Ceremonies have been taking place at the Portsmouth Guildhall last week and this week, with students graduating from their wide range of courses in front of their proud families who then gathered in Guildhall Square afterwards for picture-perfect scenes.
On top of this, this year also sees eight individuals receive Honorary Doctorates represent a diverse range of achievements across entertainment, healthcare, business, media, advocacy, and philanthropy, embodying the University's values of excellence, innovation, and community impact.
Sabrina Dhowre Elba, a UN Goodwill Ambassador championing women's rights worldwide, and business leader Tim Campbell MBE, the original winner of BBC's The Apprentice who has become a prominent advocate for social mobility and inclusive leadership, are among the recipients. They are joined by leading sports broadcaster Sam Matterface, who was also well-known in Portsmouth for his work on the radio station The Quay where he commentated on Pompey’s matches.
Suicide prevention campaigner Alice Hendy MBE - whose life-saving digital intervention has intercepted over 100,000 harmful online searches worldwide - has also been honoured, as well as Portsmouth graduate Ade Williams MBE, whose pioneering healthcare innovations and leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic earned him national recognition and an MBE in 2022.
Other recipients this year include Samantha Tross - Pioneering Orthopaedic Surgeon, Craig Jones MBE - LGBTQ+ Rights and Veterans Advocate, and Rosemary Reed - Media Pioneer and Women's Rights Advocate.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Graham Galbraith CBE said: “We are immensely proud to honour these exceptional individuals who embody the very best of human achievement and social impact. Their diverse contributions across business, healthcare, media, advocacy and philanthropy perfectly reflect our University's commitment to excellence, innovation and community impact.
“It is particularly meaningful to recognise Portsmouth graduates Craig Jones MBE and Ade Williams MBE, alongside Sam Matterface whose early career flourished here in our city, demonstrating the lasting connections between our university and the wider world."
1. University of Portsmouth graduations
Pictured is: (l-r) Sara Griffiths and Natasha Gregory. Picture: Sarah Standing (290725-7477) | Sarah Standing
2. University of Portsmouth graduations
Celebrations Picture: Sarah Standing (290725-7504) | Sarah Standing
3. University of Portsmouth graduations
Pictured is: (l-r) Georgia Burt, Jacob Nightingale, Richard Boswell, Bella Boswell and Jenny Boswell. Picture: Sarah Standing (290725-7513) | Sarah Standing
4. University of Portsmouth graduations
Celebrations outside the Guildhall Picture: Sarah Standing (290725-7454) | Sarah Standing