Online celebrations for North Highland College students
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More than 200 students from North Highland College UHI are being recognised for their achievements in a very different manner this year. A website, which will act as an online celebration of graduates, has been launched to replace the traditional ceremony, customarily celebrated with friends, family and fellow graduands at venues in Wick, Thurso or Dornoch.
The website celebrating the students’ academic achievements features a video message from recently retired principal Donald MacBeath, along with recognition of students of the year and additional prize winners, a list of all graduates and a message from the college’s student union representative Tia Cannop.
As well as the college's own contributions, the site features messages from the University of the Highlands and Islands chancellor, the Princess Royal, and the principal and vice-chancellor, Crichton Lang.
Mr MacBeath, who retired from his post as principal last week after 37 years of service with North Highland College UHI, congratulated the graduates.
He told them: “You all have a great future in front of you. Whether you are now progressing into employment or further study, I ask you to continue to embrace the core values which serve both the college and the university so well.
"Work collaboratively and supportively, and network well with others. Be open to new ideas and, during this time of real economic change, also be open to new ways of working that at times will take you out of your comfort zone.
"Be respectful and tolerant of the positions of others and, crucially, aspire to the achievement of excellence.”
BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering student Leoni Mowat, from Thurso, received Higher Education Student of the Year and was nominated for her outstanding achievements throughout the year which include achieving distinction for her honours degree and being awarded the Institution for Engineering and Technology (IET) Best Project Award for the north of Scotland.
SVQ 3 Hospitality and Leadership student Ross Mackay, from Lybster, was chosen as Further Education Student of the Year, nominated by his lecturer for his commitment to his studies during a challenging year, his excellent customer service skills and true professionalism and dedication to his employer and the industry in which he works. Ross also won the Tom Dobson Salver Award for demonstrating outstanding customer service.
PhD Environmental Science student Henk Pieter Sterk, originally from Holland and now living in Caithness, received the Postgraduate Student of the Year award for his achievements including securing various project grants, managing projects, undertaking foreign field trips and writing his first peer-reviewed paper. Henk also helped to organise the University of the Highlands and Islands' Postgraduate Conference in November 2019.
The college also presented the Roy E Godfrey Memorial Shield for the fifth year. It was established in memory of Mr Godfrey, an accomplished professional engineer and regional councillor.
BEng Electrical and Mechanical Engineering student Thalia Adams, from Golspie, was this year’s recipient of the memorial shield. This award recognised a significant dedication in an engineering discipline. Mr Godfrey had always maintained that “nothing moves without engineers”.
Thalia joined the college in 2015 on the Get Ready for College course and has progressed and achieved Nat 4, Nat 5, NC, HNC and HND in Engineering Systems, while travelling from Golspie each day. Thalia will continue her studies this year as a BEng Electrical and Mechanical Engineering student.
Anne Bremner, director of learning and teaching and graduation master of ceremonies, said: “On behalf of all college staff, we would like to congratulate each of our graduates on their academic achievements this year. They have all demonstrated tremendous resilience and a determination to succeed in the most challenging of circumstances brought on by Covid-19, with many also managing demanding personal circumstances to successfully achieve their qualifications.
"We are so proud of each and every one of them. We sincerely hope to be able to celebrate with the graduates of 2019/20 in person in the future and wish them all every success.”
The celebration website can be viewed here .
University of the Highlands and Islands
Graduation and awards 2020
North Highland College UHI
Higher Education
Doctor of Philosophy
Environmental Sciences
Daniel Johnston
Matteo Marasco
Master of Arts
Music and the Environment
Peter Noble (with distinction)
Master of Science
Developing Low Carbon Communities
Peter Ballantine
Sustainable Energy Solutions
Graeme Bruce (with distinction)
Christopher Gunn
Andrew Surgeoner
Postgraduate Diploma
Developing Low Carbon Communities
Colin Seditas
Sustainable Energy Solutions
