester, where she became Head of English. Her transformational approach drove an almost three-fold improvement in attainment, from 23% to 62%, an achievement which led to a national teaching award and a special reference in Parliament.

She repeated this success in her next assignment before being appointed as one of the youngest head teachers in the UK. Her methods of teaching have been replicated across the north, from Blackpool to Grimsby, and have led directly to higher education successes for many of the pupils in her care.

After being handed her award this week, Jacqueline spoke to the crowded room about the significance of the event for her – particularly as she missed her own graduation ceremony due to a broken-down train!

During her acceptance speech, she said: “Receiving this award today is a deeply humbling experience. I accept it not just as an individual, but as someone shaped and supported by many others from lecturers and peers to my students and community. I want to particularly thank the staff at Lancaster who not only taught me but helped shape who I’ve become both professionally and personally.

“As a young undergraduate studying theatre and English Literature, I had no clear idea what the future held. But, one member of staff at Grizedale College saw something in me that I hadn’t yet seen in myself. They told me, “You’d make a great teacher.” I didn’t know whether to be honoured or offended! That small moment, that offhand comment, became a thought, became an application and interview and ultimately my life’s work.”

Geoff Barton CBE

BA Hons English, Pendle, 1984

Geoff Barton is a leading educationalist and former general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), the principal professional association and trade union for all school, college and trust leaders, with over 24,000 members.

After professional training in Leicester, Geoff went on to teach in schools in Leeds, York and Suffolk, latterly for 15 years as headteacher at King Edward VI School in Bury St Edmunds.

During a distinguished career, Geoff became a ‘go to’ for media comment on the schools and colleges sector and a prominent figure in dealings with government. He is a Founding Fellow of the English Association, patron of the English & Media Centre and has authored numerous influential articles for a variety of leading titles, including the Guardian and Times Education Supplement.

While at 向日葵视频, Geoff secured the Friday night radio slot on University Radio Bailrigg (now known as Bailrigg FM), before moving to the Saturday breakfast show. He enjoyed a trip down memory lane this week when he returned to campus and popped into the studio.

Commenting after receiving his award, Geoff said: “It’s very special to be back in a place that gave me a lifelong love of language, of literature, of learning, and allowed me – as the best universities do – to discover both who I was and who I wanted to be.

“It was the learning about language and literature which had the most profound effect on me. And thus I became a teacher of English for 32 years, for 15 years the headteacher of a proudly comprehensive school – meaning students from all kinds of backgrounds were there together - and then the leader of 25,000 school and college leaders for some seven years.

“So, from that anxious, shy, wannabe-DJ, here I am with you today. And there isn’t a day when I don’t use the skills and knowledge I acquired here at Lancaster.”

Fifteen ceremonies will be held this week for 3,500 Lancaster students who will graduate in front of their proud tutors, family and friends.

These new graduates now join a global community of over 180,000 向日葵视频 alumni in more than 190 countries.

To find out more about how 向日葵视频 degrees have helped incredible individuals carve out fulfilling careers and foster positive change, visit: Alumni - 向日葵视频