Beth Walker-Smith at Pirelli

Loughborough University’s class of 2017 honoured at graduation ceremonies

This week, Loughborough University is honouring thousands of students at its summer graduation ceremonies. The achievements of students are celebrated as they reach the end of their degrees.

Amongst those graduating is Materials Engineering with Design student Beth Walker-Smith, pictured, who has already secured graduate employment within the industrial department at Pirelli Burton following a successful placement within the company.

Beth’s placement was a first within the industrial department at Pirelli. Working in the area of Industrial Efficiency, Beth identified an expensive hold up in the production process. She recommended a cost-effective solution and presented her recommendations to a panel of Pirelli UK directors.

Beth contributed to a number of additional assignments and was a confident and professional ambassador for the company at various events. She impressed her employers so much they named her the Pirelli UK Placement Student of the Year. She also won the ‘student placement’ category in this year’s Enterprise Awards.

Young mum Lucy Semple will collect her degree certificate this week. Lucy, from Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, has juggled studying for her Graphic Communication and Illustration degree alongside caring for her seven-year-old daughter.

Speaking about the challenge, she said: “It has been difficult but the University has been really flexible and supportive. The tutors are so friendly – I could just go and speak to them whenever and they were happy to rearrange things when needed.

“It’s given me so much time with my daughter, and I’ve been able to show her that you can do what you want in life.”

Electronic and Electrical Engineering student Matthew Neale is also graduating this week. Matthew is a Development Trust Scholar. Development Trust Scholarships are supported by donations from alumni and friends of the University and enable academically gifted students from disadvantaged backgrounds to study at Loughborough.

Matthew commented: “A short while after my application I received an email from Loughborough inviting me to apply for the Development Trust Scholarship, which I was successful in obtaining and very thankful for. Having a financial burden removed has been a real help and removed considerable pressure.

“One of my favourite highlights of my time here at Loughborough has been attending Donor Day events, where I got to meet donors and thank them for their support.”

Also graduating is Management Sciences student Ben Matthews who has made the most of the extracurricular activities at Loughborough by becoming a Student Ambassador.

Ambassadors are current undergraduate and postgraduate students who represent the University at events such as Open Days and school visits. They provide positive role models for those thinking of University study.

Ben said: “I would say that the ambassador scheme has been a real confidence booster. It has provided opportunities for leadership along with independent and team working, and I have developed communication skills such as public speaking.

“These skills are easily transferred to the workplace and I am sure will stand me in good stead for competency based interviews in the future.”

Notes for editors

Press release reference number: 17/101

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Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines. It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world to study sports-related subjects in the 2017 QS World University Rankings and top in the country for its student experience in the 2016 THE Student Experience Survey.

Loughborough was ranked 6th in the Guardian University League Table 2018 and 10th in The UK Complete University Guide 2018 and was also named Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017. It has been awarded a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework, which recognises institutions that deliver consistently outstanding teaching that is of the highest quality found in the UK.

Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.

The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.

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