Colin Swan
Postgraduate Certificate
Sustainable Energy Solutions
Finlay Mcculloch (with distinction)
Bachelor of Arts with Honours
Archaeology
Mary Renshaw
Child and Youth Studies
Kate Sutherland
Contemporary Film-Making in the Highlands and Islands
Oskar Glomski
Johanna Reinhold
Shannon Skinner
Equine Business Management
Kirstie Cownie
Christina Hope
Golf Management
Giordano Antonucci
Kiefer Brown
Calum Gordon
Fraser Johnston
Calum Paterson
Rebecca Riddell
James Warren
History and Politics
Ross Wilson
History
Iain Dodds
Conor O'Neill
Bachelor of Engineering with Honours
Electrical and Energy Engineering
Ben Mackay
Mechanical and Energy Engineering
Claire Christey
Steven McCurry
Bachelor of Science with Honours
Environmental Science
Alexander Gunn
Computing
Ryan Gow
Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary)
Sarah Paterson
Jayne Reid
Bethany Sutherland
Craig Waddell
Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary)
Gemma Sutherland
Bachelor of Arts
Business and Management
Emma Robertson
Child and Youth Studies
Hannah Trueman
Events Management
Kelly Muffett
Golf Management
Dominic Bradburn
Henri Charles
Niall Draper
Athol Stronach
Professional Golf
Gregor Munro
Michael Schinkel
Bachelor of Engineering
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Matthew Cowan
Gary Davidson
Scot Gray
Emma Gunn
Scott Hardie
Robert Kennedy (with distinction)
Mark Macdougall
Lee Mackay
Marti Ross
Matthew White
Mechanical Engineering
Colin Blumfield
Steven Robertson
Kevin Brims (with distinction)
Jack Hamilton (with distinction)
Bachelor of Science
Psychological Studies
Karen Swanson
Sport and Fitness
Sarah Begg
Diploma in Higher Education
Applied Music
Rua Connell
Child and Youth Studies
Linsey Stevenson
Golf Management
Alasdair Dickson
Steph Coverley (with distinction)
Professional Golf PGA
Calum Allison
Cameron Donaldson
Shaun Mcallister
Scott Ross
Higher National Diploma
Computer Science
Dean Andrew
Kaiyn Sheppard
Sebastian Thain
Engineering Systems
Thalia Adams
Aidan Bond
Sophie Clarke
Conor Cormack
Natalie Cornwall
Kaj Curlis
Alexander Deas
Liam Dunnett
Jonathan Fell
Louise Fraser
Adam Gunn
William Inrig
Andrew Mackay
James Mackintosh
Ross Mowat
George Rothera
Liam Sinclair
Liam Sutherland
Paul Sutherland
Equine Studies
Hannah McGregor
Kim Rourke
Scottish Vocational Qualification Level 4 (SCQF Level 8)
Social Services (Children and Young People)
Grant Mackay
Social Services and Healthcare
Barry Mackay
Stephanie Macqueen
Jessica Molnar
Sarah-Louise Sinclair
Certificate of Higher Education
Child and Youth Studies
Rebecca Gunn
Contemporary Film-Making in the Highlands and Islands
Robert McIlwraith-Greig
Professional Golf (PGA)
Anna Dutch
Psychological Studies
Hannah Thorburn
Higher National Certificate
Accounting
Elizabeth Candeland
Paula Davidson
Anne Mackenzie
Natalia Odrobina
Emilee-Mae Simpson
Linda Sutherland
Business
Elaine Brass
Holly Cunningham
Jill Forbes
Julie Geddes
Robert Gunn
Lauren Mackay
Abigail Mellor
Georgina O'Doherty
Melissa Ross
Roseanna Stuart
Childhood Practice
Roseann Barlow
Adele Bridgeford
Natalie Coghill
Abby Cook
Chloe Fox
Zoe Grant
Emma Manson
Chloe Miller
Amy Millward
Rena Polson
Shannon Ross
Computing
Adam Williamson
Engineering Systems
Grant Aitkenhead
Neave Anderson
Reece Coghill
James Cormack
Jack Cormack
Chloe Dunnett
Lewis Fraser
Rosalind Hillhouse
Craig Kennedy
Stephanie Leith
James Lynch
Owen Manson
Reece Mowat
George Rothera
Equine Studies
Julian Agnello De Vaz Carreiro
Mackenzie Blyth
Sophie Irvine-Dunnett
Rhona Lee
Phoebe Marker
Kira Mccallum
Penny Moncur
Eve Nicoll
Nicole Petrie
Kiera Scott
Kirsty Sewell
Tiegan Sinclair
Lauren Steven
Molly Sutherland
Game and Wildlife Management
Luca Bellini
Thomas Garbett
Edward Greenhalgh
Music
Jamie Atcheson
Ross Celli
Alex Kyle
Sean Maciver
Nathan Urquhart
Social Services
Teanie Finnie
Katlyne Kennedy
Franziska Metzler-Murray
Christina Ross
Chloe Sinclair
Shannon White
Sound Production
Finlay Craib
Erin Macdonald
Murdo Maclean
Matthew Wilson
Scottish Vocational Qualification Level 3 in Social Services and Healthcare (SCQF Level 7)
Nicole Hudson
Julianne Macleod
Gemma Munro
Lisa Wilson
Scottish Vocational Qualification Level 3 in Social Services Children and Young People (SCQF Level 7)
Veronica Berrie
Deborah Brown
Victoria Hayden
Erin McHale
Erin Pieraccini
Katherine Polley
Mary Rogers
Bernadette Turnbull
Robert Wilkes
Megan Williamson
Scottish Vocational Qualification Level 3 in Hospitality Supervision and Leadership (SCQF Level 7)
Ross Mackay
Further Education
Scottish Vocational Qualification Level 3 in Beauty therapy (SCQF Level 6)
Ellie Brindle
Sheena Costie
Hannah Davidson
Ria Dewhurst
Esme Duckham
Megan Sunter
Amy Sutherland
Scottish Vocational Qualification Level 3 in hairdressing (SCQF Level 6)
Sarah Cannop
Sara Mackay
Scottish Vocational Qualification Level 3 in professional cookery (SCQF Level 6)
Kieren Hamilton
Sarah Malcolm
Martin Slater
